RIP: 01/03/2021 - Masasi

Fr. Africanus Lokilo was born in at Mokala village in the Rombo district in Tanzania, near to Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain of Africa on 9 June 1959. After his primary and secondary studies, he joined the Salvatorians, entering novitiate at Namiungo after which he professed his first vows in the same place on the very first day of 1985. Due to the fact that in that time there wasn´t a theological faculty in Tanzania, nor an institute where religious could prepare themselves academically to become a priest, he was sent to the Diocesan Major Seminary of Kiboso for Philosophy and to the St. Charles Lwanga, Segerea Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, where he studied Theology. He was ordained a priest on 7 June 1994 at St. Maurus Parish- Kurasini in Dar es Salaam. As one of the first African Salvatorians and priests, Fr. Africanus was quite known at international level in our Society. First, because he participated in general chapters and synods as the Superior of the Tanzania Mission Pro-Province. Furthermore, in preparation to become the novice master, he obtained a special formation in Rome, while living at the Motherhouse, where many visiting confreres use to pass. Pastorally he worked in different parishes, in Dar es Salaam as well as in the Southern and rather poor part of the country, in the diocese of Tunduru – Masasi, where the Salvatorians and the Benedictines are the only male religious communities. Being at the community of Masasi, he suddenly felt unwell and was taken to the hospital. But any help came already too late. Fr. Africanus died completely unexpected on 1 March 2021 in Masasi. He was 61 years old and had been a salvatorian for 36 years.