Almost a year after its inception as the Archdiocesan seminary in 1997, the Congregation for Evangelization of People raised St, Charles Lwanga Seminary to the Status of an Inter Diocesan Major Seminary in June 1998.
The Namibian Catholic Bishop Conference (NCBC), Through Mission Aachen, made a request to the CMI Congregation (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate) in May 1997 for qualified priests for training young men at the newly started seminary. Formation for native priests was a field of special mission for the founders of the congregation. Being faithful to the original spirit of the founders, the congregation positively responded to the request of the NCBC and Fr. Thomas Manninezhath CMI was appointed as the first Rector in October 1998 (Prot.N. 4557/98). Ever since the administration of the seminary is entrusted by the NCBC to the Congregation of Mary Immaculate (CMI), the first indigenous religious congregation for men in India. Fr. Benny Karuvelil CMI suceeded as the second Rector from January 2009 till 2022 February. Fr. Taiju Thaliath CMI is appointed as the Acting Rector from 1 March 2022 and appointed as Rector on 7 April 2022.
St. Chavara Kuriakose Elias
Fr. Thomas Porukara
Fr.Thomas Palackal
Fr. Taiju arrived in St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary, Namibia on 24 April 2017, as a member of the faculty of Theology and then soon appointed as Dean of Students and in 2021 February he was appointed as the the Dean of Studies as well. On 7 April 2022 Fr. Taiju Thaliath is appointed as the Rector by the Congregation for the Evangelization. He has a Diploma in Formative Spirituality from Sidhivihara, Mysore, India. He has a Master’s Degree in English literature from Indhira Gandhi Open University, India. He obtained his Licentiate in Missiology from Urbaniana University Rome and secured his PhD. in Missiology from Urbaniana University Rome in 2016. He authored a book “The Spirit of Life in the Mission of the Church” based on his doctoral study.
Fr. John Jacob arrived at St. Charles Lwanga Seminary, Windhoek on 25th October 2022. He was appointed Dean of Studies and Students in St Charles Lwanga Major Seminary on 4th November 2022. He has obtained PhD Doctorate of Philosophy Major in Psychology from University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippians in 2015.
He has a M.Ph from Dharmaram Vidya Kshetharam, He also holds B. Ed. He arrived second time in Namibia on 17 July 2023 after three years break from St Charles Lwanga Major Seminary. He was here from 23 January, 2017 till December 2019.
Fr Joshy Thomas arrived in St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary, Namibia on 11 March 2023, as a member of the faculty of Theology. On 10 February 2024 He is appointed as the Director for Orientation and First Year Philosophy Students. He has a Licentiate in Theology from Dharmaram Vidya Kshethram, Bangalore, India.
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Mokatu
Fr Thomas Manninezhath CMI
Fr. Benny Karuvelil CMI