New Rector for St. Anthony’s–Kachebere Major Seminary
Very Rev. Shayne Craig, PSS and Rev. Enoch Kanjira, PSS, Rector of St. Anthony’s Kachebere
Fr. Enoch Eric Kanjira, PSS, was appointed rector of the historical St. Anthony’s Kachebere Major Seminary, Mchinji, Malawi, on July 1, 2024, becoming the third Sulpician to head the prestigious seminary. He took over from Fr. Peter Kwaleyela, PSS, who has been rector for three years and is now pursuing doctoral studies at Maynooth Pontifical University in Ireland. Until his appointment, Fr. Kanjira was formator and Spiritual Director at Emmaus Spirituality Centre in Lusaka, Zambia.
Born on August 27, 1971, in Chiradzulu, Malawi, Fr. Kanjira was ordained for the Archdiocese of Blantyre in Malawi on July 5, 1997. He served in different positions such as Assistant Parish Priest, teacher and bursar, rector, and formator as well as Archbishop’s secretary, Financial Administrator, and Vocations Director in his home diocese before he was appointed rector of Kachebere Major Seminary in 2017. He was the acting rector when the Society of St. Sulpice was requested to manage the philosophical seminary.
After working with the Society of St. Sulpice for a few years, Fr. Kanjira received a vocation within a vocation—to become a Sulpician and commit his life to formation of seminarians and ongoing formation of priests. When he joined the Society as a candidate, he was assigned to Emmaus Spirituality Centre in Lusaka where he has been for three years.
Fr. Kanjira brings significant experience in administration and formation to the seminary. He is a well-organized and meticulous priest, not only in Liturgy, which is his area of specialization, but also in his way of priestly life. He displays confidence in his work and always gives a good example in formation. Fr. Kanjira has a licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from Pontificio Ateneo Sant’Anselmo in Rome. He has also done courses in Formation of Formators to the Priesthood and Consecrated Life at Gregoriana in Rome, Teaching Methodology under the University of Zambia, as well as Diplomatic Practice, Protocol, and Public Relations under the Zambia Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations.
During the smooth handover in July 2024, witnessed by the Regional Superior Fr. Victor Shikaputo, PSS, the incoming rector thanked the Society for giving him the opportunity to serve once again at St. Anthony’s. The Regional Superior congratulated the new rector and thanked Fr. Kwaleyela the outgoing rector for the work and commitment to Kachebere as rector and wished him well as he undertakes the journey for his doctoral studies. Fr. Shikaputo assured both Fathers Kwaleyela and Kanjira of the prayerful support of all the members of the Society.
Upper right: Rev. Victor Shikaputo, PSS, Regional Superior, Very Rev. Shayne Craig, PSS, Superior General, and Very Rev. Daniel F. Moore, PSS, Provincial Superior, on the occasion of Fr. Craig’s first visit to the U.S. Sulpician presence in Central SE Africa.
Below: Rev. Victor Shikaputo, PSS, Regional Superior, Very Rev. Shayne Craig, PSS, Superior General, Fr. Enoch Eric Kanjira, PSS, and Very Rev. Daniel F. Moore, PSS, Provincial Superior, on the occasion of Fr. Craig’s first visit to the U.S. Sulpician presence in Central SE Africa.
Victor Shikaputo, PSS
Regional Superior