RIP
Fr Daniel Kamuzyu SJ
20 August 1982 – 23 August 2023
Daniel had a full and extraordinary life even before entering the Society of Jesus. Throughout his life he had three loves: the Church, priesthood and religious life. These were loves nurtured from his early years at his secondary school, Mukasa Minor Seminary which, at that time, was staffed and run by Jesuits. There he met the then Jesuit scholastics Christopher Kapyunga Nyirenda, who, for his wisdom, came to be known as the Buddha, Peter Bwanali, who eventually became provincial of Zambia-Malawi Province and received Daniel into the Society, and Nathan Miti, who was to become his novice master. He joined the Missionaries of Africa soon after his secondary school but eventually left them and went to study education at Charles Lwanga in Chikuni, after which he worked for a while as a teacher.
On a repose day, during his Long Retreat, during a visit, he received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the locals in Chikuni where he had lived and worked prior to entering the Society. Wherever he went people shouted his name and wanted to converse with him. That was a sign of the impact he had on people. After his philosophy at Arrupe College, he did his regency at St Ignatius College in Lusaka, Zambia, from 2015-2017, and later on, during a break he took from his studies at Hekima College on 2018-19, after some pastoral work at St. Ignatius Parish in Lusaka, he worked as school chaplain in Chikuni. His students will remember him as a person who was strict but gentle, always putting their education and interests first. He was universally popular in every school he taught and in every parish he worked, whether as a lay person, scholastic or as a priest.
His fellow Jesuits will remember him as a person who was dedicated and hardworking. Pope Francis has talked on a number of occasions of the terrorism of gossip that destroys religious communities. Daniel never indulged in gossip, was never part of any clique and always had a kind word for everyone. Everyone will have a fond memory of him and all can agree on three things that characterized him: his love for other people that helped him bring out the best in them, his kindness towards other people that lifted them up when they were down, and his boundless joy that carried him through the most trying times and helped him carry others as well. He was able to put his life on hold to take care of others in need as he once did for a brother who was very ill in the hospital. He became his bed-sider.
After ordination in July 2022, he worked as assistant to the Chaplain at UNZA for about 6 months, while waiting for the work permit to Mozambique. With his availability and kindness, he did such a great job that the students greatly deplored his departure. In Mozambique he worked at Saint Ignatius of Loyola High School in Mzaladzi, Angónia, Tete. Ironically, he never wanted to learn how to drive and died in a tragic car accident. He touched people’s lives, and hearts with love, kindness and joy. His passing from this life is difficult for all of us, but he is certainly interceding for us. Though his life was short he had a very huge impact.