Charles Kabanda is 40 years old and Ugandan, from the town of Kalungu (Villa Maria). He is the sixth of seven siblings in a Catholic family, like so many others in his country, where today approximately 40% of the citizens profess this religion.

He is currently studying at doctorate in Spiritual Theology and this is the second time he has gone to study at the University of Navarra. On both occasions with financial aid economic benefactors. The first time he did it in 2014, to study the licentiate degree in Theology. At that time he had been ordained a priest for six years.

He says that when the bishop of his diocese encouraged him to go to Pamplona, he knew no Spanish and "felt as much joy as fear". He packed his suitcase and changed country, culture and language for a few years to train: "At first I remember everything very hard, especially the weather in winter. But little by little I became more stable. I learned the language and started getting good grades. I finished the licentiate degree in 2016 and got the award extraordinary end of degree program", she says.

He realized as a child that his vocation was the priesthood, while helping as an altar boy in the parish of Matale (Masaka): "I was very struck by the devotion with which the priest celebrated the Eucharist. There was a parochial vicar who was charming, we altar servers would accompany him to celebrate Mass in different villages and the parishioners would invite us to celebrate with them. It was a feast".

His father was a catechist in the parish, so he soon became aware of his son Charles' restlessness. When his mind was made up, he told his parents about his vocation and entered the Bukalasa Minor seminar in the diocese of Masaka. He remained there for six years. He began to order his life, followed a schedule, and even had to start wearing shoes every day, something he says was one of the things that cost him the most, "because I was not used to it". There he learned to play the organ, one of his great passions now.

Faithful devotee of the Virgin Mary, St. Faustina Kowalska and St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, God willing, he will return to Uganda in June. He is sample very excited about the plans that the bishopric of his diocese has for him, because he would like to be able to transmit everything he has learned at the University and serve the Church; and he assures that encouraging vocations to the priesthood and accompanying in the spiritual direction of people is what he likes most about his vocation.