TANZANIA: Cardinal Pengo Retires, Archbishop Ruwa’ichi Succeeds Him
Pope Francis has accepted the request of His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam to retire in accordance with the Canon Law, having attained the prescribed age of retirement.
According to a press release issued on August 15, 2019 and signed by the Secretary General of Tanzania Episcopal Conference Rev. Fr. Charles Kitima, Pope Francis has accepted Cardinal Pengo to retire after attaining the age 75 years old.
The information also indicated that the Holy Father has officially asked Cardinal Pengo to hand over to Archbishop Ruwa’ichi who was the Coadjutor of Dar-es-Salaam.
Archbishop Emeritus of
Dar-es-Salaam (Images Courtesy)
The Chairman of Tanzania Episcopal Conference Most. Rev. Gervas Nyaisonga congratulates Cardinal Pengo for his service in the Church saying, “He has fought the fight and kept the faith.”
Archbishop Nyaisonga who is the local ordinary of Mbeya Archdiocese said that Cardinal Pengo was a good leader with ethical principles and loved his mission as a good shepherd in the Church.
“He was firm leader to both Church leaders and political leaders,” he said.
Cardinal Pengo retires after serving the Church for almost 35 years as a bishop. He was elevated to Cardinal on February 21, 1998 as the second Tanzanian bishop to hold the post of Cardinal after the retirement of Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa who was the first African Cardinal.
Cardinal Pengo was born on 5th August 1944. He was ordained a priest of Sumbawanga Diocese on 20th June 1971. He was appointed Bishop of Nachingwea by Pope St. John Paul II on Nov 11, 1983 and was ordained Bishop on 6th January 1984.
New Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Images Courtesy
On 17th October 1986 he was appointed Bishop of Tunduru-Masasi, Tanzania. He became Coadjutor Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam on January 22, 1990 and Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam on 22nd July 1992. He was elevated Cardinal on 21st February 1998 and on 26 April 1998 was installed Cardinal-Priest of Nostra Signora de La Salette.
Cardinal Pengo served as President of the Symposium Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) between 2007 and 2013. On August 5, 2019, he celebrated his 75th birthday in Dar es Salaam with a Holy Mass which was attended by hundreds of lay faithful, bishops, priests, religious and Government officials.
In his speech during the birthday celebrations, Cardinal Pengo expressed a number of wishes among them saying, he was patiently waiting to obey the Holy Father’s will when he asks him to retire as a bishop. Secondly, he expressed that he was waiting patiently to obey the Lord when He would call him to rest eternally. Thirdly, he expressed his desire to be buried in Pugu, the Diocese’s pilgrimage centre where missionaries are buried.
The new Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam Most Rev. Ruwa’ichi was born on January 30, 1954 in Kilimanjaro Region, Northern part of Tanzania. On 25th November 1981 he was ordained Priest of Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. He was appointed Bishop of Mbulu Diocese on February 9, 1999 by Pope St. John Paul II and was consecrated as bishop on May 16, 1999.
He was later appointed bishop of Dodoma on January 15, 2005; and on November 10, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Mwanza and installed on January 9, 2011. On June 21, 2018 he was appointed by Pope Francis a Coadjutor Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam.
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Dalphina Rubyema and Sara Pelaji
