TANZANIA: President of TEC Describes Cardinal Pengo as a Rare Gift to the Church
Dalphina Rubyema
The President of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) has described the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, as a rare gift from God to the Church in Tanzania and to the world at large. He said the late prelate stood firm in safeguarding the Catholic faith and demonstrated great creativity in strengthening the Church, from which other bishops in other dioceses learned effective diocesan leadership and administration.
He made these remarks during the Holy Mass held to pray for and bid farewell to Cardinal Pengo, who passed away on February 19 this year at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), where he had been receiving treatment. He will be laid to rest at the Pugu Pilgrimage Centre on February 28 this year.
The Mass, held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, was attended by people from within and outside the country, including cardinals, bishops, priests, religious men and women, lay faithful, and other people of goodwill. Also present were senior government leaders led by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, political party leaders, and representatives of various groups.
The Mass was further attended by the President of SECAM and Archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu; the Archbishop of Rwanda, Antoine Kambanda; the Archbishop of Tabora, Cardinal Protas Rugambwa; the President of AMECEA, Bishop Charles Kasonde; the Secretary General of SECAM, Fr. Rafael Simbine; and the Secretary General of AMECEA, Fr. Anthony Makunde.
He described Cardinal Pengo as a unique gift from God to the Church in Tanzania and Africa at large, noting that his faith never wavered but remained firm until the Lord called him. He emphasized that such gifts are rare and are not given by God frequently.
“While still a priest, TEC recognized that he had exceptional talents that needed to be nurtured so he could serve the Church at both diocesan and national levels, clearly showing he was a special gift. At only 27, he was ordained a priest, and shortly after completing his studies in Rome, upon returning to the country in 1977, he was assigned to teach at Kipalapala Major Seminary. However, he stayed there for only one year before being sent to establish Segerea Major Seminary as Rector he did not need mentorship. At just 39 years old, he was appointed Bishop of Nachingwea, and upon arriving in the diocese he already had plans to transfer the diocesan headquarters to Tunduru/Masasi,” he said.
He added: “Three years after serving in Tundur/Masasi, he was appointed to the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam in 1990 as Coadjutor Archbishop, and eight years later he became a Cardinal. You can see the kind of person he was one of those whom the Apostle Paul describes as mature in faith, not like infants who still need milk.”
He said that as the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, Cardinal Pengo brought reforms in moral and pastoral life among the faithful, priests, and religious by living out the reforms himself. He was a truthful man who empowered others in their responsibilities. As a teacher, shepherd, and successor of the apostles, he did not teach only in Dar es Salaam but served the entire Church.
“Many of us bishops have learned from him, for example, participation through WAWATA, the Holy Childhood Association, and others; we learned these from Dar es Salaam.”
He said Cardinal Pengo was always a man of deep faith whose belief never wavered. He spoke the truth in love without hatred, teaching that truth and love are inseparable and were united in God throughout his life.
“His faith continued to grow in truth and love. The Apostle Paul reminds us not to remain like children easily deceived by false teachings,” he emphasized.
Following the example of St. Cyprian, who offered special prayers for Cornelius after his martyrdom for standing firm in faith, the TEC President and Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lindi prayed the prayer of St. Polycarp before Cardinal Pengo’s casket to accompany him on his eternal journey.
“May this prayer accompany him as we recognize and believe that all his strength came from his communion with God through constant prayer and devotion to the Holy Rosary and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He detached himself from worldly matters — he did not even have a personal bank account or a mobile phone; communications passed through his aides. He possessed nothing in this world, which is why his lamp was always burning. That is also why he chose to be buried at Pugu in a small church; he did not seek the prestige of being buried at St. Joseph’s Cathedral,” he said.
He added that Cardinal Pengo fulfilled the mission entrusted to him by God by proclaiming Christ through his life. TEC has lost one of its distinguished members. He also extended condolences to the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, TEC, AMECEA, SECAM, and the Universal Church.
Earlier, presenting Cardinal Pengo’s biography, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, Bishop Henry Mchamungu, said the Church will remember him for his deep Marian devotion and his wholehearted love for his diocese. He lived a life of poverty; even after retirement, he donated gifts he received to support Church activities within and beyond Dar es Salaam, while consistently promoting truth, justice, and peace.
“In a special way he loved children and strengthened the Holy Childhood Association. He also supported Church institutions through apostolic associations including UWAKA and WAWATA to serve the Little Sisters’ congregation and seminarians at Visiga Seminary, encouraging the faithful to support the diocese by establishing many parishes and apostolic groups,” he said.
Illness and Death
According to Bishop Mchamungu, Cardinal Pengo had been suffering from heart and spinal ailments. He was treated in Tanzania at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) and was later taken to India for further treatment. However, his condition did not improve. On February 19 this year he was returned to Tanzania, and a few hours after arrival he passed away that same night while receiving treatment at JKCI.
Before the Holy Mass began, the faithful were given an opportunity to pay their last respects to Cardinal Pengo’s body, which arrived at the cathedral at about 8:30 a.m. As they passed before the casket bearing his body — on which was placed his episcopal motto, Ecce ego Domine (“Here I am, Lord”) — their faces revealed deep sorrow at the loss of their faithful spiritual leader.
