Novatus Rugambwa Explained

Type:archbishop
Novatus Rugambwa
Appointed:29 March 2019
Predecessor:Martin Krebs
Birth Name:Novatus Rugambwa
Birth Date:8 October 1957
Birth Place:Bukoba, Tanzania
Novatus Rugambwa
Dipstyle:

Novatus Rugambwa (born 8 October 1957)[1] is a Tanzanian prelate of the Catholic Church and diplomat of the Holy See.[2]

Biography

Novatus Rugambwa was born on 8 October 1957, in Bukoba, Tanzania, and was ordained a priest on 6 July 1986, for the Diocese of Bukoba. He holds a degree in canon law. In 1987 he was admitted to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy to study diplomacy.[3]

Diplomatic career

Rugambwa entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1991, and served in the pontifical diplomatic missions in Panama, Republic of Congo, Pakistan, New Zealand and Indonesia.[4] He was named undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants on 28 June 2007.

On 6 February 2010 he was named Titular Archbishop of Tagaria and apostolic nuncio to São Tomé and Príncipe.[5] He was named apostolic nuncio to Angola on 20 February 2010 as well.[6] His episcopal consecration took place on 18 March 2010; Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was the principal consecrator, with bishops and Nestorius Timanywa, as principal co-consecrators.[7]

Pope Francis named him nuncio to Honduras on 5 March 2015.[8]

On 29 March 2019, Pope Francis named Rugambwa apostolic nuncio to New Zealand and apostolic delegate to the countries of the Pacific Ocean.[9] [10] On 25 May the responsibilities of Apostolic Nuncio to Fiji and to Palau were assigned to him.[11] On 30 November he was given additional responsibility as Apostolic Nuncio to the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tonga.[12] On 17 April 2020, he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Samoa as well.[13] On 2 February 2021, Rugambwa was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Cook Islands, a post that had been vacant since 2018,[14] and on 30 March to Micronesia.[15]

Ill health

On 29 October 2023, Rugambwa suffered a severe stroke. He first remained at Wellington Hospital in a serious, but stable condition.[16] [17] As a result, he has not been able to attend events, primarily: The Presentation of the Pallium to Archbishop Paul Martin (5 November) at St Mary of the Angels, Wellington and the reinstatement of the Blessed Sacrament into the High Altar and blessing of the Cathedral Angels of St Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin (19 November). On 23 November, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference announced he was transferred Kenepuru Hospital to begin his rehabilitation proper.[18] He travelled to Rome in March 2024 to continue his rehabilitation at a Catholic facility there.[19]

On 27 July 2024, he resigned his position as nuncio to New Zealand and delegate to the Pacific Ocean.[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rugambwa appointed papal nuncio for New Zealand. dailynews.co.tz. en. 2020-05-30.
  2. Web site: Pope Francis appoints Tanzanian to represent the Vatican in New Zealand. 2019-04-03. East African Business Week. en-GB. 2020-05-30.
  3. Web site: 17 October 2019 . it. Ex-alunni 1950-1999, Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica. Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy .
  4. Web site: New apostolic nuncio appointed to New Zealand and the Pacific. 2019-04-01. CathNews NZ Pacific. en-US. 2020-05-30.
  5. Holy See Press Office . 17 October 2019 . Rinunce e Nomine, 06.02.2010 . 6 February 2010 .
  6. Holy See Press Office . 17 October 2019 . Rinunce e Nomine, 20.02.2010 . 20 February 2010 .
  7. News: 30 March 2021 . Daily News (Tanzania) . Rugambwa Appointed Papal Nuncio for New Zealand. 31 March 2019 .
  8. Holy See Press Office . 17 October 2019 . Rinunce e Nomine, 05.03.2015 . 5 March 2015 .
  9. News: it . 17 October 2019 . Pope Francis Appoints Tanzanian To Represent The Vatican In New Zealand. 3 April 2019 . Business Week .
  10. Rinunce e Nomine, 29.03.2019 . it . 29 March 2019 . 18 October 2019 . Holy See Press Office.
  11. Rinunce e Nomine, 25.05.2019 . it . 25 May 2019 . 18 October 2019 . Holy See Press Office.
  12. Holy See Press Office . 30 November 2019 . 30 November 2019 . Rinunce e nomine, 30.11.2019. it.
  13. Holy See Press Office . 17 April 2020 . 17 April 2020. Resignations and Appointments, 17.04.2020 .
  14. Web site: Rugambwa named Cook Islands Nuncio. Catholic Daily. 2 February 2021. 2 February 2021.
  15. Holy See Press Office . 30 March 2021 . 30 November 2019 . Rinunce e nomine, 30.03.2021. it.
  16. News: Papal ambassador to New Zealand 'stable' after serious stoke . Cath News New Zealand . 2023-11-18 . en-NZ.
  17. Web site: 2023-10-30 . Please keep Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa in your prayers . Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington . 2023-11-18 . en-NZ.
  18. Web site: Facebook . 2023-11-23 . www.facebook.com.
  19. Papal Nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa returning to Rome . 16 March 2024 . New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.
  20. [cite news |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/07/27/240727a.html |title=Resignations and Appointments, 27.07.2024 |accessdate=July 27, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2024/07/archbishop-gabor-pinter-appointed-popes-representative-to-aotearoa-new-zealand/ |title=Archbishop Gábor Pintér Appointed Pope’s Representative To Aotearoa New Zealand |accessdate=July 28, 2024}}</ref> ==See also== * [[List of heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See]]

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