His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Novatus Rugambwa
Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, Fiji, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Micronesia
Apostolic Delegate to the Pacific Ocean
Titular Archbishop of Tagaria
Rugambwa in 2019
Appointed29 March 2019
PredecessorMartin Krebs
Other post(s)Titular Archbishop of Tagaria
Orders
Ordination6 July 1986
by Nestorius Timanywa
Consecration18 March 2010
by Tarcisio Bertone, Pier Giorgio Micchiardi, and Nestorius Timanywa
Personal details
Born
Novatus Rugambwa

(1957-10-08) 8 October 1957
Bukoba, Tanzania
NationalityTanzanian
DenominationRoman Catholic
Previous post(s)
Styles of
Novatus Rugambwa
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Novatus Rugambwa (born 8 October 1957)[1] is a Tanzanian prelate of the Roman 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]

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 Pier Giorgio Micchiardi 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]

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]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rugambwa appointed papal nuncio for New Zealand". dailynews.co.tz. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  2. ↑ "Pope Francis appoints Tanzanian to represent the Vatican in New Zealand". East African Business Week. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  3. ↑ "Ex-alunni 1950-1999, Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica". Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (in Italian). Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  4. ↑ "New apostolic nuncio appointed to New Zealand and the Pacific". CathNews NZ Pacific. 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  5. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 06.02.2010" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.02.2010" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "Rugambwa Appointed Papal Nuncio for New Zealand". Daily News (Tanzania). 31 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.03.2015" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  9. ↑ "Pope Francis Appoints Tanzanian To Represent The Vatican In New Zealand". Business Week (in Italian). 3 April 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 29.03.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  11. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 25.05.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  12. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 30.11.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  13. ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 17.04.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Rugambwa named Cook Islands Nuncio". Catholic Daily. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  15. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 30.03.2021" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  16. ↑ "Papal ambassador to New Zealand 'stable' after serious stoke". Cath News New Zealand. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  17. ↑ "Please keep Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa in your prayers". Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  18. ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
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