Novatus Rugambwa

Last updated
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Novatus Rugambwa
Apostolic Nuncio to Fiji, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Micronesia
Titular Archbishop of Tagaria
Novatus Rugambwa (cropped).jpg
Rugambwa in 2019
Church
Appointed29 March 2019
Predecessor Martin Krebs
Other post(s)
Personal details
Born
Novatus Rugambwa

(1957-10-08) 8 October 1957 (age 66)
Bukoba, Tanzania
Previous post(s)
Ordination history
History
Diaconal ordination
Ordained by Nestorius Timanywa
Date5 January 1986
Place Bukoba, Tanzania
Priestly ordination
Ordained byNestorius Timanywa
Date6 July 1986
PlaceBukoba
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecrator Tarcisio Bertone
Co-consecrators
Date18 March 2010
Place St. Peter's Basilica, Roma, Italy
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Novatus Rugambwa as principal consecrator
Dionísio Hisiilenapo  [ pt ]2011
Pio Hipunyati  [ pt ]2012
Source(s): [1]
Styles of
Novatus Rugambwa
Template-Archbishop.svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Archbishop

Novatus Rugambwa (born 8 October 1957) [2] is a Tanzanian prelate of the Catholic Church and diplomat of the Holy See. [3]

Contents

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. [4]

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. [5] 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. [6] He was named apostolic nuncio to Angola on 20 February 2010 as well. [7] His episcopal consecration took place on 18 March 2010; Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was the principal consecrator, with bishops Pier Giorgio Micchiardi  [ it ] and Nestorius Timanywa, as principal co-consecrators. [8]

Pope Francis named him nuncio to Honduras on 5 March 2015. [9]

On 29 March 2019, Pope Francis named Rugambwa apostolic nuncio to New Zealand and apostolic delegate to the countries of the Pacific Ocean. [10] [11] On 25 May the responsibilities of Apostolic Nuncio to Fiji and to Palau were assigned to him. [12] On 30 November he was given additional responsibility as Apostolic Nuncio to the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tonga. [13] On 17 April 2020, he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Samoa as well. [14] On 2 February 2021, Rugambwa was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Cook Islands, a post that had been vacant since 2018, [15] and on 30 March to Micronesia. [16]

Ill health

On 29 October 2023, Rugambwa suffered a severe stroke. He first remained at Wellington Hospital in a serious, but stable condition. [17] [18] 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. [19] He travelled to Rome in March 2024 to continue his rehabilitation at a Catholic facility there. [20]

On 27 July 2024, he resigned his position as nuncio to New Zealand and delegate to the Pacific Ocean. [21] [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manuel Monteiro de Castro</span> Portuguese prelate

Manuel Monteiro de Castro is a Portuguese prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1967 to 2009, with the rank of archbishop and the title of nuncio from 1985. His assignments as nuncio included the Caribbean, South Africa, Central America, and Spain. He ended his career in senior positions in the Roman Curia from 2009 to 2013. He was made a cardinal in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luciano Suriani</span> Italian prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1957)

Luciano Suriani is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has serves as Apostolic Nuncio to Bulgaria from 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugene Nugent</span> Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1959)

Eugene Martin Nugent is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar since January 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopoldo Girelli</span> Italian Catholic bishop and diplomat

Leopoldo Girelli is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as the apostolic nuncio to India and Nepal. He was nuncio to Israel and Cyprus as well as apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine from 2017 to 2021. He has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1987 and previously served as nuncio to Indonesia, East Timor, and Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alessandro D'Errico</span> Italian prelate

Alessandro D'Errico is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See and was the Apostolic Nuncio to Libya and to Malta from 2017 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro López Quintana</span> Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1953)

Pedro López Quintana is a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1984. Since becoming an archbishop in 2003, he has been the head of the papal offices in India, Nepal, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. He has been Apostolic Nuncio to Austria since March 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marek Zalewski (archbishop)</span> Polish prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1963)

Marek Zalewski is a Polish prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore since May 2018 and Papal Resident Representative to Vietnam since December 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luigi Bianco</span> Italian priest (born 1960)

Luigi Bianco is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He has been an apostolic nuncio with the rank of archbishop since 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marek Solczyński</span> Polish prelate of the Catholic Church

Marek Solczyński is a Polish prelate of the Catholic Church who joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1993 and served as an Apostolic Nuncio since 2011. He has been Nuncio to Turkey and Azerbaijan since February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisco Montecillo Padilla</span> Philippine prelate of the Catholic Church

Francisco Montecillo Padilla is a Philippine prelate of the Catholic Church who has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1985. He represented the Holy See, either as Apostolic Nuncio or Apostolic Delegate, to the several countries on the Arabian Peninsula. On 17 April 2020, he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Guatemala.

The Apostolic Nunciature to New Zealand is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in New Zealand. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.

The Apostolic Nunciature to Uzbekistan the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Uzbekistan. It is located in Tashkent. The last Apostolic Nuncio is Archbishop Celestino Migliore, who was named to the position by Pope Francis on 21 January 2017. The title Apostolic Nuncio to Uzbekistan is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Russia; he resides in Russia.

The Apostolic Nunciature to Palau is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Palau. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The title Apostolic Nuncio to Palau is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand; he resides in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Apostolic Nunciature to Kiribati is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Kiribati. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The title Apostolic Nuncio to Kiribati is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand; he resides in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Apostolic Nunciature to Tonga the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Tonga. The current Apostolic Nuncio is Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, who was named to the position by Pope Francis on 30 November 2019.

The Apostolic Nunciature to Nauru is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Nauru. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The title Apostolic Nuncio to Nauru is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand; he resides in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Apostolic Nunciature to the Cook Islands is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in the Cook Islands. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The title Apostolic Nuncio to the Cook Islands is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand; he resides in Wellington, New Zealand. The current Nuncio is Novatus Rugambwa, since 2 February 2021.

The Apostolic Nunciature to the Federated States of Micronesia is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The title Apostolic Nuncio to the Federated States of Micronesia is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand; he resides in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Apostolic Nunciature to the Marshall Islands is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in the Marshall Islands. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The title Apostolic Nuncio to the Marshall Islands is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand; he resides in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Apostolic Delegation to the Pacific Ocean is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church. It represents the interests of the Holy See in a defined region in countries with which diplomatic relations have not yet been established. It is led by a Delegate who holds a number of other titles within the diplomatic service of the Holy See, including that of Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand. He resides in Wellington, New Zealand.

References

  1. ↑ "Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . David M. Cheney. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Rugambwa appointed papal nuncio for New Zealand". dailynews.co.tz. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  3. ↑ "Pope Francis appoints Tanzanian to represent the Vatican in New Zealand". East African Business Week. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  4. ↑ "Ex-alunni 1950-1999, Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica". Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (in Italian). Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "New apostolic nuncio appointed to New Zealand and the Pacific". CathNews NZ Pacific. 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  6. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 06.02.2010" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.02.2010" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  8. ↑ "Rugambwa Appointed Papal Nuncio for New Zealand". Daily News (Tanzania). 31 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 05.03.2015" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "Pope Francis Appoints Tanzanian To Represent The Vatican In New Zealand". Business Week (in Italian). 3 April 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  11. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 29.03.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  12. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 25.05.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 30.11.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 17.04.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  15. ↑ "Rugambwa named Cook Islands Nuncio". Catholic Daily. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  16. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine, 30.03.2021" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "Papal ambassador to New Zealand 'stable' after serious stoke". Cath News New Zealand. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  18. ↑ "Please keep Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa in your prayers". Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  19. ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  20. ↑ "Papal Nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa returning to Rome" (Press release). New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference. 16 March 2024.
  21. ↑ [[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}}
  22. ↑ "Archbishop Gábor Pintér Appointed Pope's Representative To Aotearoa New Zealand" . Retrieved July 28, 2024.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Titular Archbishop of Tagaria
6 February 2010 – present		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Apostolic Nuncio to São Tomé and Príncipe
6 February 2010 – 5 March 2015		Succeeded by
Preceded by Apostolic Nuncio to Angola
20 February 2010 – 5 March 2015		Succeeded by
Preceded by Apostolic Nuncio to Honduras
5 March 2015 – 29 March 2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand
29 March 2019 – 27 July 2024		Succeeded by
Preceded by Apostolic Delegate to the Pacific Ocean
29 March 2019 – 27 July 2024		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.