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| Cardinal Pengo receives a gift from a student during the celebrations to mark 30 year of his Episcopate |
The Apostolic Nuncio to Tanzania Most Rev Francisco Padilla joined the Catholic Bishops of Tanzania and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam to celebrate 30th Episcopate Anniversary of H.E Polycarp Cardinal Pengo.
Cardinal Pengo was ordained a Bishop of Nachingwea which was later changed to be the diocese of Tunduru-Masasi. On January 22, 1990 he was appointed to be the Archbishop Coadjutor of Dar es Salaam. On July 22, 1992 he became the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam taking over from the late Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa. On January 18, 1998 he was appointed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II.
Speaking at the ceremony held at Msimbazi Centre on 19 March 2014, the Apostolic Nuncio said Cardinal Pengo was nominated a Bishop while he was still young but, he was a humble person in his serviceto the Church. He further said, “Let us pray to God that He may give him strength tocontinuewithhis missionashe had done before. Let the faithful of Dar-es-Salaam continue to pray for him so that he can cope with various challenges emerging in his Archdiocese and the nation as a whole.”
The Chairman of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Bishop Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa, speaking on behalf of the Conference said, “TEC is very grateful to Cardinal Pengo for his apostolate as the Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam and for remaining strong in collegiality with his fellow Bishops.”
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| Group Photo of Cardinal Pengo and Bishops who attended his celebration |
Bishop Ngalalekumtwa went on to say, “We the Bishops, together with the faithful of Tanzania shower our gratitude due to your contribution as shepherd who leads the People of God with humility, love and total self-sacrifice."
He urged the faithful of Dar-es-salaam to give him maximum collaboration andcontinue praying for him and his apostolate not only to the Archdiocese but to the Church of Tanzania and the Universal Church.
Speaking at the ceremony Cardinal Pengo, thanked all the people who gathered for the celebration and all those who have supportedhim in his ministry of shepherding the people of God.
He said, “For us to accomplish what God has entrusted to each one of us, we need to listen to the voice of God and follow what God asks us to do.” But he cautioned the people saying, “In responding to God’s call, one should know exactly what kind of vocation God demands of him or her. If it is marriage, religious life or whatever it is, be open to the will of God.”
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| Cardinal Pengo |
Cardinal Pengo encouraged the faithful to be committed to their vocation and not to think that one can force God to do what he or she wants.
On behalf of the Chairman of AMECEA, Most Rev Tarcisio Ziyaye, Archbishop of Lilongwe- Malawi, the Secretary General Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo congratulates H.E Polycarp Cardinal Pengo on this Anniversary celebration. He says, “The AMECEA family is praying with gratitude to God for the gift of Cardinal Pengo to the Church not only in Tanzania but the AMECEA region and the Universal Church. May God continue to grant him abundant blessings and good health for him to continue serving the Church with such great love.
SOURCE: TEC Communication Office and AMECEA Communication Office