Foster Intergenerational Unity: Cardinal in Tanzania to New Bishop at Consecration

Making reference to call of Samual in the First Reading, Cardinal Pengo highlighted the role of “patience” in fostering intergenerational unity.

He said, “Samuel and Eli were patient with each other and because of that patience they discerned that each side has the voice of the Almighty. If the old man had dismissed Samuel, God's chance to be heard among the people would be lost.”

“Through patience, these two were able to bring God's voice to the Israelites,” he said during the Episcopal Consecration of the new Bishop of Njombe Diocese, whose Episcopal appointment was made public in October 2023. 

Bishop Kyando succeeds the late Bishop Alfred Leonhard Malume who passed on in April 2021. 

The Tanzanian Catholic Diocese that is part of the Metropolitan See of Songea has been under the leadership of Bishop John Chrisostom Ndimbo of Mbinga Diocese as Apostolic Administrator. 

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Speaking at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Malawi’s Karonga Diocese urged the new Prelate to be prayerful and strong.

Bishop Mtumbuka encouraged the newly Consecrated Catholic Bishop to remain consistent as “salt of the earth”.

“There will be many challenges on the way, but always remember you have become a particular salt of the earth. Don’t allow the earth to salt you; you must salt the earth,” he said.

The Malawian Catholic Church leader, who recently expressed his rejection of Fiducia Supplicans “in its entirety”, the declaration that the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith (DDF) released permitting the blessing of “same-sex couples” and couples in other “irregular situations”, also urged Bishop Kyando to promote unity among members of the Clergy in his Episcopal See, describing them as “foot soldiers”.

“Unite your Priests. They are your foot soldiers. There is no Bishop who can do anything meaningful in any Diocese without these foot soldiers. They are your sons. They have differences but unite them,” Bishop Mtumbuka said. 

Addressing himself to the members of the Clergy of Njombe Diocese, the Malawian Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Karonga Diocese since he started his Episcopal Ministry in November 2010 emphasized the leadership role, and the need to bring people to God.

“My brother Priests, you and me are here, first and foremost, to lead these people to God. All the privileges we have are not significant. We are only instruments to lead God’s people so unite with your Bishop,” he said.

He called upon the faithful of Njombe Diocese to pray for the new Bishop “that he leads you to heaven.”

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.