The Metropolitan

After the time of anxious anticipation who might be the successor of the late Archbishop Anthony Mayala of Archdiocese of Mwanza, which is the Metropolitan See of the Province of Lake Zone to which the Diocese of Musoma belongs too, not so long ago we have been told that the Holy Father Benedict XVI has elected Rt. Rev. Bishop Yuda Thaddeus Ruwaichi, the Bishop of Dodoma and the President of Tanzanian Episcopal Conference, from the Order of Capuchin Friars, to be the third native Archbishop of Mwanza.

As I write these words, I watch on Star TV which is a privately owned TV from Mwanza, the live coverage of the massively attended installation Mass of the new Archbishop of Mwanza, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio Joseph Chennoth, Cardinal Pengo of Dar es Salaam and all other Tanzanian Bishops, government and political parties representatives, invited guests and the multitude of the faithful. The Mass is being held in Kawekamo, the Archbishop's residence and the place where the Holy Father John Paul II celebrated the Holy Mass in September 1990 in which He ministered First Communion to children of the Province of the Lake Zone. After twenty years, we have another joyful occasion of similar magnitude and importance for the life of this part of the Universal Church.

I am pleased personally that Archbishop Ruwaichi has become the next Pastor of our Province. I respect him as a person and a church leader. I wish him all the best and will pray for him always. May God keep him safe and sound and protect him and bless him always!