TRIBUTES TO CARDINAL LAURIAN RUGAMBWA

Memoirs of Cardinal Rugambwa: His last Journeys to Europe and Bukoba

By

Fr. Stan Mutajwaha, PhD

Catholic Diocese of Bukoba, Tanzania

(Writing from USA)

(3) Rome. Signor Orlando, a driver resident at Collegio San Pietro Apostolo, very well known to His Eminence, was at the Fiumicino Airport waiting to pick His Eminence. He had been sent by the Administration of Collegio San Pietro Apostolo. He had the specific assignment to drive his Eminence wherever and whenever he needed to go within Rome and its suburbs. As we drove from the Aeroporto di Roma Signor Orlando spoke about the heightening excitement of whole city at the upcoming event of the Holy Father’s 50th anniversary celebrations. As we reached Collegio San Pietro, all the staff members, priests, brothers and nuns were there to receive his Eminence. He was led to his special apartment.

The main element that makes this apartment so special is probably not so much its elegance but the history behind it. The apartment was offered to His Eminence in the early sixties when he was created Cardinal becoming the First African prince of the Church. It would remain securely locked when he was away. Any time he came to Rome it was always there for him. There was no confusion about that and no other visitor used it. The story behind this special offer is that, while doing his studies as a young priest in Rome in the 1940s Rugambwa resided at Collegio San Pietro. His later elevation to the College of Cardinals was received as a great honor to Collegio San Pietro and its very history. So, the Collegio allocated a whole apartment for his exclusive use on the main building.

To be continued: The next post will cover the period from the day of our arrival in Rome, the Celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Pope John Paul II and departure for Belgium.