Antoine Kambanda

Antoine Kambanda (born 10 November 1958) is a Rwandan prelate of the Catholic Church who was named Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kigali on 11 November 2018. Until then he had been Bishop of Kibungo since 2013.

The Most Reverend

Antoine Kambanda
Archbishop of Kigali
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseKigali
Appointed19 November 2018
PredecessorThaddée Ntihinyurwa
Orders
Ordination8 September 1990
by Pope John Paul II
Consecration20 July 2013
by Thaddée Ntihinyurwa
Personal details
Birth nameAntoine Kambanda
Born (1958-11-10) 10 November 1958
Rwanda
Previous postBishop of Kibungo (2013-18)

Early years

Antoine Kambanda was born on 10 November 1958 in Rwanda. Because of inter-ethnic violence, his family moved briefly to Burundi and then to Uganda, where he attended elementary, and then to Kenya, where he attended high school.[1] Later he returned to his homeland, where he attended the junior Seminary in Rutongo, Kigali, (1983–1984) and the Saint Charles Borromeo Major Seminary of Nyakibanda in Butare (1984–1990).[2] On 8 September 1990, he was ordained a priest in Kabgayi by Pope John Paul II. After that he was Prefect of Studies from 1990 to 1993 in the minor seminary of St. Vincent in Ndera, Kigali. He then attended the Alphonsian Academy in Rome from 1993 to 1999, where he obtained a doctorate in moral theology.[2] His parents and five of his six siblings, along with many other relatives and friends, were killed in 1994 during the genocide against the Tutsi.[1]

Priest

Kambanda was appointed Director of the diocesan office of Caritas in Kigali in 1999. He then became director of the Development Committee of the Diocese of Kigali, head of the "Justice and Peace" Commission of the diocese, and professor of moral theology and visitor at the Nyakibanda Major Seminary.[2] Speaking in 2004 of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Kambanda acknowledged that while some members of the Catholic clergy had tried to protect the people, others had been complicit in the killings.[3] Kambanda noted the need for the Catholic Church itself to undergo reconstruction to shake off the effects of the genocide. He has said "the use of the sacrament of penance for reconciliation and healing of ethnic hatred and the reconciliation with oneself, with God and with the others, would be significant to develop a faith characterized by trust that overcomes the fear of the other."[4]

In September 2005 Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe appointed him rector of the inter-diocesan major philosophy seminary in Kabgayi. On 10 February 2006 Kambanda was appointed rector of the Saint Charles Borromeo Major Seminary of Nyakibanda.[2] He replaced Monseigneur Smaragde Mbonyintege, who had been named a bishop.[5]

In June 2011 he led five hundred Rwandan pilgrims to Namugongo, Uganda, to join the Martyrs Day ceremonies to commemorate the 45 Christian converts who were killed in 1884 by King Mwanga II of Buganda. In his sermon, he said that the sacrifice the martyrs made had greatly helped the spread of Christianity in Africa by showing missionaries that converts would be willing to die for their faith.[6]

Bishop

On 7 May 2013, Pope Francis named Kambanda Bishop of Kibungo.[7] He succeeded Kizito Bahujimihigo, who resigned in January 2010 amid "serious financial problems" in the diocese and threats on the part of creditor banks to seize diocesan assets.[8] The Episcopal Conference of Rwanda elected him to attend the Synod of Bishops in 2015.[9]

On 19 November 2018, Pope Francis named him Archbishop of Kigali.[10]

gollark: Wait, extra shards?
gollark: Also, golds were *still* taken during Halloween.
gollark: I'd buy coppers, but they're too expensive.
gollark: That'd explain it, maybe... but would it not have occured *during* Halloween?
gollark: e.g. TJ09 may somehow have managed to do this completely by accident, which would be impressive.

References
  1. Hendey, Lisa (15 July 2014). "Rwandan Bishop Kambanda Reflects on the Genocide in His Country". Patheos (Interview). Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  2. "New rector appointed for St. Charles National Major Seminary in Nyakibanda". Agenzia Fides. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  3. Walker, Robert (1 April 2004). "Rwanda's religious reflections". BBC News. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  4. Kambanda, Frère Antoine (26 July 2006). "The Struggle for Peace in Rwanda" (PDF). Catholic Peacebuilding Network. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  5. "Le Grand Séminaire Saint Charles Borromée de Nyakibanda" (in French). Conférence Episcopale du Rwanda. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  6. Muramira, Gashegu (5 June 2011). "Rwanda: 500 Local Pilgrims Attend Martyrs Day". New Times. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  7. "Rinunce e Nomine, 07.05.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  8. "Mgr Antoine Kambanda, nouvel évêque de Kibungo, au Rwanda". La Croix (in French). 9 May 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  9. "Vatican Releases Full List of Synod Participants". Zenit. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  10. "Rinunce e nomine, 19.11.2018" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
Additional sources
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.