The archbishop left the country on Saturday and has arrived safely after a "smooth" journey, the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference says.

Rugambwa (pictured) is recovering from a stroke he suffered in Wellington last October. He will continue his rehabilitation at a Catholic facility in Rome.

Accompanying the archbishop was Sr Maria Ann Singer LSP and Fr Giosuè Busti, First Secretary-Deputy Head of Mission at the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See (papal embassy).

On Saturday, Bishop of Auckland Stephen Lowe, President of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, asked Catholics to keep Rugambwa in their prayers.

"It is with much sadness that we farewell Archbishop Novatus" Lowe says.

"The bishops acknowledge our deep gratitude for his services to the Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific."

Rugambwa was appointed to his role as the Pope's chief diplomatic representative in New Zealand in 2019.

During that time, he oversaw bishops' appointments in five of the country's six dioceses.

These were Bishop Steve Lowe in Auckland, Archbishop Paul Martin SM in Wellington, Bishop Michael Gielen in Christchurch, Bishop John Adams in Palmerston North and Bishop Richard Laurenson in Hamilton.

Source

• NZ Catholic Bishops Conference

The nuncio met with the college's staff and students on August 19, and presided over a college Mass which celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.

"We should never forget to focus our heart and mind on our vocation to holiness - a vocation inviting us to willingly and sincerely avoid sin and avoid all the ideologies that, today more than ever before, are leading our society to justify what is wrong and to demonise what is right," Rugambwa said in his homily. Read more

The a diminution of the true identity of the Church and her mission, from which distorted or diluted efforts to evangelise can only bring about mediocrity he said in his homily.

"Today — more than ever before — the world is strongly opposed to those who uphold sanctity as the purpose of life,".

Persecution of Christians happened in ancient times and still happens today in some parts of the world, the Apostolic Nuncio said.

It is "still very frequent in many countries where killing a Christian is sometimes considered as a holy service to Almighty God (John 16:2)".

He also pointed out in developed countries, the methods some people use "appear in a form of ideology, legislation, deceit, foul propaganda, calumny, bullying, etc. against Christianity, especially against Catholicism".

He said the weight of these methods make it difficult for baptised Christians - especially in countries where secularist states declare laws against Christianity.

"We are living in an epoch that is telling us not to present in public a religious point of view, even in matters regarding life, culture and morals; that religion must be taken as a mere private matter; not to pray; not to expose any religious sign, such as a cross, in public — in schools and hospitals and squares...

"Consequently, even children at school and in higher education institutes are intentionally induced to regard religion as irrelevant, superstitious and ridiculous. We can say that we — as Christians — are living moments of suffering; moments of both aggressive and non-aggressive persecutions."

At the same time, these difficulties offer Christians many opportunities — "to bear witness ... not to yield or cave in; to persevere, not to despair; to evangelise more and more, not to dilute the doctrine of the Church; to be the salt of the earth, not to be tasteless; to be the light, not darkness.

"Unfortunately, it is becoming frequent, even among Catholics, that some individuals think that many people will be attracted to the faith if we follow the spirit of the world, or if we reduce our belief to mere actions of convenience and nicety!

"There are even people who are happy to see the Church lose her identity, transforming herself into a ‘non-governmental organisation', thus with nothing to do with conversion of the people and salvation of the souls."

Rugambwa asked those at the Mass to intensify "permanent formation in the discipleship of Jesus Christ in our families, our schools, our workplaces, and in our parish communities.

"We can bear fruits only if we are truly and fully in Christ, just as the branches remain connected to the vine," he explained,

Throughout his homily, Rugambwa cited teachings by St José Maria Escriva, whose Feast day he was commemorating. Escriva's teachings focus on carrying out one's ordinary daily activities with love, following Jesus, and lovingly embracing sufferings on the path to being saints.

Source

• NZ Catholic
• Image: Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North