Archbishop Kambanda officially created first Rwandan cardinal by Pope Francis

Pope Francis has created 13 new cardinals including the Archbishop of Kigali, Mgr Antoine Kambanda during a consistory held Saturday, November 28, advising them to love service, not honours.

The consistory – a solemn assembly of cardinals summoned and presided over by the Pope – was held in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Rome.

Antoine Kambanda, 62, is the first-ever cardinal from Rwanda.

Of the 13 cardinal-designates – from October 25, 2020 when the Pope announced by the time of their creation – 11 were present at the consistory, while two were not able to attend because of restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Those who missed are Cornelius Sim, the Apostolic Vicar of Brunei, and Jose F. Advincula of Capiz, in the Philippines.

This means that they have joined the College of Cardinals that had 219 members as of 2019, according to the www.vatican.va, the official website of the Rome-headquartered Catholic Church. That brings the total number of cardinals to 232.

At the service, the Pope commented on Gospel reading found in Mark 10:32-45 where Jesus speaks about his humiliation, passion, death and resurrection while approaching Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, James and John urge Jesus for a place of privilege when He is in glory.  “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left,” they said.

But Jesus tells the two brothers they must first be ready to suffer and be a servant of others like the ‘Son of Man’.

The Cardinals belong to various Roman Congregations: they are considered Princes of the Church, with the title of Eminence.

The Pontiff said that also, the Pope and cardinals must always see themselves reflected in this word of truth, pointing out that it is a sharpened sword; it cuts, it proves painful, but it also heals, liberates and converts us.

“Let think about all the corruptions in the priestly life. For instance, the purple-red of the cardinal vestment, which is the colour of blood, might become the colour of a secular eminence for a wordily spirit,” he said.

“You will no longer be the pastor close to the people, you only be eminence. When you feel that, you will have taken a wrong road,” he warned the newly created cardinals.

When he became the Archbishop of Kigali Archdiocese in November 2018, Mgr Kambanda said that building strong and harmonious families bound with Christian values will be at the heart of his evangelistic agenda during his tenure at the helm of the Church in the country.

According to the Code of Canon Law, on the supreme authority of the Church, the Roman Pontiff freely selects men to be promoted as cardinals.

They must have been ordained at least into the order of the presbyterate – priesthood – and are especially outstanding in doctrine, morals, piety, and prudence in action.

And those who are not yet bishops must receive episcopal consecration.