At 12 noon Douala on Tuesday, November 17, Christian Cardinal Tumi officially handed over the Pastoral governance of the Metropolitan See of Douala to his former Coadjutor Archbishop, the Right Reverend Monsignor Samuel Kleda.
At exactly 12 noon, the radio of Douala Archdiocese, Radio Veritas, one of Cardinal Tumi's most treasured creations, announced the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, had finally and officially retired Christian Cardinal Tumi from active duty as the Archbishop of Douala, a little over four years after the Cardinal tendered his resignation to Rome on attaining the ripe age of 75, as required by Canon Law. (C. 401)
On that occasion, the Holy Father acknowledged receipt of his resignation letter but had asked him to continue shepherding the people of God in Douala pending the official appointment of a successor. That appointment came about two years ago when His Lordship Bishop Samuel Kleda, formerly the Bishop of Batouri in the Bertoua Ecclesiastical Province, was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop with the right to succession.
That right to succession was evoked on Tuesday, November 17, when the clock ticked 12 noon, simultaneously at the Vatican and in Douala with the official announcement of the Cardinal's retirement from active duty.
In a letter to the people of God, who are in Douala, Cardinal Tumi thanked everyone for their cooperation with him during his Episcopal Ministry and asked that his successor be given the same support.
To his priests, he called for presbyterial solidarity with the new Archbishop and reminded them that they will, from now on, mention his name in Holy Mass only after Archbishop Samuel Kleda's; no longer as the Archbishop but rather as the Emeritus Archbishop as required by Canon Law.
Let us continue to pray for our Bishops.
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