Icheoku knows that he was in serious contention for the papacy at the last collegiate of cardinals, but unbeknownst to him and several of his well-wishers, the catholic church cardinals were not yet ready for a black pope? Yes they are not ready for a nigger pope? The catholic church is not just ready for a tar-pope! Icheoku affirms that religion is politics and churches are mere political parties and/or platforms to influence opinions. In the United States of America, the Catholic church openly campaigned against President-elect Barack Obama; and since their thumping at the polls, have had some of their priests demanding that all their parishioners who voted for Barack Obama should atone for their sins of such voting. They asked that they go to confessionals and some of them went to the extent of asking such parishioners to abstain from receiving the "holy" communion until further notice!
Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigerian almost became the first black Pope out of Africa just three years ago, but was probably frustrated by a gang of racist cardinals who could not entertain the idea of a black pope leading the catholic church. Now the 76 year old Cardinal has been "forced" to tender his resignation (retirement) to the Vatican, indicating his preference to leave the Vatican and return to his ancestry home in Nigeria to live out the rest of his life. The Cardinal probably became so disillusioned at the manner in which his candidacy for the papacy was treated, that he now wants to retire at such a young age considering the average age of cardinals and papal insiders.
A Cardinal since 1985, when the former pope died, he was strongly favoured to be the next pope until the current Pope Ratzinger (left) was thrown up as the new pope. A human first, the cardinal naturally may have felt betrayed at the outcome of the last papal selection that he has now decided to return to his people in Nigeria, instead of remaining in Vatican, still a stranger after so many years of service there. For whatever reason/s this relatively "young" cardinal is leaving the Vatican, Icheoku does not know for certain but says it is very unusual for cardinals to retire at such a young age, Vatican standard! We can only wish him the best of luck as he transverses the last rungs of his golden years. Good luck and God bless, Cardinal Francis Arinze!
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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Pope names Arinze’s successor
ReplyDeleteBy Agency Reporter
Published: Wednesday, 10 Dec 2008
Spanish Cardinal, Antonio Canizares Llovera, has been named to head the Congregation for Divine Worship dealing with the liturgical practices of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
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Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI named Canizares Llovera to replace 76-year-old Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, who is retiring because of his age, the Vatican said in a statement.
Canizares Llovera is currently the archbishop of Toledo, Spain.
Arinze, who was a leading adviser to Benedict‘s predecessor, John Paul II, was among his possible successors during the 2005 conclave that elected Benedict, the Agence France Presse reported.
The Vatican‘s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments deals with the liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from those of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
icheoku appears to have rightfully articulated the real reason why cardinal arinze left the vatican. it may afterall be because he is not one of us? see how the pope quickly accepted his said "resignation" without more - remember that this current pope once tendered his resignation but it was declined by the former pope so why not try to strong-arm arinze to stay on? also look at the new guy that was appointed to replace arinze, another pale skinned cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera of toledo, spain. why not for a racial balance and accomodation, appoint another black cardinal to the position. it is all politics and racial intolerance that forced arinze's exit. maybe the african catholic should consider breaking off the roman catholic just like the british did with thier anglican. enough of all this all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others mentality.
ReplyDeleteWell, I for one had always asked. is it bad if we have our own churches, call it anything but still christian church? i do not see why the pope , imam, the bishop of cantebury, are all whites or arabs? is there anything wrong that we form our own african church? headed by a black man? the indians hv hindu, the chinese bhudist and the russians authordox. We should hv one call it anything, and stop paying perpetual tithes and colonial tax to white men!
ReplyDeleteAs Cardinal Arinze Retires
ReplyDeleteOne of the leading lights in the Vatican, His Eminence, Cardinal Francis Arinze, has retired from active service at the age of 76. After an illustrious career at the Holy See spanning over fifty years, Cardinal Arinze has indicated his wish to retire to his village in Anambra State where he is revered as a mentor and folk hero.
Cardinal Arinze was born in Oraukwu, Anambra State, into a typical traditional Ibo family on November 1, 1932. He grew up doing family chores. But the moment the young Arinze set eyes on Roman Catholicism he knew that that was the life he wanted for himself. He came under the spell of Reverend Father Michael Tansi who baptised him on his ninth birthday. Father Tansi, a great pillar of Catholicism and selfless servant, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
Cardinal Arinze converted to Catholicism before his parents did. His father who was initially opposed to his son becoming a priest later relented and gave his full support when he noticed how he was enjoying life under the cloisters. At the age of 15, Francis Arinze enrolled at All Hallows Seminary, Nnewi, Anambra State, where he graduated in 1950 with a degree Philosophy. In 1955 he proceeded to Rome to study Theology at the Pontifical Urban University where he ultimately earned a doctorate in Sacred Theology summa cum laude. From 1961 to 1962, Arinze was professor of liturgy, logic, and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary. At the age of 32, Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world to be ordained to the episcopate on August 29, 1965.
From then on the story of Cardinal Arinze was that of an unstoppable rising star in the Catholic congregation. He was at various times Coadjutor Bishop of Onitsha, Archbishop of Onitsha, and Pro-Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. In 1985 he was elevated to Cardinal and made President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. He was 53 and one of the youngest persons ever appointed to the College of Cardinals. In 2005 he was installed Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri-Segni. He retired in December 2008 as the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
It was not all song and dance for Cardinal Arinze. He witnessed the Biafran war and was himself a refugee. He saw the huge suffering inflicted on ordinary people by war and did his best to alleviate that suffering. Cardinal Arinze was at ease with other religions and established a working relationship with Muslims. He was a close confidant of Pope Paul II who recognised his skills at organisation and cohesion and who promoted him to be the Vatican's spokesman on inter-religious affairs.
When in 2005 the Papacy fell vacant, many had hoped that the white smoke of the conclave will herald the arrival of a black Pope. But the College of Cardinals chose Joseph Ratzinger who became Pope Benedict XVI. It is noteworthy that Pope Benedict invited Arinze to replace him as Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri-Segni.
Arinze should take pride in the fact that during his years in the Vatican he had helped to advance the cause of Catholicism worldwide. In the past 20 years, the number of African Catholics has nearly doubled, from 50 million to more than 90 million; an estimated 13 million of which are Nigerians. Today, the largest Christian denomination is no longer a European institution as two-thirds of the world's 1 billion Catholics live below the equator. Black Catholics are coming of age.
Cardinal Arinze is the author of more than a dozen publications including the much referenced Sacrifice in Ibo Religion, Building Bridges, The Church in Dialogue, Meeting other Believers and Religions for Peace. A notable speaker, he has travelled widely on his missionary journey to the Americas, the Philippines, Africa and Europe espousing Catholicism. He has produced over 1700 religious television programmes.
Cardinal Arinze is returning to Nigeria at a critical time in the affairs of this nation. We have been recognised globally as the most religious people on earth, yet paradoxically, we are also one of the most corrupt. We were not able to hold a successful election in 2007 for which the Cardinal prayed. There is a dangerous lack of moral authority in the polity and even the churches are not immune to it. Clearly Nigeria needs help.
The question that arises from this powerful record is what use Nigeria can make of the talents of this prodigious man of letters and spirituality. Ours is a country of short memories and we are notoriously deficient in utilising the services of persons who in various ways have distinguished themselves and lifted the profile of the nation. We hope that the Nigerian government will find some meaningful role for Cardinal Arinze even as he goes into well-earned retirement.