With Archbishop's Death, Catholic Church is Hard-Pressed to Heal Haiti
http://www.time.com/.
By BOBBY GHOSH/PORT-AU-PRINCE Bobby Ghosh/port-au-prince – Sun Jan 24, 4:00 pm ET
The loss of Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot, mourned on Saturday in a moving ceremony in front of Port-au-Prince's ruined cathedral, has hurt the Catholic Church's ability to respond to Haiti's devastating earthquake. The Cardinal and his Vicar General, Charles Benoit, were among the quakes victims now numbering in excess of 111,000. Dozens of churches, seminaries and other Church-run institutions have been flattened, and perhaps scores of priests killed or badly injured.
But for the mourners gathered at the forecourt of the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de l'Assumption for the funeral service, it is the death of Miot and Benoit that hurt the most. Many said that the Archbishop, regarded as a humble priest who sought to bridge the divide between the nation's Catholic clergy and Voodo priesthood, was exactly the kind of unifying figure Haiti needs in this crisis. "He could have brought us together," says Carrel Raphael, a bus driver. "He could have inspired us to work together. He had everybody's respect, and you need a leader like that." (See pictures of dramatic rescues.)
Roman Catholicism, once the country's principal religion, has lost a great deal of influence in the past few decades; these days, three in five Haitians call themselves Catholics, compared to 90% years ago. Miot is credited with reorganizing the Church after years of poor management by predecessors who strayed from their religious responsibilities and into Haitian politics. That, say admirers, would have allowed him to work closely with the beleaguered government of President Rene Preval, which could have used the help.
"He would have been able to guide the government in its response to the earthquake, and they would not have been suspicious of his intentions because they knew he was not interested in politics," said a senior priest who asked not to be named for fear of antagonizing the Preval administration. (Preval was at the funeral mass, but did not speak; he was booed by a handful of angry worshippers as his motorcade left the Cathedral.) (See TIME's exclusive photos of Haiti earthquake destruction.)
Catholic institutions, ranging from schools to Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity, are offering a range of relief services, including first-aid to food distribution and the protection of children orphaned by the quake. But the Church's efforts have been fitful, and poorly coordinated. Some at the funeral mass said their neighborhoods had not yet seen a priest or nun. "I haven't received any help from the Church, says Nicole Metier, who lives right by the Cathedral. "If the Archbishop had been alive, he would have taken care of us."
Bishop Chibley Langlois of the Fort-Liberte diocese agreed that Moit's loss was a terrible blow, but added that it showed that the Church was suffering along with the people. (Watch a video of pain and hunger at one of Haiti's hospitals.)
That was little comfort to worshippers like Bernard Bouche, a carpenter, who said the loss of so many priests could not have come at a worse time. "We need them now, like never before," he said, tears streaming down his face. "Why did God give us this disaster and at the same time take away the people who could have helped us to survive it?"
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Africa's Anglicans and the Invitation of the Catholic Church
CSMonitor.com
Will Vatican lure Africa's Anglican anti-gay bishops to Catholic church?
Despite fierce opposition to homosexuality, African bishops say the Vatican's effort to bring more Anglicans to the Catholic church will falter, largely because of the autonomy that they enjoy.
By Scott Baldauf Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor / October 21, 2009
Johannesburg, South Africa
Since the Vatican launched its bold bid Tuesday to make it easier for Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic Church, the question on everyone's mind has been: How many will convert?
Will the much ballyhooed Anglican divide over the Church's moves to accept openly gay and female clerics now cause hundreds of thousands of conservative Anglicans – mostly in Africa and parts of the US – to flock to Catholicism?
Early indications from African bishops are that most Anglicans, despite their fierce opposition to homosexuality, will be saying "thanks but no thanks" to Rome's new offer, largely because of the autonomy that they enjoy within the Anglican church.
"I don't think that priests in Uganda are going to leave and join the Roman Catholic church," says Bishop Stanley Ntagali, head of an Anglican diocese in the east African country of Uganda. "Uganda is [already] a separate region from the Church in Canterbury. They are able to do things their way, and we have to do things our way."
Homosexuality: A non-starter in the African church
"Homosexuality is a big issue in Africa," says Bishop Ntagali. "The Bible says that only men of good standing, following the word of Christ can be leaders of the Church. We disagree with our counterparts in England and America, who ordain homosexuals as priests. But we have to interpret the Bible on our own context, and the English must interpret the Bible in their context."
Ntagali says he has had hard feelings toward leaders of his own denomination since 2003, when the Church of England formally ordained the first openly gay Anglican bishop, Gene Robinson.
The move prompted a number of conservative Anglicans to leave the church and embrace Roman Catholicism, and also led some of North America's more conservative churches to form their own separate region under the church.
Nowhere is this issue more intense than in Africa, where many see homosexuality as an affront to the community as a whole. In South Africa, for instance, it is not uncommon for women thought to be lesbians to be gang-raped in the belief that they will be "cured" of homosexuality. In Uganda, where homosexuality is already illegal, a parliamentarian this week put forward a bill that would make "aggravated" homosexuality – gay sex with disabled people, minors, or when the accused is HIV-positive – punishable by death.
Why African bishops oppose gay clerics
Most church leaders repudiate hatred or cruelty toward homosexuals. But while they say that gay Africans deserve God's love as much as any one else, they draw the line at allowing gay people to become priests.
"This is a problem that we have been fighting, even within the Anglican church itself," says Bishop Julius Kalu, a conservative Anglican church leader in Mombasa, Kenya. "We say that homosexuality is unacceptable, and the ordination of homosexuals as priests is against Biblical beliefs. But it is a personal problem, a vice. As a church we have a duty to reach out to those whose lifestyle is homosexual, but at the same time, we feel it is a vice that the church needs to address."
Despite frustration over the Anglican church's move to allow gay priests, Bishop Kalu agrees with Ntagali that few Anglicans will now choose to become Catholic over the issue.
Autonomy to deviate from Canterbury
Bishops Ntagali and Kalu say that local church leaders need to reserve the right to interpret the Bible in a local context, because social practices that might be acceptable in a European or American parish may not be acceptable in an African parish.
"The Bible says that a husband must have one wife," says Bishop Ntagali. "It does not say that a husband must have one man." Homosexuals, he adds, "are all capable, all eligible of God's saving grace, but we only disagree that they cannot be church leaders."
The fact that they are allowed to disagree with Canterbury, he says, is why there will be little demand to convert to Catholicism.
Not all African clerics are against gays
Defining just what is "African" about local values in Africa – a continent with 53 countries, hundreds of languages, and thousands of tribes and clans – is not always easy.
The Rev. Cynthia Botha, an Anglican priest at the St. Francis Anglican Church in the Parkview suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, says that her parish has always been "very liberal and open" with a church-based outreach group for Anglicans who are gay and lesbian.
"We do have members who are conservative, but I think we need to have a dialog, to listen, we need to find ways to work together," says Rev. Botha. "The gospel tells us that Jesus was open, he was talking to people no matter who they were. We've got to be as open as he was."
----
Will Vatican lure Africa's Anglican anti-gay bishops to Catholic church?
Despite fierce opposition to homosexuality, African bishops say the Vatican's effort to bring more Anglicans to the Catholic church will falter, largely because of the autonomy that they enjoy.
By Scott Baldauf Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor / October 21, 2009
Johannesburg, South Africa
Since the Vatican launched its bold bid Tuesday to make it easier for Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic Church, the question on everyone's mind has been: How many will convert?
Will the much ballyhooed Anglican divide over the Church's moves to accept openly gay and female clerics now cause hundreds of thousands of conservative Anglicans – mostly in Africa and parts of the US – to flock to Catholicism?
Early indications from African bishops are that most Anglicans, despite their fierce opposition to homosexuality, will be saying "thanks but no thanks" to Rome's new offer, largely because of the autonomy that they enjoy within the Anglican church.
"I don't think that priests in Uganda are going to leave and join the Roman Catholic church," says Bishop Stanley Ntagali, head of an Anglican diocese in the east African country of Uganda. "Uganda is [already] a separate region from the Church in Canterbury. They are able to do things their way, and we have to do things our way."
Homosexuality: A non-starter in the African church
"Homosexuality is a big issue in Africa," says Bishop Ntagali. "The Bible says that only men of good standing, following the word of Christ can be leaders of the Church. We disagree with our counterparts in England and America, who ordain homosexuals as priests. But we have to interpret the Bible on our own context, and the English must interpret the Bible in their context."
Ntagali says he has had hard feelings toward leaders of his own denomination since 2003, when the Church of England formally ordained the first openly gay Anglican bishop, Gene Robinson.
The move prompted a number of conservative Anglicans to leave the church and embrace Roman Catholicism, and also led some of North America's more conservative churches to form their own separate region under the church.
Nowhere is this issue more intense than in Africa, where many see homosexuality as an affront to the community as a whole. In South Africa, for instance, it is not uncommon for women thought to be lesbians to be gang-raped in the belief that they will be "cured" of homosexuality. In Uganda, where homosexuality is already illegal, a parliamentarian this week put forward a bill that would make "aggravated" homosexuality – gay sex with disabled people, minors, or when the accused is HIV-positive – punishable by death.
Why African bishops oppose gay clerics
Most church leaders repudiate hatred or cruelty toward homosexuals. But while they say that gay Africans deserve God's love as much as any one else, they draw the line at allowing gay people to become priests.
"This is a problem that we have been fighting, even within the Anglican church itself," says Bishop Julius Kalu, a conservative Anglican church leader in Mombasa, Kenya. "We say that homosexuality is unacceptable, and the ordination of homosexuals as priests is against Biblical beliefs. But it is a personal problem, a vice. As a church we have a duty to reach out to those whose lifestyle is homosexual, but at the same time, we feel it is a vice that the church needs to address."
Despite frustration over the Anglican church's move to allow gay priests, Bishop Kalu agrees with Ntagali that few Anglicans will now choose to become Catholic over the issue.
Autonomy to deviate from Canterbury
Bishops Ntagali and Kalu say that local church leaders need to reserve the right to interpret the Bible in a local context, because social practices that might be acceptable in a European or American parish may not be acceptable in an African parish.
"The Bible says that a husband must have one wife," says Bishop Ntagali. "It does not say that a husband must have one man." Homosexuals, he adds, "are all capable, all eligible of God's saving grace, but we only disagree that they cannot be church leaders."
The fact that they are allowed to disagree with Canterbury, he says, is why there will be little demand to convert to Catholicism.
Not all African clerics are against gays
Defining just what is "African" about local values in Africa – a continent with 53 countries, hundreds of languages, and thousands of tribes and clans – is not always easy.
The Rev. Cynthia Botha, an Anglican priest at the St. Francis Anglican Church in the Parkview suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, says that her parish has always been "very liberal and open" with a church-based outreach group for Anglicans who are gay and lesbian.
"We do have members who are conservative, but I think we need to have a dialog, to listen, we need to find ways to work together," says Rev. Botha. "The gospel tells us that Jesus was open, he was talking to people no matter who they were. We've got to be as open as he was."
----
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Haitians turn to God, Religion in the face of Hard situation
Nation
Haitians in the US Turn to Religion for AnswersUpdated: 23 minutes ago
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Dana Chivvis
Contributor
(Jan. 23) – Since last week's earthquake, the Rev. Donelson Thevenin, a priest at the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, where many of New York's Haitians live, has been helping his congregation deal with the tragedy. He has prayed with them, listened to their stories and tried to answer their questions.
One woman came to him in tears, asking him to help a cousin who had lost his leg. Another woman told him she lost 36 family members to the earthquake.
"And what do you say to that?" Thevenin asked. "At times there is no way to help a person cope. Even the death of one loved one, one person traumatizes you, but to imagine five, 10, 36 all at once."
Dana Chivvis for AOL
The Rev. Donelson Thevenin says many members of his congregation at the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., are struggling to make sense of the tragedy in Haiti. Here, he talks to an Australian radio show from a church office on Thursday.
After last week's disaster, many of New York's Haitians are turning to religion for answers. But spiritual leaders have few to offer in the aftermath of a tragedy so overwhelming and incomprehensible. They can do little more than pray, hold memorial services and reaffirm the resilience of the Haitian people and their faith.
In Haiti, 80 percent of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church and 16 percent to various Protestant churches. Many Haitians practice voodoo along with Christianity – roughly half, according to the CIA World Factbook, and far more, according to some Haitians.
"It's a symbiosis, it's parallel," said Nicole Miller, a voodoo priestess or mambo of the Temple of Yehwe, in Plainview, N.Y. "As they say in Haiti, it's 100 percent Catholic and 90 percent voodoo."
Miller, 65, has been a mambo for 18 years. She was last in Haiti in December.
"It was sunny, it was calm, it was beautiful. It was Haiti," she said. "And now it is upside down."
Since the earthquake, Miller has been taking phone calls from people asking for strength and courage. She has prayed with them to God and to the spirits, which are fundamental to the religion.
"It gets to a point when it affects you, you feel so hopeless," Miller said. "Because it's our land, it's our country, it's part of us."
The Rev. Luc Pierre, the minister at the New Jerusalem Church of the Nazarene, an Evangelical church down the street from Holy Cross, said the condition of Haiti now is "depressing." Every major institution has crumbled, churches have collapsed. In his congregation alone, 26 families had lost loved ones as of Sunday. He expects there to be more.
One of the questions so often repeated in the last 10 days is why this catastrophe struck a country already struggling under the burden of natural and man-made disasters, from hurricanes and floods to military coups and a string of unstable governments.
"Frankly, you know, even leaders, even myself, I would ask why," Pierre said. "I don't have any good answer for them, and I don't have any good answer for myself."
He tells his congregation that God is there for them. He will hold a second memorial service tonight, and he is providing psychological counselors for people to talk to.
Thevenin is fielding similar questions. He tells people they cannot ask why the earthquake struck Haiti because to do so implies that it should have struck somewhere else, that it should have caused some other country the pain and suffering that Haitians feel now.
And then there are the people questioning their religion altogether.
"The question that people ask, 'Where was God when my brother was suffering, where was God when my mom or my loved one was struggling to breathe air when these rubbles were falling on top of them. Where was God?' " Thevenin said.
Dana Chivvis for AOL
A list of earthquake victims' names sits on a table next to the altar at Holy Cross Church. The first name on the list is the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Serge Miot, who was killed in the earthquake.
His answer is that God is always there for people who are suffering. He says the response from the international community is an example of God's love. He quotes scripture, particularly the story of Martha and Lazarus, which includes the passage, "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
But when the woman asked him for help with her cousin who lost his leg, he didn't know what to do.
"I felt powerless. I felt embarrassed. I didn't know how to help," Thevenin said. "At this time we are all in a tunnel, in a dark tunnel, but the light is out there. All we can do is walk through the tunnel, and ask God and ask each other to help us."
Pierre's church has begun taking donations of food, medical supplies and clothes. Already there are several boxes stacked in the basement of the church. At Holy Cross, near the altar, there is a book of names of victims and a Haitian flag. And Miller is planning on holding a burial ceremony in February, to ensure that the dead make it to the afterlife.
"It's the worst thing that could ever happen to us," Miller said. "But we will survive."
Filed under: Nation, World, Only On Sphere
Haitians in the US Turn to Religion for AnswersUpdated: 23 minutes ago
Print Text Size E-mail More
Dana Chivvis
Contributor
(Jan. 23) – Since last week's earthquake, the Rev. Donelson Thevenin, a priest at the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, where many of New York's Haitians live, has been helping his congregation deal with the tragedy. He has prayed with them, listened to their stories and tried to answer their questions.
One woman came to him in tears, asking him to help a cousin who had lost his leg. Another woman told him she lost 36 family members to the earthquake.
"And what do you say to that?" Thevenin asked. "At times there is no way to help a person cope. Even the death of one loved one, one person traumatizes you, but to imagine five, 10, 36 all at once."
Dana Chivvis for AOL
The Rev. Donelson Thevenin says many members of his congregation at the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., are struggling to make sense of the tragedy in Haiti. Here, he talks to an Australian radio show from a church office on Thursday.
After last week's disaster, many of New York's Haitians are turning to religion for answers. But spiritual leaders have few to offer in the aftermath of a tragedy so overwhelming and incomprehensible. They can do little more than pray, hold memorial services and reaffirm the resilience of the Haitian people and their faith.
In Haiti, 80 percent of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church and 16 percent to various Protestant churches. Many Haitians practice voodoo along with Christianity – roughly half, according to the CIA World Factbook, and far more, according to some Haitians.
"It's a symbiosis, it's parallel," said Nicole Miller, a voodoo priestess or mambo of the Temple of Yehwe, in Plainview, N.Y. "As they say in Haiti, it's 100 percent Catholic and 90 percent voodoo."
Miller, 65, has been a mambo for 18 years. She was last in Haiti in December.
"It was sunny, it was calm, it was beautiful. It was Haiti," she said. "And now it is upside down."
Since the earthquake, Miller has been taking phone calls from people asking for strength and courage. She has prayed with them to God and to the spirits, which are fundamental to the religion.
"It gets to a point when it affects you, you feel so hopeless," Miller said. "Because it's our land, it's our country, it's part of us."
The Rev. Luc Pierre, the minister at the New Jerusalem Church of the Nazarene, an Evangelical church down the street from Holy Cross, said the condition of Haiti now is "depressing." Every major institution has crumbled, churches have collapsed. In his congregation alone, 26 families had lost loved ones as of Sunday. He expects there to be more.
One of the questions so often repeated in the last 10 days is why this catastrophe struck a country already struggling under the burden of natural and man-made disasters, from hurricanes and floods to military coups and a string of unstable governments.
"Frankly, you know, even leaders, even myself, I would ask why," Pierre said. "I don't have any good answer for them, and I don't have any good answer for myself."
He tells his congregation that God is there for them. He will hold a second memorial service tonight, and he is providing psychological counselors for people to talk to.
Thevenin is fielding similar questions. He tells people they cannot ask why the earthquake struck Haiti because to do so implies that it should have struck somewhere else, that it should have caused some other country the pain and suffering that Haitians feel now.
And then there are the people questioning their religion altogether.
"The question that people ask, 'Where was God when my brother was suffering, where was God when my mom or my loved one was struggling to breathe air when these rubbles were falling on top of them. Where was God?' " Thevenin said.
Dana Chivvis for AOL
A list of earthquake victims' names sits on a table next to the altar at Holy Cross Church. The first name on the list is the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Serge Miot, who was killed in the earthquake.
His answer is that God is always there for people who are suffering. He says the response from the international community is an example of God's love. He quotes scripture, particularly the story of Martha and Lazarus, which includes the passage, "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
But when the woman asked him for help with her cousin who lost his leg, he didn't know what to do.
"I felt powerless. I felt embarrassed. I didn't know how to help," Thevenin said. "At this time we are all in a tunnel, in a dark tunnel, but the light is out there. All we can do is walk through the tunnel, and ask God and ask each other to help us."
Pierre's church has begun taking donations of food, medical supplies and clothes. Already there are several boxes stacked in the basement of the church. At Holy Cross, near the altar, there is a book of names of victims and a Haitian flag. And Miller is planning on holding a burial ceremony in February, to ensure that the dead make it to the afterlife.
"It's the worst thing that could ever happen to us," Miller said. "But we will survive."
Filed under: Nation, World, Only On Sphere
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Obituary: Madagascar's Cardinal Armand Gaetan Razafindratandra has died
Obituary: Madagascar Cardinal Armand Gaetan Razafindratandra, Pope condoles Madagascar church
Madagascar: Cardinal Razafindratandra has died
Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 3:29 pm
Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his condolences for the death of Cardinal Armand Gaetan Razafindratandra, archbishop emeritus of Antananarivo, Madagascar, who died on Saturday, January 9, at the age of 84.
In a telegram made public yesterday afternoon, addressed to Archbishop Odon Marie Arsene Razanakolona of Antananarivo, the Holy Father noted how the late cardinal "dedicated his entire life to helping Madagascans, as a diocesan priest and later as archbishop of Antananarivo, giving the best of himself that Christ might be announced".
The Pope prays that: "by the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Africa, the Lord may welcome His faithful servant into His Kingdom of peace and light".
With the death of Cardinal Razafindratandra, the College of Cardinals now has 182 members, of whom 112 are electors.
Paying tribute to the Cardinal, Salesian Fr Cosimo Alvati, who has worked for many years in Madagascar (where he founded Radio Don Bosco), said: "Cardinal Razafindratandra always had a special care and sensitivity for the poor. His moral authority also stemmed from his lifestyle and the example it offered. On several occasions I got to meet him when he was Archbishop of the capital, Antananarivo, and have always been impressed by his simple and sober lifestyle: a study with adjoining bedroom, a simple cassock, frugal meals. The Cardinal was a prince who lived like most of his compatriots, in simplicity and frugality."
"The moral authority of the Cardinal that stemmed from his lifestyle, rather than by its noble origin, was recognized by everyone, including the Heads of State who ruled the island, which is why for years he was Chairman of the Board of Christian Churches, a body comprising all the main Christian denominations of Madagascar," recalled Fr Cosimo.
"The Cardinal's great charity and pastoral sensitivity was already famous when he was Bishop of Mahajanga. He was famous for exploring the farthest and forgotten points of his diocese, often in long wanderings on foot and by canoe, a journey which lasted for days, because of the lack of roads. Even in the last years of life, after having left the leadership of the Archdiocese of Antananarivo, he showed his particular sensitivity to the most humble. The Cardinal decided to live in Besalampy, one of the poorest areas of Madagascar, where he continued his pastoral and human development until the end."
At Besalampy, the Cardinal set up a holiday camp for poor children, Fr Cosimo said. He also established a network of Catholic radio stations throughout Madagascar.
The funeral of Cardinal Razafindratandra will be held on 15 January.
Source: Fides
Madagascar: Cardinal Razafindratandra has died
Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 3:29 pm
Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his condolences for the death of Cardinal Armand Gaetan Razafindratandra, archbishop emeritus of Antananarivo, Madagascar, who died on Saturday, January 9, at the age of 84.
In a telegram made public yesterday afternoon, addressed to Archbishop Odon Marie Arsene Razanakolona of Antananarivo, the Holy Father noted how the late cardinal "dedicated his entire life to helping Madagascans, as a diocesan priest and later as archbishop of Antananarivo, giving the best of himself that Christ might be announced".
The Pope prays that: "by the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Africa, the Lord may welcome His faithful servant into His Kingdom of peace and light".
With the death of Cardinal Razafindratandra, the College of Cardinals now has 182 members, of whom 112 are electors.
Paying tribute to the Cardinal, Salesian Fr Cosimo Alvati, who has worked for many years in Madagascar (where he founded Radio Don Bosco), said: "Cardinal Razafindratandra always had a special care and sensitivity for the poor. His moral authority also stemmed from his lifestyle and the example it offered. On several occasions I got to meet him when he was Archbishop of the capital, Antananarivo, and have always been impressed by his simple and sober lifestyle: a study with adjoining bedroom, a simple cassock, frugal meals. The Cardinal was a prince who lived like most of his compatriots, in simplicity and frugality."
"The moral authority of the Cardinal that stemmed from his lifestyle, rather than by its noble origin, was recognized by everyone, including the Heads of State who ruled the island, which is why for years he was Chairman of the Board of Christian Churches, a body comprising all the main Christian denominations of Madagascar," recalled Fr Cosimo.
"The Cardinal's great charity and pastoral sensitivity was already famous when he was Bishop of Mahajanga. He was famous for exploring the farthest and forgotten points of his diocese, often in long wanderings on foot and by canoe, a journey which lasted for days, because of the lack of roads. Even in the last years of life, after having left the leadership of the Archdiocese of Antananarivo, he showed his particular sensitivity to the most humble. The Cardinal decided to live in Besalampy, one of the poorest areas of Madagascar, where he continued his pastoral and human development until the end."
At Besalampy, the Cardinal set up a holiday camp for poor children, Fr Cosimo said. He also established a network of Catholic radio stations throughout Madagascar.
The funeral of Cardinal Razafindratandra will be held on 15 January.
Source: Fides
Obituary: Bishop Anthony Saliu Sanusi- Nigeria’s oldest Catholic bishop has died
Obituary: Bishop Anthony Saliu Sanusi- Nigeria’s oldest Catholic bishop has died
The passing away of the first bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, South Western Nigeria has been announced.
Most Revd Dr. Anthony Saliu Sanusi, Bishop Emeritus of Ijebu Ode died on Monday 7 December 2009, about four weeks from his 99th birthday. He was the 6th oldest bishop in the entire Catholic Church and the oldest Nigerian Catholic Bishop.
He was ordained a priest on 17 December 1944 in Lagos, Nigeria. When Ijebu Ode Diocese was created from the Archdiocese of Lagos on 29 May 1969, Fr Sanusi was appointed its first bishop by Pope Paul VI.
His Episcopal Consecration took place on 1 August 1969 in Kampala, Uganda by Pope Paul VI. In 1972 after the death of Archbishop JK Aggey, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Lagos Archdiocese. He was the only bishop of Ijebu Ode Diocese at that time, covering an area of 5,000 square kilometres (1,931 square miles) with six parishes, three diocesan priests and eight missionary priests. After 21 years of active service as diocesan bishop, he retired on 14 August 1990, at the age of 79. He was succeeded by Bishop Albert A Fasina.
During Bishops Sanusi’s time in office, the diocese had six secondary schools and 46 primary schools owned by the Church, however, they were all taken over by the government without any compensation. At present, the diocese has four Private Nursery Primary Schools and two Secondary Schools. The Diocese has two Hospitals and a Maternity Centre. The diocese remains undaunted in her mission of evangelisation with 23 parishes and over 60 priests.
Bishop Sanusi was instrumental to the opening of the Missionary Seminary of St Paul on 23 October 1977 at Iperu Remo, Ogun State. Thereupon, Bishop Anthony Sanusi was appointed the first Ordinary of the Seminary and of the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP).
His funeral arrangements are as follows:
Wednesday 16 December, 2009:
10am - Requiem Mass at St John Vianney Catholic Church, Iperu.
12noon – Office of the Dead at Seminary of St. Paul, Iperu
2.30pm - Lying in State at St Sebastian’s’ Catholic Cathedral, Ijebu-Ode
6pm - Vigil Mass
Thursday 17th, 2009
10am – Burial Mass at Gateway International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.
12.30pm – Interment at St Sebastian Catholic Cathedral, Ijebu-Ode. Entertainment follows immediately after Mass.
Baba (as he is fondly called) was a priest for 64 years and a bishop for 40 years. May the Lord grant him eternal rest and let his perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
There will be a memorial service for Baba, here in the UK, in the New Year. Time and venue will be made known as soon as it is finalised.
The passing away of the first bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, South Western Nigeria has been announced.
Most Revd Dr. Anthony Saliu Sanusi, Bishop Emeritus of Ijebu Ode died on Monday 7 December 2009, about four weeks from his 99th birthday. He was the 6th oldest bishop in the entire Catholic Church and the oldest Nigerian Catholic Bishop.
He was ordained a priest on 17 December 1944 in Lagos, Nigeria. When Ijebu Ode Diocese was created from the Archdiocese of Lagos on 29 May 1969, Fr Sanusi was appointed its first bishop by Pope Paul VI.
His Episcopal Consecration took place on 1 August 1969 in Kampala, Uganda by Pope Paul VI. In 1972 after the death of Archbishop JK Aggey, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Lagos Archdiocese. He was the only bishop of Ijebu Ode Diocese at that time, covering an area of 5,000 square kilometres (1,931 square miles) with six parishes, three diocesan priests and eight missionary priests. After 21 years of active service as diocesan bishop, he retired on 14 August 1990, at the age of 79. He was succeeded by Bishop Albert A Fasina.
During Bishops Sanusi’s time in office, the diocese had six secondary schools and 46 primary schools owned by the Church, however, they were all taken over by the government without any compensation. At present, the diocese has four Private Nursery Primary Schools and two Secondary Schools. The Diocese has two Hospitals and a Maternity Centre. The diocese remains undaunted in her mission of evangelisation with 23 parishes and over 60 priests.
Bishop Sanusi was instrumental to the opening of the Missionary Seminary of St Paul on 23 October 1977 at Iperu Remo, Ogun State. Thereupon, Bishop Anthony Sanusi was appointed the first Ordinary of the Seminary and of the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP).
His funeral arrangements are as follows:
Wednesday 16 December, 2009:
10am - Requiem Mass at St John Vianney Catholic Church, Iperu.
12noon – Office of the Dead at Seminary of St. Paul, Iperu
2.30pm - Lying in State at St Sebastian’s’ Catholic Cathedral, Ijebu-Ode
6pm - Vigil Mass
Thursday 17th, 2009
10am – Burial Mass at Gateway International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.
12.30pm – Interment at St Sebastian Catholic Cathedral, Ijebu-Ode. Entertainment follows immediately after Mass.
Baba (as he is fondly called) was a priest for 64 years and a bishop for 40 years. May the Lord grant him eternal rest and let his perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
There will be a memorial service for Baba, here in the UK, in the New Year. Time and venue will be made known as soon as it is finalised.
Obituary: Edward Schillebeeckx, A Great inspirational and profound Catholic Theologian
Obituary of Edward Schillebeeckx: A Great Inspirational and in depth Catholic Theologican:
Posted: Monday, January 4, 2010 6:04 pm
The internationally renowned theologian Edward Schillebeeckx died on the 23rd of December 2009. Dr Schillebeeckx was Professor of Dogmatics and History of Theology at Nijmegen University from 1957 to 1983. Edward Schillebeeckx has been of major importance to twentieth century and contemporary theology. Many recognize him as a pioneer who connected faith, church and theology with modern humanity in a secular society. He has been an iconic figure for Radboud University Nijmegen.
Edward Cornelius Florentius Schillebeeckx was born into a Flemish family in Antwerp on 12 November 1914, the sixth of 14 children. His father, who was a chartered accountant and an intellectual, influenced him greatly; although dismissive of the clergy, he was a devout Roman Catholic who took his family to Mass every day at 6.30am and made the sign of the cross on their foreheads before they went to sleep at night.
Along with his eight brothers, Edward attended a Jesuit school, but decided, in 1934, to enter the Dominican Order. He served his novitiate at Ghent, then spent three years – which he always described as the best in his life – studying Philosophy at the University of Louvain. In 1941 he was ordained as a priest. Late in 1957, Schillebeeckx was appointed Professor of Dogmatics and History of Theology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen, now known as Radboud University Nijmegen.
Second Vatican Council
Schillebeeckx accompanied the Dutch bishops as their advisor during the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965). In 1960 he wrote a pastoral letter for the bishops informing the faithful about the Council. This letter attracted international attention because of the way in which Schillebeeckx described the relationship between the faithful and the hierarchy of the Church: he believed it is the task of the bishops and the Pope to express the live of the faithful, rather than the other way around.
Faith can change the world
In 1974, Schillebeeckx published Jezus, het verhaal van een levende, (translated in 1979 as Jesus: an experiment in Christology), and in 1977 Gerechtigheid en liefde, genade en bevrijding translated in 1980 as Christ: the Christian experience in the modern world). In these books, Schillebeeckx presented Christian faith as a source of inspiration for those who wish to stand up for the poor and oppressed and change the world for good. These books have broken new ground for twentieth-century theology and are still widely read and studied.
Church authorities
Schillebeeckx continued to be involved in the internal affairs of the church after the Second Vatican Council. In addition to his earlier works on the sacraments of the Church (De sacramentele heilseconomie, 1953), his later publications deal with priesthood and the role of the faithful in the Church (Kerkelijk ambt, 1980 and Pleidooi voor mensen in de kerk, 1985, translated as The Church with a human face: a new and expanded theology of ministry). As a result of the innovative character of his works, Schillebeeckx was asked to justify himself to the Church authorities on three occasions. Shortly before his retirement in 1983, he received the prestigious European Erasmus prize. Schillebeeckx’ work is still widely studied, particularly in the United States and Great Britain.
Source: Radboud University/VIS/Edward Schillebeeckx Foundation
Posted: Monday, January 4, 2010 6:04 pm
The internationally renowned theologian Edward Schillebeeckx died on the 23rd of December 2009. Dr Schillebeeckx was Professor of Dogmatics and History of Theology at Nijmegen University from 1957 to 1983. Edward Schillebeeckx has been of major importance to twentieth century and contemporary theology. Many recognize him as a pioneer who connected faith, church and theology with modern humanity in a secular society. He has been an iconic figure for Radboud University Nijmegen.
Edward Cornelius Florentius Schillebeeckx was born into a Flemish family in Antwerp on 12 November 1914, the sixth of 14 children. His father, who was a chartered accountant and an intellectual, influenced him greatly; although dismissive of the clergy, he was a devout Roman Catholic who took his family to Mass every day at 6.30am and made the sign of the cross on their foreheads before they went to sleep at night.
Along with his eight brothers, Edward attended a Jesuit school, but decided, in 1934, to enter the Dominican Order. He served his novitiate at Ghent, then spent three years – which he always described as the best in his life – studying Philosophy at the University of Louvain. In 1941 he was ordained as a priest. Late in 1957, Schillebeeckx was appointed Professor of Dogmatics and History of Theology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen, now known as Radboud University Nijmegen.
Second Vatican Council
Schillebeeckx accompanied the Dutch bishops as their advisor during the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965). In 1960 he wrote a pastoral letter for the bishops informing the faithful about the Council. This letter attracted international attention because of the way in which Schillebeeckx described the relationship between the faithful and the hierarchy of the Church: he believed it is the task of the bishops and the Pope to express the live of the faithful, rather than the other way around.
Faith can change the world
In 1974, Schillebeeckx published Jezus, het verhaal van een levende, (translated in 1979 as Jesus: an experiment in Christology), and in 1977 Gerechtigheid en liefde, genade en bevrijding translated in 1980 as Christ: the Christian experience in the modern world). In these books, Schillebeeckx presented Christian faith as a source of inspiration for those who wish to stand up for the poor and oppressed and change the world for good. These books have broken new ground for twentieth-century theology and are still widely read and studied.
Church authorities
Schillebeeckx continued to be involved in the internal affairs of the church after the Second Vatican Council. In addition to his earlier works on the sacraments of the Church (De sacramentele heilseconomie, 1953), his later publications deal with priesthood and the role of the faithful in the Church (Kerkelijk ambt, 1980 and Pleidooi voor mensen in de kerk, 1985, translated as The Church with a human face: a new and expanded theology of ministry). As a result of the innovative character of his works, Schillebeeckx was asked to justify himself to the Church authorities on three occasions. Shortly before his retirement in 1983, he received the prestigious European Erasmus prize. Schillebeeckx’ work is still widely studied, particularly in the United States and Great Britain.
Source: Radboud University/VIS/Edward Schillebeeckx Foundation
Sunday, January 17, 2010
President Obama urge upholding Faith at difficult times
Obama to parishioners: Keep faith in hard times
By NATASHA METZLER, Associated Press Writer Natasha Metzler, Associated Press Writer 23 mins ago
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Sunday recalled the work of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as he urged those packing a Baptist church to take heart in hard times and celebrate progress — however small.
On the eve of the federal holiday marking King's birth, the first African-American president said he learned — as did the civil rights leader — to rely on his faith even as he felt the "sting of criticism" during his first year as president.
"During those times it's faith that keeps me calm," he said.
Obama pointed specifically to his attempts to move the country out of the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression while pressing for an overhaul of the health care system.
Speaking to an enthusiastic congregation of nearly 300 people at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, founded in 1866 by former slaves, Obama called King and those who fought with him for civil rights the "Moses generation." He exhorted parishioners — those he termed the "Joshua generation" — to "get back to basics" as Americans faced the challenges of a "new age."
Obama encouraged those in the audience to learn from previous the generations' firm resolve, belief that government can be a force for good and commitment to universal ideals.
"Our predecessors were never so consumed with theoretical debate that they couldn't see progress when it came," Obama said. "Sometimes I get a little frustrated when folks just don't want to see that even if we don't get everything, we're getting something."
In his remarks at the Washington church, Obama reflected on the difficulties he has faced in pushing key elements of his legislative agenda through Congress and the periodic distractions that have arisen from remarks about his race.
Referring to the "post-racial" and "post-partisan" shift in the country that many observers predicted would flow from his inauguration a year ago, he said, "That didn't work out so well."
But Obama urged listeners to have faith that things would slowly improve.
"Each season, the frost melts, the cold recedes, the sun reappears; so it was for earlier generations and so it will be for us," he said.
Later the president headed to Boston in support of the Senate candidacy of state Attorney General Martha Coakley, who is in a tight race for the seat long held by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who died in August. Coakley's defeat would upend the Democrat's 60-vote majority in the Senate, making it impossible to overcome a filibuster that could kill hard-fought health care legislation.
Obama was accompanied to the church by first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Sasha and Malia.
King himself spoke in 1956 at Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, located just over a mile north of the White House.
Then a 27-year-old preacher who was emerging as a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, King visited Washington shortly after the Supreme Court sided with a ruling that led to the end of racial segregation aboard city buses in Montgomery, Ala. King was one of the leaders of a bus boycott that lasted more than a year.
Monday's King holiday will be the first that Obama, the first black president, will commemorate as the nation's leader.
By NATASHA METZLER, Associated Press Writer Natasha Metzler, Associated Press Writer 23 mins ago
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Sunday recalled the work of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as he urged those packing a Baptist church to take heart in hard times and celebrate progress — however small.
On the eve of the federal holiday marking King's birth, the first African-American president said he learned — as did the civil rights leader — to rely on his faith even as he felt the "sting of criticism" during his first year as president.
"During those times it's faith that keeps me calm," he said.
Obama pointed specifically to his attempts to move the country out of the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression while pressing for an overhaul of the health care system.
Speaking to an enthusiastic congregation of nearly 300 people at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, founded in 1866 by former slaves, Obama called King and those who fought with him for civil rights the "Moses generation." He exhorted parishioners — those he termed the "Joshua generation" — to "get back to basics" as Americans faced the challenges of a "new age."
Obama encouraged those in the audience to learn from previous the generations' firm resolve, belief that government can be a force for good and commitment to universal ideals.
"Our predecessors were never so consumed with theoretical debate that they couldn't see progress when it came," Obama said. "Sometimes I get a little frustrated when folks just don't want to see that even if we don't get everything, we're getting something."
In his remarks at the Washington church, Obama reflected on the difficulties he has faced in pushing key elements of his legislative agenda through Congress and the periodic distractions that have arisen from remarks about his race.
Referring to the "post-racial" and "post-partisan" shift in the country that many observers predicted would flow from his inauguration a year ago, he said, "That didn't work out so well."
But Obama urged listeners to have faith that things would slowly improve.
"Each season, the frost melts, the cold recedes, the sun reappears; so it was for earlier generations and so it will be for us," he said.
Later the president headed to Boston in support of the Senate candidacy of state Attorney General Martha Coakley, who is in a tight race for the seat long held by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who died in August. Coakley's defeat would upend the Democrat's 60-vote majority in the Senate, making it impossible to overcome a filibuster that could kill hard-fought health care legislation.
Obama was accompanied to the church by first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, Sasha and Malia.
King himself spoke in 1956 at Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, located just over a mile north of the White House.
Then a 27-year-old preacher who was emerging as a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, King visited Washington shortly after the Supreme Court sided with a ruling that led to the end of racial segregation aboard city buses in Montgomery, Ala. King was one of the leaders of a bus boycott that lasted more than a year.
Monday's King holiday will be the first that Obama, the first black president, will commemorate as the nation's leader.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Archbishop of Port Au Prince, Haiti dies in Earthquake
The Church has always had to pay a price as part of human society. News has reached us of the death of Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of the Port au Prince archdiocese in Haiti, who was found dead in the rubbles of his ruined archdiocesan office. He died leading and sharing the fate of his suffering flock and country men and women, especially those faithful so terribly affected.
At the moment, it seems many priests and seminarians are still missing or in ruined rubbles. Our heart reaches out to them and we continue to keep them in our prayers.
Haiti, home to about 9 million people of mainly African descent is a poor country within the western hemisphere. In its culture and religious heritage it continues to display and manifest African cultural identities and legacies of its connection to the African continent.
We pray for the repose of the dead and especially the archbishop and members of the church of Haiti, so terribly affected.
*****************
The Times of India
Indiatimes Web (by Google) Video Photos
Archbishop of Port-au-Prince dies in Haiti earthquake
AP, 14 January 2010, 03:06am
Topics:Haiti
PARIS: Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, has been killed in the Haiti earthquake. He was 63.
Missionaries at the archdiocese found his body crushed by rubble in the ruins of his office, said the Rev Pierre Le Beller of the Saint Jacques Missionary Centre in western France.
A seminary student was killed and two others were injured in the quake, according to the mission.
The Saint Jacques order of missionary priests was officially founded in 1951 by the bishop of Gonaives, Haiti. While headquartered in France, it retains a strong presence in Haiti and traces its unofficial missionary activity to 1860.
Born in Jeremie, Haiti, on November 23, 1946, Miot was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1975.
He was consecrated a bishop in 1997, and named deputy to the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, a title he held until being named archbishop himself in 2008.
"He was a demanding, and understanding, priest," said the Rev Michel Menard, also of the Saint Jacques mission, who met regularly with Miot in Haiti. "He was man of great discretion and humility."
"He was very close to his priests, very welcoming," and his door was always open to visitors, Menard said.
Miot, a philosophy professor at the Port-au-Prince seminary, "would tell students that being a priest is not a profession, it is a mission," Menard told AP by phone from the Brittany town of Landivisiau.
At the moment, it seems many priests and seminarians are still missing or in ruined rubbles. Our heart reaches out to them and we continue to keep them in our prayers.
Haiti, home to about 9 million people of mainly African descent is a poor country within the western hemisphere. In its culture and religious heritage it continues to display and manifest African cultural identities and legacies of its connection to the African continent.
We pray for the repose of the dead and especially the archbishop and members of the church of Haiti, so terribly affected.
*****************
The Times of India
Indiatimes Web (by Google) Video Photos
Archbishop of Port-au-Prince dies in Haiti earthquake
AP, 14 January 2010, 03:06am
Topics:Haiti
PARIS: Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, has been killed in the Haiti earthquake. He was 63.
Missionaries at the archdiocese found his body crushed by rubble in the ruins of his office, said the Rev Pierre Le Beller of the Saint Jacques Missionary Centre in western France.
A seminary student was killed and two others were injured in the quake, according to the mission.
The Saint Jacques order of missionary priests was officially founded in 1951 by the bishop of Gonaives, Haiti. While headquartered in France, it retains a strong presence in Haiti and traces its unofficial missionary activity to 1860.
Born in Jeremie, Haiti, on November 23, 1946, Miot was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1975.
He was consecrated a bishop in 1997, and named deputy to the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, a title he held until being named archbishop himself in 2008.
"He was a demanding, and understanding, priest," said the Rev Michel Menard, also of the Saint Jacques mission, who met regularly with Miot in Haiti. "He was man of great discretion and humility."
"He was very close to his priests, very welcoming," and his door was always open to visitors, Menard said.
Miot, a philosophy professor at the Port-au-Prince seminary, "would tell students that being a priest is not a profession, it is a mission," Menard told AP by phone from the Brittany town of Landivisiau.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Kenya: Married Catholic Priests enjoin Catholic Nuns to Abandon celibacy vow
Kenya:Nuns Urged to Abandon Celibacy Vow
The Daily Nation online
27 December 2009
Nairobi — A group of married Catholic priests have urged nuns to also abandon their celibacy vows and "stop living a life of pretence".
The group led by Archbishop Daniel Kasomo has disassociated themselves with the traditional Roman Catholic Church doctrine of celibacy.
Dr Kasomo said infidelity was rife among the church's rank and file and called on priests having secret love affairs to come out in the open and formally get married.
One of the married priests, Peter Njogu, said nuns should get married because celibacy in the church had proved unworkable.
Congregation
The priests were speaking in Wamagana, Nyeri, during a celebration of 20 years of priesthood in honour of Mr Njogu.
The prayers, attended by a small congregation, took place at a private compound, about 200 metres from Wamagana Catholic Church.
Dr Kasomo was ordained by controversial Zambian cleric Emmanuel Milingo in June this year. Pope Benedict XVI recently defrocked Archbishop Milingo for his continued ordination of married priests.
The Daily Nation online
27 December 2009
Nairobi — A group of married Catholic priests have urged nuns to also abandon their celibacy vows and "stop living a life of pretence".
The group led by Archbishop Daniel Kasomo has disassociated themselves with the traditional Roman Catholic Church doctrine of celibacy.
Dr Kasomo said infidelity was rife among the church's rank and file and called on priests having secret love affairs to come out in the open and formally get married.
One of the married priests, Peter Njogu, said nuns should get married because celibacy in the church had proved unworkable.
Congregation
The priests were speaking in Wamagana, Nyeri, during a celebration of 20 years of priesthood in honour of Mr Njogu.
The prayers, attended by a small congregation, took place at a private compound, about 200 metres from Wamagana Catholic Church.
Dr Kasomo was ordained by controversial Zambian cleric Emmanuel Milingo in June this year. Pope Benedict XVI recently defrocked Archbishop Milingo for his continued ordination of married priests.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Cardinal Francis Arinze flees Nigerian hometown due to insecurity (Kidnappers)
National Daily (Nigerian Newspaper)
Cardinal Arinze flees hometown for fear of kidnappers
• Travels back to Vatican
By AHAOMA KANU
THE fear of kidnappers has now become the beginning of wisdom for anybody of substance that comes from the South East of Nigeria. With the high prevalence rate of the crime, which is fast becoming a very lucrative business venture, not abating, many indigenes of Anambra and Abia, the two states that have witnessed increased cases of kidnapping lately, in the Diaspora who had wanted to come home for the Christmas holidays are fast rethinking the idea of even coming home in a very long time.
The kidnapping anarchy that has befallen Anambra has recently made one of its illustrious sons, Cardinal Francis Arinze, who has distinguished himself in the service of God in the Vatican, to quickly cut short his holiday and return to Rome. Arinze, who is currently Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, having served as prefect from 2002 to 2008, is also Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni (succeeding Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI) since 2005. Arinze was one of the principal advisors to Pope John Paul II, and was considered papabile before the 2005 papal conclave, which elected Benedict XVI.
The Cardinal chose to return to his hometown of Ezi-Owerri in Idemmili Local Government Council of Anambra State to have a deserved rest among his kinsmen but no sooner had he unpacked did the unknown men of the kidnapping world struck and kidnapped three people while he was still around.
Arinze, who intended to stay till December ending, was forced to hastily pack his baggage and cut short his stay to rush back to base.
National Daily gathered that while he was at the Alkanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu waiting for the Arik plane that would take him to Lagos from where he would take off to the Holy Land, His Eminence, the Cardinal was worried that the plane was late in coming since he feared that the “boys” might strike while he was waiting. He eventually left the shores with a promise not to visit in a long time. So even the Lord's chosen are beginning to fear the sons of the night.
Francis Arinze was born on 1 November 1932, in Eziowelle, Anambra State. A convert from an African traditional religion, he was baptized on his ninth birthday (1 November 1941) by Father Michael Tansi, who was beatified by John Paul II in 1998. His parents themselves later converted to Catholicism. At age 15, he entered All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha from which he graduated and earned a degree in philosophy 1950. His father was initially opposed to his entering the seminary, but after seeing how much Francis enjoyed it, he encouraged him. Arinze stayed at All Hallows until 1953 to teach. In 1955, he went to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urban University, where he ultimately earned a doctorate in sacred theology summa cum laude. On 23 November 1958, at the chapel of the university, Arinze was ordained to the priesthood by Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian, pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and future cardinal.
After ordination, Father Arinze remained in Rome, earning a master's in theology in 1959 and doctorate in 1960. His doctoral thesis on "Ibo Sacrifice as an Introduction to the Catechesis of Holy Mass" was the basis for his much used reference work, "Sacrifice in Ibo Religion", published in 1970. From 1961 to 1962, Arinze was professor of liturgy, logic, and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary. From there, he was appointed regional secretary for Catholic education for the eastern part of Nigeria. Eventually, Arinze was transferred to London, where he attended the Institute of Education and graduated in 1964.
Francis Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world when he was ordained to the episcopate on 29 August 1965, at the age of 32. He was appointed titular bishop of Fissiana, and named coadjutor to the Archbishop of Onitsha, Nigeria. He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in that same year along with the 45 year old Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II. Following the death of the Archbishop of Onitsha in February 1967, Arinze was appointed to the position a few months later, on 26 June 1967. He was the first native African to head his diocese, succeeding Archbishop Charles Heery, an Irish missionary.
The new Archbishop did not have much time to settle into his office before the Nigeria-Biafra War broke out. The entire archdiocese was located in the secessionist Biafran territory. As a result of the war, Archbishop Arinze had to flee his see city of Onitsha and to live as a refugee, first in Adazi and then Amichi, for the three years of the war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970.
Despite his own refugee status, Archbishop Arinze worked tirelessly for refugees, displaced persons, the sick and the hungry, offering support to priests and religious, and giving the faithful hope for the future. With the help of foreign missionaries, he supervised what one international relief worker called one of "the most effective and efficient distributions of relief materials" in history. He also took care to keep the Church separate from the ongoing political conflict, gaining the respect of all factions in the country.
Francis Arinze was still Archbishop of Onitsha when the Nigeria-Biafra war ended in 1970. Onitsha was a part of Biafra, and the region and its people had suffered greatly in the three-year war. The homes and businesses of the people had been devastated, and the already poor region was sinking deeper into poverty. The end of the war did not mean an end to the challenges facing the young Archbishop.
The Nigerian government deported all foreign missionaries stationed in the archdiocese, leaving only the native clergy and religious, who were few in number. The government also confiscated the Catholic schools, most of which also served as churches or parish halls.
Impressed by Arinze's many accomplishments as the leader of an archdiocese with few resources, and his ability to work side by side with Muslims in a country that is majority Christian (the fearful refusal of mainly Muslims in the north not allow religion and ethnicity to feature in the recent census in Nigeria is viewed by analyst as an acknowledgement of the Christian numerical superiority)and with a strong and not-to-be-ignored Muslim population, in 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed Arinze pro-president of the Vatican's Secretariat for Non-Christian Believers, later renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Archbishop Arinze continued as the ordinary his archdiocese, and was the unanimous choice of his brother bishops for President of the Nigerian Bishops Conference in 1984.
A year later, the people of Onitsha organized a pilgrimage to Rome when they learned that Archbishop Arinze would be named a Cardinal at the Consistory of 25 May 1985. At the age of 53, Cardinal Arinze was among the youngest members of the College of Cardinals.
On 8 April 1985, Arinze resigned from his post in Onitsha, and the Pope named him a Cardinal Deacon, with the title of S. Giovanni della Pigna, little more than a month later in the consistory held on 25 May 1985; he was raised to the rank of Cardinal Priest in 1996. Two days following his elevation to Cardinal Deacon, Arinze was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, holding the office until 1 October 2002, when he was named Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. All major Vatican officials automatically lose their positions during a sede vacante, and so, the cardinal lost his position on 2 April 2005 due to the death of the Pope.
The Cardinal actively catechises via Familyland TV to the Americas, the Philippines, Africa, and Europe. He has produced over 1,700 television programs with the Apostolate for Family Consecration. The programs cover almost all of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals and apostolic letters, Vatican II, and many other topics. He is also the author of several books along with a complete "Consecration and Truth Catechetical Program" for children and adults.
Arinze was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. He returned to his post as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments when confirmed by Benedict XVI on 21 April 2005. Four days later, on 25 April 2005, he was advanced to Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni, which had been vacated by the ascension of Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy. On 9 December 2008 Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Arinze as Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship. His successor, who took office that same day, is Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera.
Cardinal Arinze will be eligible to participate and vote in any future conclaves before his 80th birthday on 1 November 2012.
Cardinal Arinze flees hometown for fear of kidnappers
• Travels back to Vatican
By AHAOMA KANU
THE fear of kidnappers has now become the beginning of wisdom for anybody of substance that comes from the South East of Nigeria. With the high prevalence rate of the crime, which is fast becoming a very lucrative business venture, not abating, many indigenes of Anambra and Abia, the two states that have witnessed increased cases of kidnapping lately, in the Diaspora who had wanted to come home for the Christmas holidays are fast rethinking the idea of even coming home in a very long time.
The kidnapping anarchy that has befallen Anambra has recently made one of its illustrious sons, Cardinal Francis Arinze, who has distinguished himself in the service of God in the Vatican, to quickly cut short his holiday and return to Rome. Arinze, who is currently Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, having served as prefect from 2002 to 2008, is also Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni (succeeding Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI) since 2005. Arinze was one of the principal advisors to Pope John Paul II, and was considered papabile before the 2005 papal conclave, which elected Benedict XVI.
The Cardinal chose to return to his hometown of Ezi-Owerri in Idemmili Local Government Council of Anambra State to have a deserved rest among his kinsmen but no sooner had he unpacked did the unknown men of the kidnapping world struck and kidnapped three people while he was still around.
Arinze, who intended to stay till December ending, was forced to hastily pack his baggage and cut short his stay to rush back to base.
National Daily gathered that while he was at the Alkanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu waiting for the Arik plane that would take him to Lagos from where he would take off to the Holy Land, His Eminence, the Cardinal was worried that the plane was late in coming since he feared that the “boys” might strike while he was waiting. He eventually left the shores with a promise not to visit in a long time. So even the Lord's chosen are beginning to fear the sons of the night.
Francis Arinze was born on 1 November 1932, in Eziowelle, Anambra State. A convert from an African traditional religion, he was baptized on his ninth birthday (1 November 1941) by Father Michael Tansi, who was beatified by John Paul II in 1998. His parents themselves later converted to Catholicism. At age 15, he entered All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha from which he graduated and earned a degree in philosophy 1950. His father was initially opposed to his entering the seminary, but after seeing how much Francis enjoyed it, he encouraged him. Arinze stayed at All Hallows until 1953 to teach. In 1955, he went to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urban University, where he ultimately earned a doctorate in sacred theology summa cum laude. On 23 November 1958, at the chapel of the university, Arinze was ordained to the priesthood by Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian, pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and future cardinal.
After ordination, Father Arinze remained in Rome, earning a master's in theology in 1959 and doctorate in 1960. His doctoral thesis on "Ibo Sacrifice as an Introduction to the Catechesis of Holy Mass" was the basis for his much used reference work, "Sacrifice in Ibo Religion", published in 1970. From 1961 to 1962, Arinze was professor of liturgy, logic, and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary. From there, he was appointed regional secretary for Catholic education for the eastern part of Nigeria. Eventually, Arinze was transferred to London, where he attended the Institute of Education and graduated in 1964.
Francis Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world when he was ordained to the episcopate on 29 August 1965, at the age of 32. He was appointed titular bishop of Fissiana, and named coadjutor to the Archbishop of Onitsha, Nigeria. He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in that same year along with the 45 year old Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II. Following the death of the Archbishop of Onitsha in February 1967, Arinze was appointed to the position a few months later, on 26 June 1967. He was the first native African to head his diocese, succeeding Archbishop Charles Heery, an Irish missionary.
The new Archbishop did not have much time to settle into his office before the Nigeria-Biafra War broke out. The entire archdiocese was located in the secessionist Biafran territory. As a result of the war, Archbishop Arinze had to flee his see city of Onitsha and to live as a refugee, first in Adazi and then Amichi, for the three years of the war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970.
Despite his own refugee status, Archbishop Arinze worked tirelessly for refugees, displaced persons, the sick and the hungry, offering support to priests and religious, and giving the faithful hope for the future. With the help of foreign missionaries, he supervised what one international relief worker called one of "the most effective and efficient distributions of relief materials" in history. He also took care to keep the Church separate from the ongoing political conflict, gaining the respect of all factions in the country.
Francis Arinze was still Archbishop of Onitsha when the Nigeria-Biafra war ended in 1970. Onitsha was a part of Biafra, and the region and its people had suffered greatly in the three-year war. The homes and businesses of the people had been devastated, and the already poor region was sinking deeper into poverty. The end of the war did not mean an end to the challenges facing the young Archbishop.
The Nigerian government deported all foreign missionaries stationed in the archdiocese, leaving only the native clergy and religious, who were few in number. The government also confiscated the Catholic schools, most of which also served as churches or parish halls.
Impressed by Arinze's many accomplishments as the leader of an archdiocese with few resources, and his ability to work side by side with Muslims in a country that is majority Christian (the fearful refusal of mainly Muslims in the north not allow religion and ethnicity to feature in the recent census in Nigeria is viewed by analyst as an acknowledgement of the Christian numerical superiority)and with a strong and not-to-be-ignored Muslim population, in 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed Arinze pro-president of the Vatican's Secretariat for Non-Christian Believers, later renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Archbishop Arinze continued as the ordinary his archdiocese, and was the unanimous choice of his brother bishops for President of the Nigerian Bishops Conference in 1984.
A year later, the people of Onitsha organized a pilgrimage to Rome when they learned that Archbishop Arinze would be named a Cardinal at the Consistory of 25 May 1985. At the age of 53, Cardinal Arinze was among the youngest members of the College of Cardinals.
On 8 April 1985, Arinze resigned from his post in Onitsha, and the Pope named him a Cardinal Deacon, with the title of S. Giovanni della Pigna, little more than a month later in the consistory held on 25 May 1985; he was raised to the rank of Cardinal Priest in 1996. Two days following his elevation to Cardinal Deacon, Arinze was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, holding the office until 1 October 2002, when he was named Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. All major Vatican officials automatically lose their positions during a sede vacante, and so, the cardinal lost his position on 2 April 2005 due to the death of the Pope.
The Cardinal actively catechises via Familyland TV to the Americas, the Philippines, Africa, and Europe. He has produced over 1,700 television programs with the Apostolate for Family Consecration. The programs cover almost all of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals and apostolic letters, Vatican II, and many other topics. He is also the author of several books along with a complete "Consecration and Truth Catechetical Program" for children and adults.
Arinze was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. He returned to his post as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments when confirmed by Benedict XVI on 21 April 2005. Four days later, on 25 April 2005, he was advanced to Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni, which had been vacated by the ascension of Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy. On 9 December 2008 Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Arinze as Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship. His successor, who took office that same day, is Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera.
Cardinal Arinze will be eligible to participate and vote in any future conclaves before his 80th birthday on 1 November 2012.
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