One 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.
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Sotto Voce
(Source: NG)