Bishop Francis Arinze – 50 Greatest Nigerians of All Time?
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This video features: Bishop Francis Arinze. Does he make the cut as one of the 50 Greatest Nigerians of All Time?
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This video features: Bishop Francis Arinze
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Francis Arinze, was born in November 1, 1932. He is an Igbo Nigerian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is currently Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, having served as prefect from 2002 to 2008. He is also Cardinal Bishop 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.
Arinze was born in Eziowelle, Anambra State, Nigeria, Africa. At age 15, he entered All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha from which he graduated and earned a degree in philosophy. 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.
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.
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. As a part of Biafra, Onitsha 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.
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. He remains active and in 2009 gave the commencement address at the Augustine Institute in Denver.
Cardinal Arinze became even more visible to the world public as a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. In that capacity, he worked closely with individual bishops and priests throughout the world in preparation for the rare celebration of the Church. Pope John Paul II was greatly impressed with the leadership of Cardinal Arinze and on 1 October 2002, he became Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. On 25 April 2005, Pope Benedict XVI further honored Cardinal Arinze by naming him Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni,
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This video series highlights the 50 GREATEST NIGERIANS OF ALL TIME.
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Our list of 50 Greatest Nigerians in History includes (but is not limited to:)
Abike Dabiri
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Agbani Darego
Ahmadu Bello
Bishop Ajayi Crowther
Alex Ekwueme
Aliko Dangote
Babatunde Olatunji
Bamanga Tukur
Ben Murray
Ben Okri
Bimbo Odukoya
Biship Francis Arinze
Bola Ige
Buchi Emecheta
Charles Soludo
Chief Osita Osadebe
Chinua Achebe
http://www.naijasmostincredible.com/50/chinua-achebe-38914211.html
Chioma Ajunwa
Chris Abani
Chris Anyawu
Dele Momodu
Dick Tiger
Dr Alban
Dora Akunyili
Ebenezer Obey
Fela Anikulapo Kuti
http://naijasmostincredible.com/50/fela-anikulapo-kuti-65121.html
Gani Fawehinmi
http://www.naijasmostincredible.com/50/gani-fawehinmi-81149.html
Grace Williams
Hakeem Olajuwon
Ibrahim Gambari
Ifueko Omoigui
Jimi Agbaje
JJ Okocha
King Sunny Ade (Sunday Adeniyi)
Michael Adenuga
Moshood Kashimawo (MKO) Abiola
Ngozi Okonjo Iweala
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nuhu Ribadu
Nwankwo Kanu
Obafemi Awolowo (Awo!)
Obiageli Ezekwesili
Odemegwu Ojukwu
Okey Ndibe
Olusegun Obasanjo
Patrick Utomi
Philip Emeagwali
Sade Adu
Samuel Peter
Seal
Tunde Baiyewu
Wole Soyinka
Yakubu Gowon
Muhammadu Buhari
NaijasMostIncredible.com – founded and created by Bolaji Oyejide:
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NaijasMostIncredible.com is a site for and by young Nigerians,doing
incredible things. For too long, Nigeria has been seen in the world’s
eyes, and in our own, through the actions of the corrupt few, the
indisciplined few, the worst of us.
NaijasMostIncredible.com finds and tells stories of young Nigerians doing incredible things. We’re inspiring a new generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.
Video by Rebekkah Igbezi Ilochi: http://kck.st/aMaDER
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