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African touted as Pope's successor
Herald Sun ^
| 02oct03
| Richard Owen
Posted on 10/04/2003 10:21:45 AM PDT by Nov3
African touted as Pope's successor
By Richard Owen
02oct03
THE man tipped to be the first black pope has set out his credentials as the Vatican continues to prepare the public for the death of Pope John Paul II.
Following comments from top Vatican official Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger that the Pope was in "very bad" health, the Pope's private secretary Georg Gaenswein said yesterday the 83-year-old pontiff could not walk or stand. "He is a hero for the faithful," Mr Gaenswein said. "The fact he doesn't give up despite his illness makes him even more credible ... When he is no longer allowed to travel, then dear God will come for him."
Meanwhile, Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria has become the first possible successor to be publicly promoted.
In a book of interviews published this week called God's Invisible Hand, Cardinal Arinze presents himself as a man who has risen from humble origins in a Nigerian village to a senior position in the Vatican, and as a conservative capable of reaching other constituencies.
Cardinals do not publicly campaign for advancement, yet an Arinze bandwagon is beginning to roll. This week the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Eusebio Oscar Scheid - one of 31 new cardinals appointed by the Pope last Sunday - said that although a Latin American pope was a possibility, he would vote for an African.
His views were echoed by Claudio Hummes, the Archbishop of Sao Paulo. Even Cardinal Ratzinger, who heads the Vatican's congregation on doctrine and will play a key role as Dean of the College of Cardinals that will appoint the next pontiff, said he could envisage a black pope.
Cardinal Arinze, 70, is Africa's only possible papal candidate. He uses God's Invisible Hand to describe his early life in a village near Onitsha, in British-ruled colonial Nigeria, his conversion to Christianity as a boy and his journey from Lagos to Rome to study for the priesthood.
He became Africa's youngest bishop, and records his ordeal as a "bishop on the run" during the Biafran War, his studies in London in the 1960s, and his surprise at being made a cardinal in 1985. After 18 years as head of the Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue in Rome, he was put in charge of liturgy and the sacraments last year, giving him vital experience of internal affairs.
He suggests Christianity can learn from other faiths, and calls for greater tolerance and free discussion within the Catholic church.
Speculation about the Pope's successor will increase this month when cardinals from all over the world converge on Rome for a "pre-conclave" marking the Pope's 25th anniversary in office.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: blackpope; catholic; stmalachi
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Hopefully it is just a coincidence. I was never a big believer in these things
1
posted on
10/04/2003 10:21:46 AM PDT
by
Nov3
To: Nov3
Refering to St. Malachi's prophecy
2
posted on
10/04/2003 10:22:28 AM PDT
by
Nov3
(one day at a time)
To: All
 |
| Lighten Up, Francis! |
| Fundraising posts only happen quarterly, and are gone as soon as we meet the goal. Help make it happen. |
3
posted on
10/04/2003 10:22:40 AM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
(Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
To: Nov3
Has anyone asked Rush about this?
j/k!
4
posted on
10/04/2003 10:25:16 AM PDT
by
Paul Atreides
(Bringing you quality, non-unnecessarily-excerpted threads since 2002)
To: Nov3
He suggests Christianity can learn from other faiths, and calls for greater tolerance and free discussion within the Catholic church.
Great...
5
posted on
10/04/2003 10:27:08 AM PDT
by
max_rpf
To: Nov3
>African touted as Pope's successor
To: Nov3
Frankly, I believe that certain other faiths can learn a lot from Christianity.
Prairie
7
posted on
10/04/2003 10:27:31 AM PDT
by
prairiebreeze
(It's about the trip to Niger and the uranium report. Not the wife's name or job title.)
To: Nov3
What is it? Can you fill us in?
8
posted on
10/04/2003 10:29:08 AM PDT
by
netmilsmom
(Just because they're moving their lips doesn't mean they have anything to say)
To: max_rpf
yeah, let's learn from islam. quel merde.
To: netmilsmom
St. Malachi's prophecy supposedly occured when he saw Rome while on a pilgrimage. He fell into a trance and named all the popes to the apocalype. I believe there are 2 left in his prophecy, Peter the Roman and the Black Pope. Google "St. Malachi's prophecy" and read on it.
10
posted on
10/04/2003 10:34:16 AM PDT
by
Nov3
(one day at a time)
To: Nov3
"Hopefully it is just a coincidence. I was never a big believer in these things"
One more after Pope John Paul II and then the last pope of the Catholic church comes to power. Is that the prophecy?
To: Nov3
Whoa, really? I will be Googling for the afternoon!
My uncle (who became the Bishop of Steubenville) used to scare his little sisters (one of which was my mom) by telling them that when he became Pope, he would take the name Peter!!! I wondered where it came from!
12
posted on
10/04/2003 10:38:08 AM PDT
by
netmilsmom
(Just because they're moving their lips doesn't mean they have anything to say)
To: JohnSmithee
I believe so. There is some controversy about what happens to the Church.
13
posted on
10/04/2003 10:38:44 AM PDT
by
Nov3
(one day at a time)
To: max_rpf
what do you suppose that means?
To: go-ken-go
Hmmm... He better be forced to answer what that means.
15
posted on
10/04/2003 10:41:29 AM PDT
by
max_rpf
To: Nov3
can you say quota boy?
To: Nov3
He looks to be fairly traditional. Found this one from a commencement speech at Georgetown.
"In many parts of the world, the family is under siege," the cardinal said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the university. "It is opposed by an anti-life mentality as is seen in contraception, abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. It is scorned and banalized by pornography, desecrated by fornication and adultery, mocked by homosexuality, sabotaged by irregular unions and cut in two by divorce."
17
posted on
10/04/2003 10:44:43 AM PDT
by
byteback
To: Nov3
THE man tipped to be the first black pope has set out his credentials as the Vatican continues to prepare the public for the death of Pope John Paul II. I think there have already been some black popes. They were from Northern Africa, before Mohammed.
18
posted on
10/04/2003 10:44:44 AM PDT
by
Koblenz
(There's usually a free market solution)
To: Nov3
To: Nov3
A Nigerian pope. What a great idea. I can hardly wait to see the new liturgy he would publish. Imagine a cathedral full of faithful reciting their newest prayers:
"HELLO TO YOU! I AM UNDERSTANDING YOU TO BE A PERSON OF GOOD CHARACTER! I AM IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE IN MOVING ONE HUNDRED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS (U.S.) OUT OF THE COUNTRY...."
With apoligies to the faithful, I simply cannot think of anything or anyone good coming out of Nigeria. Having a Nigerian become pope would not be a good thing for the Church, IMHO.
20
posted on
10/04/2003 10:45:32 AM PDT
by
Elliott Jackalope
(We send our kids to Iraq to fight for them, and they send our jobs to India. Now THAT'S gratitude!)
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