04-07-99
By Chido Nwangwu
He is the highest ranking Black in the inner sanctum of the Vatican, the home of the Roman Catholic Church. Many say, he's in line for consideration to become Pope. He does not and never encourages the projection of the possibility of his succeeding the current Pope, John Paul II. In fact, he frowns at it. We'll do not dwell on that here; at least, not this time. Cardinal Francis Arinze, the unique and distinctly cerebral personality on the cover page of the latest edition of www.usafricaonline.com and USAfrica The Newspaper, dated April 14, 1999 (Vol. 6#4), embodies the hopes and endurance of a people, a community, a faith and the inter-connectedness of humankind. he celebrated his Easter weekend with members of our community, and principally members of the Roman Catholic faith.
As the facilitator of inter-religious dialogue, he has seen and interacted with differing religionists who, to varying degrees, embody zealotry and reason, lucidity of thought and rock-ribbed dogmatisms. he also did this time in Houston, discussing with members of other faiths.
By being a major voice for Roman Catholicism in Africa, he has enriched the goals of the Vatican to win more souls to that unique section of the Christian community.
In deftly respecting and showing sensitivity to the cultural contexts for religious evangelization and work in different regions of the world, Arinze (a Nigerian from the south eastern Igbo ethnic group as is the literary giant Prof. Chinua Achebe) seems a fitting bridge for a common, shared theology of humankind. Our brother, The Cardinal, is neither extreme in words nor brash in personal conduct, he also stands as a role model who should be emulated by many, especially in the community of his natural origin, the Nigerian community. Among other qualities, he shows scholarship and a rare balance of reason and theology.
Most of His Eminence¹s compatriots should begin by turning away from the hypocrisy of prayerful supplication in the morning and turning like chameleons in the evening to agents of backbiting, divisiveness, showboating, uncouth indulgences, economic excesses masked in false and misleading lifestyles, loud and quarrelsome wastes of energy and resources over all manner of banalities.
Like our brother, The Cardinal, we should do good for all; we should without malice to anyone, and with the fear of God. Brother Cardinal Arinze, may your pastoral lineage endure, and let there be more like you! Nwanne m, ji do kwa k¹iji.