48 Anniversary: Cardinal Arinze urges Nigerians to appreciate God

Francis Cardinal Arinze

Function: Prefect of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Roman Curia

Title: Cardinal Priest of S Giovanni della Pigna

Birthdate: Nov 01, 1932	Country: Nigeria

Elevated: May 25, 1985	More information: www.catholic-hierarchy.org

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48 Anniversary: Cardinal Arinze urges Nigerians to appreciate God
Sept 30, 2008
Nigeria’s cardinal at the Papacy in Rome, Cardinal Francis Arinze, flew into Lagos yesterday with a call on Nigerians to thank God for keeping the country as one indivisible entity since independence in 1960.

(Vanguard, 29 September 2008) Cardinal Arinze spoke in an interview with newsmen against the backdrop of the nation’s 48th independence anniversary taking place Wenesday, shortly after arriving the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohanmmed Airport, Lagos, aboard the executive jet owned by the Rivers State government.

The Catholic cleric, who was in high spirit, however declined comments on the festering crisis in the Niger Delta region, saying “ I work in The Vatican, in the office for divine worship, I am not competent to speak on political matters. so, that is not my own area, I do not answer questions on issues outside my office.

“I pray for Nigeria and all Nigerians for the 48th independence anniversary. We should continue to pray for this country, may God bless us all.”

Cardinal Arinze, who was accompanied by the Archbishop of N’djamena, Chad, Matthias Ngarteri Mayadi, also parried questions on measures to achieve global peace saying.

“You want to put words in my mouth, so that you can say I said so,” fired Cardinal Arinze, who didn’t want to be dragged into any controversial issues.

Cardinal Arinze was, in the aftermath of the death of Pope John Paul 11, once taunted as a candidate for the seat of the Catholic Pontiff.

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