Francis Arinze

[dUSt]

Cardinal Francis Arinze

[img]http://www.familyland.org/images/615_Eucharist/615_Arinze_smiles.jpg[/img]

Age: 72
Country: Nigeria

[url="http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_arinze_f_en.html"]BIOGRAPHY[/url]

[b]Pros:[/b]
- Met dUSt in Atlanta airport.
- He's black. Will show the diversity in the church.
- May appeal to the youth.
- Charismatic personality.
- Good representation of third world.
- Experienced in Muslim relations.
- He's blunt.

[b]Cons:[/b]
- He's black. Racism may hurt him.
- His bluntness might be considered a negative by some.

[Guest Eremite]

Cardinal Arinze is the man. I read that he recently said the world is not ready for an African Cardinal, maybe taking his name out of contention. But I'm not sure what he meant...

[Ash Wednesday]

I would love to see Arinze be pope, because:

1. He is theologically in line with the magesterium
2. I think the youth would really like him
3. He is already charismatic, electrifying and interesting, even to non Catholics like JP2 was
4. He would reflect the 3rd world's new role in the Church, the genuine universality of the Church.
5. He would be interesting with Muslim-Christian relations, which will be very important in the future.

Possible cons might be the racism issue. He may be just trying to be humble, but he is right in his trepidation about how others in the west might feel about it.

But I think breaking out of Euro-centrism would be a nice logical step, and would really continue to electrify the Church the way John Paul II did.

[Ash Wednesday]

[quote name='Eremite' date='Apr 8 2005, 05:18 PM'] Cardinal Arinze is the man. I read that he recently said the world is not ready for an African Cardinal, maybe taking his name out of contention. But I'm not sure what he meant... [/quote]
John Paul II did say to him "you'll be in this job one day..." so you never know...

[Azriel]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' date='Apr 8 2005, 05:43 PM'] I would love to see Arinze be pope, because:

1. He is theologically in line with the magesterium
2. I think the youth would really like him
3. He is already charismatic, electrifying and interesting, even to non Catholics like JP2 was
4. He would reflect the 3rd world's new role in the Church, the genuine universality of the Church.
5. He would be interesting with Muslim-Christian relations, which will be very important in the future.

Possible cons might be the racism issue. He may be just trying to be humble, but he is right in his trepidation about how others in the west might feel about it.

But I think breaking out of Euro-centrism would be a nice logical step, and would really continue to electrify the Church the way John Paul II did. [/quote]
Ditto

[MC Just]

He'd be a dope Pope.

[Scofizzle]

if our church was a democracy he already has my vote...

[argent_paladin]

I don't really see racism as an issue. 2/3rds of the Church is in Latin America, Africa or Asia and growing every day. In 20 years Europe will be maybe 10% of the Church. I think he would do wonders for the liturgical confusion that is reigning in the Church now. One problem though is that he may further alienate American liberals because of his blunt speech. He has the knowledge, he has the holiness, he even has the charisma, but does he have the diplomacy and tact? I am not sure. But he would definitely be the most interesting and press-worthy. I would be dancing in the streets if he were elected.

[Cam42]

You guys do realize he wouldn't be the first black pope right?

Pope St. Gelasius I (one of my favorite popes), was [i]natione Afer[/i], however, he was [i]Romanus natus[/i].

This means that he was of African descent, but born a Roman citizen. ie. He was most probably black. Did I say that I really like the name Pope Gelasius III.

Cam

[argent_paladin]

From what I have read, it is very hard to project backward our modern racial classification to ancient times. Hence the controversies over such Africans as Augustine of Hippo, many Egyptians, Simone of Cyrene, etc as well as Scipio Africanus, the Carthegenians, etc. A description of "dark" doesn't necessarily mean what we think of as black any more than African. There has been so much movement of peoples in the intervening centuries. Even pictures are suspect (like all the "Black Madonnas")
That said, I don't doubt that we have had a black pope. Still, in a real way, Arinze would be the first black pope, because since we have begun modern racial classifications and had the example of racial slavery in America, he is the first.

[Ash Wednesday]

I can already see a movie about the story of Arinze's life as played by Morgan Freeman.

[Cam42]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' date='Apr 8 2005, 06:57 PM'] I can already see a movie about the story of Arinze's life as played by Morgan Freeman. [/quote]
Oh God no!!!!! Please God. NO!!!!!!!

[Ash Wednesday]

Okay, maybe that wouldn't happen.

But couldn't you just see

A R I N Z E

in big letters on a book, movie screen or movie poster?



I'll stop getting ahead of myself. :ph34r:

[argent_paladin]

I'd watch it if he was played by Don Cheadle. He was amazing in Hotel Rwanda. You couldn't do Arinze's life story until late in his pontificate, or after. So Freeman would be too old.

[the_rev]

At the Vicariate meeting our priests felt he was not a good choice for Pope.