The new Nigerian prince of the church John Cardinal Onaiyekan
A Nigerian church of over 25 million Catholics, against many challenges still growing in population, faith in God and fidelity to Catholic tradition can certainly not be ignored. Nigeria is one of the few missionary lands in the world which has been contributing missionaries, priests, religious and resources of its own to evangelize other lands. […]
A Nigerian church of over 25 million Catholics, against many challenges still growing in population, faith in God and fidelity to Catholic tradition can certainly not be ignored. Nigeria is one of the few missionary lands in the world which has been contributing missionaries, priests, religious and resources of its own to evangelize other lands. One only needs to remember the Nigerian-born Society of the Missionaries of St Paul (MSP) which is doing great work for God in many lands and others.
Onaiyekan’s appointment is also an encouragement, coming as it is at a difficult time for Nigeria. The church, under the challenges of violence and corruption has continued to preach good governance, repentance, forgiveness, and hope for the country’s teeming population. The new cardinal has been at the forefront of all that delivering all over the world the message that majority of Nigeria’s Muslims and Christians have nothing to do with violence and bloodshed but to live in peace.
This new appointment is an appreciation of Onayekan’s ecclesiastical and intellectual pedigree as an amiable, humble and tireless servant of the church. For the Nigerian church, this is a befitting start to the Year of Faith which itself marks the celebration of the Synod on New Evangelization. No doubt the new cardinal will raise his voice a notch higher for good governance and interreligious dialogue for the restoration of a more humane society in Nigeria.
I should have known that something special was coming for this real “man of God” as I watched him yesterday deliver a testimony about Nigeria’s determination to conquer its problems at the vigil prayer for the World Day for Missions organized by the Diocese of Rome. He told the congregation in packed Basilica of St John Lateran that their prayers and sacrifice for Nigeria were not in vain. He said that all Nigeria needs do is for the government and people to be a little bit more committed to building a society that obeys the laws of God and seeks the common good.
The thunderous applause at the end of the event of the congregation left no one in doubt about their general feeling. If he were to say the same words today, imagine what greater effect they would make! On behalf of all Nigerians, I congratulate our dear new John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja. Congratulations to Nigeria as a whole.
Those to be appointed with Onaiyekan include: Msgr. James Michael Harvey, Prefect of the Prefecture of the Papal Household; Beatitude Béchara Boutros Raï, Maronite Patriarch, (Lebanon); Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, Major Archbishop of the Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankaresi in India; Msgr. Rubén Salazar Gómez, Archbishop of Bogotá (Colombia); and Msgr. Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila (Philippines).
Speaking during the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican City, the pope said, “And now, with great pleasure, I announce that on November 24th, I will hold a consistory in which I will appoint six new members of the College of Cardinals.
The cardinals have the task of helping the Successor of Peter in the performance of his ministry of confirming the brethren in the faith, and the principle and foundation of unity and communion of the church.
The new cardinals, as you’ve just heard, exercise their ministry in the service of the Holy See or as priests and pastors of particular churches in various parts of the world.
I invite everyone to pray for the newly elected, asking the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that they will always love with courage and dedication to Christ and his church.
Badejo who is the Bishop of Oyo Diocese Nigeria wrote in Rome