Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation
of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,
was born on 1 November 1932 in Eziowelle, a city
of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria. At the
age of fifteen, he began his secondary studies
at the All Hallowa Seminary (Ognissanti) of Nuewi,
studies which he concluded in 1950 at Enugu. For
the following two years he taught at the same
seminary until 1953, when he took up philosophy
studies at Bigard Memorial Seminary at Enugu.
In 1955 he began to take courses in theology at
the Pontifical Urban University. Only three years
later he was ordained to the priesthood during
a ceremony which took place at the church of the
Pontifical Urban University in Rome on 23 November
1958.
Following pastoral assignments and teaching in
the seminary, he became coadjutor to the Archbishop
of Onitsha. His leadership
gifts were apparent as evidenced by the 1979 election
of his brother bishops as their president of the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria. He filled
this post until 1984, when John Paul II asked
him to head as pro- president the Secretariat
for Non-Christians (now the Pontifical Council
for Interreligious Dialogue. This began his 20
years of service in Rome. This long tenure of
service in the central government of Rome, referred
as the curia, has made him the object of of speculation
as a most deserving papabili.
On 1 October 2002 he was nominated Prefect of
the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline
of the Sacraments.
Vatican Curial membership:
-Doctrine of the Faith, Oriental Churches, Causes
of Saints, Evangelization of Peoples (congregations)
-Laity, Christian Unity, Culture (councils)
-International Eucharistic Congresses (committee)
-Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of
the Synod of Bishops
-Special Council for Africa and Special Council
for -Lebanon of the General Secretariat of the
Synod of Bishops
