Cardinal Arinze @ 40 Years a Cardinal.

Today, we celebrate a living legend: Francis Cardinal Arinze—Nigerian by birth, Vatican veteran by calling, and eternal powerhouse of Catholic wisdom!

Exactly 40 years ago, Pope John Paul II looked at then-Archbishop Arinze and said, “Let’s make this guy a cardinal.” And what a choice! Since May 25, 1985, Cardinal Arinze has been wearing red (spiritually, of course) longer than most of us have worn socks.

He’s been:

A master of interreligious dialogue (basically, the Church’s peace ambassador).

A liturgy boss at the Vatican (aka the guy who kept Mass meaningful).

A walking encyclopedia of faith with a smile that could convert skeptics.

Now 92 years young, he’s still sharper than ever—and still holier than your Wi-Fi signal on Sunday morning.

Cardinal Arinze, thank you for being a prayerful powerhouse, wise warrior of the Word, and proud son of Africa. You’ve served the Church with joy.

Cheers to 40 cardinal years—and still counting!
May God grant you many more years of grace and laughter
Rev Fr Prince Chidi Philip

Are Catholic Priests Really Biblical?

One of the most common questions Catholics are asked is, “Are priests really in the Bible?” For many non-Catholics, the idea of a man set apart to offer sacrifices, forgive sins, and lead the faithful seems foreign or even man-made. But when we turn to Scripture and early Christian tradition, we find that the role of the Catholic priesthood is deeply rooted in the Bible and in the life of the early Church.

Let’s begin with the Old Testament. God established a priesthood through Aaron and the Levites (see Exodus 28–29). Their role was clear: to offer sacrifices, intercede for the people, and teach the law. This priesthood, while temporary and imperfect, foreshadowed the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ, the true High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).

When Jesus came, He didn’t abolish the priesthood—He fulfilled it. At the Last Supper, He instituted the Eucharist and told His apostles, “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19). This wasn’t a symbolic act—it was a sacrificial command. The Greek word for “do” (poiein) in that context is priestly language. Christ was entrusting His apostles with the power to make present His once-for-all sacrifice.

After the Resurrection, Jesus breathed on the apostles and said, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven” (John 20:23). He was giving them divine authority to act in His name—something that continued in the early Church. In Acts, we see the apostles laying hands on new leaders (Acts 6:6, 13:3), and James instructing believers to call the “elders” (presbyters) of the Church to pray and anoint the sick (James 5:14).

That word—presbyteros—is where we get the English word “priest.” These ordained men were spiritual fathers who offered the Eucharist, administered sacraments, and shepherded the faithful. From the earliest Christian writings outside the Bible—like those of St. Ignatius of Antioch (around A.D. 107)—we see a Church structured with bishops, priests, and deacons, just as the Catholic Church has today.

Far from being a later invention, the priesthood flows directly from the ministry of Christ and the mission of the apostles. Catholic priests do not replace Jesus—they act in persona Christi, in the person of Christ, especially in the sacraments.

So yes, the Catholic priesthood is biblical, historical, and spiritual—a living continuation of Christ’s ministry on earth.

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#catholic

*CATHOLIC MEDITATION: 22 May, 2025.*




*THURSDAY*

🕯 *SEASON OF EASTER, YEAR C* 🕯

⬜️ *5TH WEEK OF EASTER* ⬜️

*Memorial* : St. Rita of Cascia, (Religious).

*1st R* : Acts. 15:7-21.
*Resp. Psalm* : Ps. 96.
*R/ - Tell among all the peoples, the wonders of the Lord.*
*Gosp.* : Jn. 15:9-11.

*Message:* *OUR JOY CAN ONLY BE COMPLETE WHEN WE HAVE JOY IN JESUS CHRIST.* _Many things and persons can give us joy: good food, new clothes, new shoes, new gadgets, new friends, travels to beautiful cities and countries around the world, happy moments, good news etc. But the joy from these things is ephemeral. Our joy only gets complete when we have the joy of Christ in us. His joy is to know him, serve him, keep his commandments, love one another, and our joy will be complete. For just as our hearts are restless till they rest in God(St. Augustine), and as we remain hungry till we eat the bread of life that satisfies all hunger or till we drink the blood of Christ that satisfies all thirst, so too our joy will be incomplete till we have the joy that he gives in us._

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/mrltCysweOk
*Fr. Blessed Ambang Njume*

*SOME NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER HEADLINES+, 21/05/2025*

Bandits kill 19, raze houses in fresh Katsina attack

Protesters storm Oyo secretariat, demand justice for schoolboy killed by stray bullet

Father of student hit by stray bullet drove against traffic – Oyo govt

FG to auction 753 duplexes seized from Emefiele

CBN retains 27.50% interest rate again

May 29: Tinubu to review ministers’ scorecards

NCoS launches manhunt as seven inmates escape from Ilesa prison

Lagos to enforce single-use plastic ban from July 1

Enugu demands 13% oil derivation share

Workers protest withheld salaries, pensions in Abuja

Maradona death trial suspended

World Bank supports Nigeria’s rainwater farming



--------------------------
*DID YOU KNOW?*

* Vaseline’s invention dates back to the 1860s when 22 year old chemist, Robert Chesebroug, discovered petroleum jelly in Titusville, Pennsylvania. He then developed a purification process, which is still used today

* In football, a goal scored directly from a corner kick is called an Olympic goal “Olimpico.”
--------------------------

Tinubu returns to Abuja after Vatican trip

AI deployment: Tinubu approves training of five million workers

Tinubu hails Prince Obelawo at 95

Akpabio, stakeholders urge Africa to end raw material export dependency

Senate moves to create Asset Recovery Agency

N’Assembly staff pension bill passes second reading

Reps to FG: Regulate importation of foreign textiles to boost local production

FCT’s N1.78 Trn Budget Scales 2nd Reading At House Of Reps

Reps committee urges states to adopt anti-corruption laws

Reps panel demands independent probe into 2025 UTME errors

EFCC begins trial of oil magnate Akindele over $35m fraud

Defamation: Court okays Falana’s suit, fines VDM N200,000

ICPC chair questions West’s right to label Africans as corrupt

NAF unveils civilian harm mitigation, response plan

Customs seize over N104.4m PMS in Adamawa

Source foreign students to boost revenue, Gbajabiamila tells varsities

States to draft new framework for LG autonomy

Federal panel submits key report on census funding

Nigeria spending heavily on border surveillance – Minister

DisCos performance in power supply disappointing – FG

AMCON, AMPs to tackle over N4tn debt burden

Dollar outflow for fuel imports surges 119%

Lawsuit delaying 40,000 underage candidates’ results – JAMB

Student loan: NELFUND decries low applications by Rivers varsity

Sallah operations: NRC fixes damaged Osogbo rail track

FCT Teachers, LG Workers Give Conditions To Suspend Strike

Wike declare 19 days of project commissioning for Tinubu’s second anniversary

Relief for ABSU students as NUC grants full accreditation to five key programmes

Protest erupts in Calabar over arrest of UCTH nurses after patient’s death

NBA condemns compulsory voting bill

NANS condemns killing of student in Oyo State, demands justice

Exam Crisis: Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls for suspension of JAMB Registrar

Padding: NASS, BudgIT disagree over N6.93trn projects in Budget 2025

CSOs flay misuse of Cybercrime law against journalists, others

Ecobank raises $125m in Eurobond

Fidson hits N44.64bn market cap in 30 years

Flybird gets NCAA approval to operate MRO

NAHCO declares N11.6bn dividend

Shun quack calibration service providers, SON urges manufacturers

Lagos electric vehicle plant targets 10,000 yearly output

Time names Dangote among top 100 world philanthropists

Umahi urges Peter Obi to join southeast leaders in endorsing Tinubu for 2027

All PDP Osun senators endorse Tinubu for 2027

PDP begs southeast to reconsider exit threat over Ude-Okoye nomination

APC pegs FCT Area Council chairmanship forms at N20m

Fubara welcome to join Rivers APC, says chair

LP crisis: Otti’s camp tackles INEC over Abure recognition

Why Govt House wasn’t our top priority – Otti

Sanwo-Olu harps on transparency in civil service commission

Imo gov to host 2025 Ahiajoku festival in Imo

Gombe gov signs electricity law, approves N1.15bn for solar street lights

Abia postpones Tinubu’s visit to inaugurate projects

Nasarawa gov denies 2027 senatorial ambition

Tinubu didn’t create the problems he’s fixing, but he’s doing a good job – Eno

Oyo Assembly bows to pressure, makes Council of Obas chairmanship rotational

Oyo Assembly seeks justice for student killed by police stray bullet

Plateau raises 11-man panel to probe killings

Abia recruits 5,300 teachers

Anambra to privatise Kaolin Factory

Lagos to invest N3tn in coastal erosion communities

Open grazing no more sustainable in Benue – Miyetti Allah

Katsina Emir dethrones village head over kidnap, rape allegations

Catholic Church mourns as Anambra priest dies while playing tennis

Missing Lagos banker’s body found in morgue with machete cuts

Randy man nabbed for matcheting Abia teenager

Father sets wife, children ablaze over alleged infidelity, daughter dies

--------------------------

*TODAY IN HISTORY*

* On this day in 2021, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other army officers died in a plane crash in Kaduna

* On this day in 1904, FIFA, the world governing body of association football, was founded. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is responsible for the organization of the World Cup, which is one of the world’s most viewed sporting events.

--------------------------

You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right. – Rosa Parks

Good morning

*Compiled by Hon. Osuji George osujis@yahoo.com, +234-8122200446*

President Tinubu meets with Peter Obi, Fayemi at the Vatican

President Bola Tinubu, Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential candidate, and former Ekiti governor Kayode Fayemi met at Pope Leo XIV's installation mass on Sunday in Rome.

Fayemi sighted President Tinubu, where he sat with other leaders and asked Obi to follow him to pay homage to the Nigerian leader. Obi agreed.

On getting to the President, Fayemi broke the ice between Obi and Tinubu. He said:

“Mr. President, welcome to our church, and thank you for honouring the Pope with your presence.”

President Tinubu, ever quick-witted, responded: “I should be the one welcoming you and Peter. I’m the Head of the Nigerian Delegation”.

The President’s response cracked up Obi, who agreed with the President.

Obi said: “Yes, indeed. We are members of your delegation”.

Peter Obi and Fayemi are staunch Catholics and Papal knights.

Source: Bayo Onanuga

The Catholic Church will humble you no matter how powerful you think you are...But of a truth PBAT actually looks smart here!

*SOME NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER HEADLINES+, 19/05/2025*

Tinubu, Obi, Fayemi share light moments at Pope’s inauguration

2027 coalition: Atiku camp offers Obi VP role in one-term deal

Herdsmen, bandits strike in Benue, Kebbi, Imo, Ondo, Kogi, kill 33

Boko Haram on the verge of taking Marte LG – Zulum

LP Rep, 1,000 others join APC in Enugu

15 UTME applicants declared missing found, reunite with families

FX reform, others grow govt revenue to N12tn – W’Bank

CBN slashes FG loans by over N4tn

NNPCL refineries not producing enough petrol – DAPPMAN

Pope Leo XIV pledges peace in the world

Former US president Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer

NIDCOM receives 13 trafficking victims rescued from Ghana, Mali

FG grants China approval to establish electric vehicle factories

Nigerian pastor Omotoso deported from South Africa

----------------------------
*DID YOU KNOW?*

* Coal was discovered in Enugu in 1909 by a team of British geologists led by Albert Kitson. By 1915, mining in commercial quantities started, giving Enugu the appellation of ‘Coal City’. In 1950, the Ogbete mine and others were merged into the Nigerian Coal Corporation, which held a monopoly on coal and coke until 1999.

* Walking has been an Olympic sport since 1904
----------------------------

Nigeria’s diversity must be used for progress, Tinubu tells Catholic bishops

Tinubu approves licences for North’s oil project

Tinubu declares National Sports Festival opened, urges competition with integrity

FG’s electricity debt balloons by N800bn – Senate

2025 JAMB: Deputy Speaker demands urgent reforms after technical crisis

FHC CJ redeploys 5 judges, reassigns case files

UBA moves to join suit challenging IBEDC sale

ICPC stopped theft of N1.6bn through tech — Chairman

PSC begins promotion interviews for inspectors across 17 police zonal commands

152 security personnel killed in five months – Report

Resurgent attacks: FG, Borno revamp anti-terror strategy

Military destroys 28 illegal refineries in Niger Delta

Army denies neglecting fallen soldiers’ widows

NDLEA intercepts AK-47 concealed in maize sack, seizes Tramadol in Taraba

Preparation in top gear as Lokpobiri confirms African Energy Bank launch

Tuggar to attend third AU-EU ministerial meeting in Brussels

Pate hails Ihekweazu’s WHO health emergencies appointment

DMO allots N4.3bn FG savings bonds

FG, states repay over N13trn debts in 18 months

NSF: Medal haul begins as Team Lagos win women’s weightlifting gold

LP leadership: INEC to seek legal opinion before taking decision

NOA hails Kwara for erecting tallest flagpole in West Africa

NSF: Odegbami, Onakoya hail Ogun’s sports infrastructure, seek sustainability

FCTA To Construct Bus Terminals At Bwari, Gwagwalada

Varsity unions reject sharing formula for N50bn earned allowances

Yabatech bags ICAN award for producing most chartered accountants

Account for N500bn or face lawsuit, SERAP tells NNPCL

HURIWA demands transparency in FG’s conditional cash transfer claims

Utomi’s shadow government plan alien to Constitution, says Omokri

NPA, terminal operator rehabilitate 970m of Apapa quay apron

TotalEnergies declares N13.58bn dividend

11Plc unveils more CNG stations in Lagos, Oyo

DBN targets N3tr to extend loans to MSMEs

Odu’a Investment declares N518m dividend

Tantalizers acquires Grand Media entertainment firm

Telcos plan virtual network operators summit

NNPP apologises to Tinubu over attacks by Kwankwaso

Opposition Kicks As N/West APC Endorses Tinubu For 2nd Term

PDP’s impunity started in 1998 – Prof. ABC Nwosu

Tinubu most favoured to win 2027 poll – Yakasai

Governor Namadi to Jigawa PDP lawmakers: ‘Start counting your days, APC is taking over’

Uzodimma to speak at African Air Forces Forum

Sanwo-Olu receives Premier League trophy in Lagos

Kwara gov urges calm after boat tragedy claims 37 lives

Soludo condemns murder of Aguleri PG, attack at Isuofia checkpoint

Eno’s administration committed to deep seaport Project realisation

Aiyedatiwa, lawyer differ over delayed cabinet formation

LASG, firm empower 530 youths with tech skills

Lagos probes Katsina workers recruitment by Dangote Refinery

Cross River unveils digital C-of-O scheme

Oyo to host high-level international tourism summit in July

LASG recovers N773.6m, 38 properties for residents

Osun screens 4,126 market women, others for hypertension

Send away killer herders from Benue – Tor Tiv urges MACBAN

Olu of Warri, Zulu King sign economic, cultural pact

Nasarawa cattle rustler in police net, AK-49 rifle recovered

Two octogenarians, poly student nabbed in nationwide drug raids

Three rescued, others trapped in Lagos building collapse

Suspected Lagos cultists kill shawarma vendor

----------------------------

*TODAY IN HISTORY*

* On this day in 1743, Jean-Pierre Christin invented the Celsius thermometer. The centigrade temperature scale, which is based on the freezing and boiling point of water, is used by most countries around the world. Exceptions include the United State, Belize, and Palau.

----------------------------

The best time to do something significant is between yesterday and tomorrow. – Zig Ziglar


Good morning


*Compiled by Hon. Osuji George osujis@yahoo.com, +234-8122200446*

NFV NEWS REPORTING

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Meets with New Catholic Pope to Strengthen Diplomatic and Interfaith Relations

Vatican City / Abuja, Sunday 28th May, 2025 — In a historic and symbolic encounter, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the Federal Republic of Nigeria met with His Holiness Robert Prevost of the New the newly installed head of the Roman Catholic Church, at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.

The meeting marks a significant moment in Nigeria-Vatican relations, as both leaders emphasized the importance of promoting global peace, interfaith dialogue, and collaborative humanitarian efforts. President Tinubu congratulated the Holy Father on his ascension to the papacy and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fostering religious harmony and social development.

“Our discussions today reflect a shared vision for a world where dialogue prevails over division, and where faith is a uniting force for the dignity of all,” said President Tinubu. “Nigeria remains a beacon of religious diversity, and we are committed to deepening cooperation with the Holy See on issues that impact our people and the global community.”

The Pope, in turn, expressed admiration for Nigeria’s cultural and religious plurality and encouraged continued efforts toward peaceful coexistence, justice, and care for the poor. He also commended President Tinubu’s leadership and Nigeria’s role in advancing peace and stability on the African continent.

Key topics addressed during the private audience included:

Interfaith cooperation and religious tolerance in multi-faith societies.

Humanitarian initiatives and poverty alleviation.

Youth empowerment and education.

Climate change and sustainable development.

The situation of Christian communities in Nigeria.

President Tinubu was accompanied by top government officials and representatives of the Nigerian Catholic community. The meeting concluded with an exchange of gifts and a shared commitment to mutual support and dialogue.

This engagement underscores Nigeria’s place in the global diplomatic landscape and its enduring relationship with the Vatican and the global Catholic community.

President Tinubu meets with Peter Obi, Fayemi at the Vatican

President Bola Tinubu, Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party Presidential candidate, and former Ekiti governor Kayode Fayemi met at Pope Leo XIV's installation mass on Sunday in Rome.

Fayemi sighted President Tinubu, where he sat with other leaders and asked Obi to follow him to pay homage to the Nigerian leader. Obi agreed.

On getting to the President, Fayemi broke the ice between Obi and Tinubu. He said:

“Mr. President, welcome to our church, and thank you for honouring the Pope with your presence.”

President Tinubu, ever quick-witted, responded: “I should be the one welcoming you and Peter. I’m the Head of the Nigerian Delegation”.

The President’s response cracked up Obi, who agreed with the President.

Obi said: “Yes, indeed. We are members of your delegation”.

Peter Obi and Fayemi are staunch Catholics and Papal knights.

THE WISDOM OF THE ETERNAL CHURCH AND THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE VATICAN :<>: HOW POPE LEO XIV EMERGED FROM THE SHADOWS AND SHOCKED THE WORLD.

There is a kind of wisdom that is not loud. It does not seek attention. It does not scream to be seen. It simply exists, quietly, deeply and eternally. This is the wisdom of the Catholic Church, a body that has outlived empires, survived schisms, endured scandals and yet remains standing, steady and sacred. The Catholic Church is not a trend. It is not a social wave. It is an institution that walks with time but listens to eternity.

While the world busied itself with predictions, drawing up lists of notable Cardinals, analysing political alignments and floating theories about who would be the next Pope, the College of Cardinals chose a different path. They ignored the noise. They turned away from the spotlight. They went into the sacred and returned with a name the world never imagined. Pope Leo the Fourteenth. A name that had not been whispered in the corridors of speculation. A man unknown to the headlines. A choice that silenced every analyst and reset the compass of divine selection.

This is not a coincidence. It is a confirmation of the divine order.

What the Vatican did was not just elect a new Pope. They made a statement to the world. They reminded humanity that God does not follow trends. He sets them. That true leadership is not always found in the obvious. That sometimes, the one who carries the mantle is not the one the world expects, but the one heaven approves. This is the mystery of divine succession, wrapped in silence, clothed in prayer and sealed in sacred deliberation.

I am not a Catholic. But with every passing day, I see clearly why this institution continues to command reverence. It is not because its members are flawless. It is not because its leaders are immune to error. It is because despite the human imperfection that exists within it, the Catholic Church remains rooted in sacred order, structured governance and spiritual discipline. It is an institution that has mastered continuity. Its longevity is not sustained by convenience but by consecration.

No church is perfect. No human institution is without fault. The Catholic Church is no exception. Within it are men and women of varying degrees of holiness, sincerity and struggle. But amidst all of this, there remains a deeply spiritual core, a centre that holds, a system that works, a rhythm that does not break. There are those within its walls who serve God in spirit and in truth, quietly, humbly, fervently. Their devotion is not a performance. Their faith is not a fashion. It is a life.

What happened in the election of Pope Leo the Fourteenth is not just a political or ecclesiastical event. It is a mirror to the rest of the Christian world. It exposes by comparison the chaos that reigns in many modern church settings, particularly in the Pentecostal space. In some of these assemblies, power struggles have replaced prayer, and ambition has drowned anointing. Leadership is inherited like property. Elections are manipulated like business deals. The pulpit has become a platform for performance, not a place of transformation. The altar has become a showground, not a sanctuary.

Even among so-called brethren, love has grown cold. Loyalty is transactional. Brotherhood is hollow. It is a tragedy that many Pentecostal churches cannot even imagine holding such a transparent, spiritual and selfless process of succession. Helping one’s fellow minister is seen as a threat. The idea of unity in leadership has been replaced with competition and suspicion. The sacred is being sacrificed on the altar of success.

But today, the Catholic Church has reminded us of something we have forgotten. That the kingdom of God is not noise but order. Not display but discipline. Not popularity but purity. It has reminded us that when God is allowed to speak, He will often choose the one no one expected. He will raise the man who is hidden. He will lift the one who has been in the secret place.

The election of Pope Leo the Fourteenth is a lesson to the Church and to the world. It is a call to return to structure, to sacredness, to spirit-led decision making. It is proof that an institution can be old, yet not obsolete. Ancient, yet not irrelevant. Traditional, yet not stagnant. It is wisdom in action.

This is the wisdom of the eternal Church. This is the mystery of divine order. This is the power of the sacred. And in a world drowning in confusion, it shines like a light that cannot be hidden.

Let every ear that hears it listen. Let every eye that sees it learn. Let every heart that understands it return to the ancient path that leads to life.

Truly,God cannot be manipulated like the Nigerian elections!! God's God forever!

Hon. Justice Aggrey 🖋

Behold Our New Pope: Robert Prevost. OSA
born September 14, 1955 is an American Catholic prelate who has been head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 8 May 2025. He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He previously served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, and was prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013. In 2015 Cardinal Prevost became a naturalized citizen of Peru as confirmed by Peru's National Civil Registry.

And today 8th May he’s been elected the Pope.

LOOK: ST. TERESA OF AVILA INCORRUPT REMAINS HAS BEEN OPEN AFTER OVER A CENTURY FOR VENERATION

The Discalced Carmelites in Alba de Tormes, Spain, have made a special opportunity available to the faithful by opening the urn containing the incorrupt remains of St. Teresa of Avila for public veneration. This rare occasion, not seen since 1914, allows Catholics to pay their respects and seek the saint's intercession. The veneration is taking place at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Alba de Tormes and will continue until May 25.

Carmelitas Descalzos OCD