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Celebrating the Holy Eucharist
Cardinal Arinze, the greatly esteemed African churchman and head of the Vatican congregation for worship and sacraments, elucidates the Church's faith in the Eucharist as the high point of her public worship and the source and summit of Christian life.
In Celebrating the Holy Eucharist, Cardinal Arinze emphasizes that the priest is ordained, first and foremost, to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass and other liturgical rites. The priest "finds himself at the hightest moment of his vocation when 'in persona Christi' he celebrates the Eucharistic Sacrifice." The laity also finds in the Mass "the fount and apex of their entire Christian lives." The Eucharist gives "life, meaning and direction" to all of their works and actions. Cardinal Arinze shows how the Eucharistic celebration sends the lay faithful out into the world to spread the gospel, giving special mention to the role of the family in the work of evangelization. The Cardinal also discusses in this book the changes in the Mass and other liturgical rites that have taken place during the last forty years. The responsibilities of the diocesan Bishop, the celebrating priest, and the assisting assembly are examined in depth.- GenresReligion
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2006
About the author
Francis Cardinal Arinze
24 books14 followersCardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect emeritus 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 (All Saints) Seminary 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.
From 1961-1962, he was professor of liturgy and also taught logic and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary at Enugu. He was then appointed regional secretary for Catholic education for the eastern part of his country. When transferred to London, he took courses at the Institute of Pedagogy, earning a diploma in 1964.
On 6 July 1965 he was appointed to the titular church of Fissiana and named coadjutor to the Archbishop of Onitsha. On 29 August 1965 he was consecrated bishop. Only two years after he was asked to take over the pastoral government of the archdiocese, and on 26 June 1967 he was named archbishop.
In 1979 his brother bishops elected him president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, which post he filled 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).
He remained Archbishop of Onitsha until April 1985, while awaiting the nomination of his successor to assume the pastoral administration of the Archdiocese. In addition, in 1982 he was elected vice-president for Africa of the United Bible Society.
President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, 27 May 1985 - 1 October 2002.
On 8 May 1994, he presided in the capacity of first President Delegate at the solemn closing of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops at the altar of the Chair of St. Peter’s Basilica.
On 24 October 1999 he received a gold medallion from the International Council of Christians and Jews for his "outstanding achievements in inter-faith relations".
He was also a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.
On 1 October 2002 he was nominated Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
President Delegate of the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church (October 2005).
Prefect emeritus of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 9 December 2008.
During Lent of 2009 he was called to preach the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia in which Pope Benedict XVI took part.
President Delegate of the 2nd Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, "The Church in Africa, at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. 'You are the salt of the earth, ... you are the light of the world'" (4-25 October 2009).
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of 25 May 1985, of the Title of the Suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni (25 April 2005).
From 1961-1962, he was professor of liturgy and also taught logic and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary at Enugu. He was then appointed regional secretary for Catholic education for the eastern part of his country. When transferred to London, he took courses at the Institute of Pedagogy, earning a diploma in 1964.
On 6 July 1965 he was appointed to the titular church of Fissiana and named coadjutor to the Archbishop of Onitsha. On 29 August 1965 he was consecrated bishop. Only two years after he was asked to take over the pastoral government of the archdiocese, and on 26 June 1967 he was named archbishop.
In 1979 his brother bishops elected him president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, which post he filled 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).
He remained Archbishop of Onitsha until April 1985, while awaiting the nomination of his successor to assume the pastoral administration of the Archdiocese. In addition, in 1982 he was elected vice-president for Africa of the United Bible Society.
President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, 27 May 1985 - 1 October 2002.
On 8 May 1994, he presided in the capacity of first President Delegate at the solemn closing of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops at the altar of the Chair of St. Peter’s Basilica.
On 24 October 1999 he received a gold medallion from the International Council of Christians and Jews for his "outstanding achievements in inter-faith relations".
He was also a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.
On 1 October 2002 he was nominated Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
President Delegate of the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church (October 2005).
Prefect emeritus of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 9 December 2008.
During Lent of 2009 he was called to preach the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia in which Pope Benedict XVI took part.
President Delegate of the 2nd Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, "The Church in Africa, at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. 'You are the salt of the earth, ... you are the light of the world'" (4-25 October 2009).
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the consistory of 25 May 1985, of the Title of the Suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni (25 April 2005).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 23, 2013
Fans of Cardinal Arinze will certainly appreciate this book. The same candor, wit and humor that one finds in his interviews and public speeches is also to be found here. The good cardinal covers various aspects of "celebrating the Holy Eucharist" but is most particularly informative in matters liturgical. This book will affirm your faith the in Holy Eucharist and the changes (properly understood) made at the Second Vatican Council. Arinze is very quotable and offers much for mediation most appropriately made before the Holy Eucharist.
April 9, 2009
A very informative book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews