Security for the Pope

Jordan Nyenyembe

Description

Security issue has emerged in workshops and seminars as one of the pertinent themes of today. Global security is at stake as terror networks fuel hate and intolerance against the Christian minority. The Roman Catholic Church is subjected to threats by some radical section of Muslims, and fundamentalists from Pentecostal sects. Some Church ministers including popes have been targeted and attacked. Given such a situation; the security of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church is an urgent theme for reflection in response to the concrete situations facing the Church. Security issue cannot be treated as peripheral theme in contemporary ecclesiology.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Catholic
• Christianity
• Religion

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 17 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789956790142
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

SECURITY FOR THE POPE in a Violent and Rebellious World

Jordan Nyenyembe

Security for the Pope In a Violent and Rebellious World Jordan Nyenyembe Langaa Research & Publishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookcollective.com

ISBN: 9956-728-87-X ©Jordan Nyenyembe 2012

DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.

Dedication

To the Late Rev. Father John K. Nchimbi “Socrates” A Brother and Friend

Table of Contents Acknowledgements……………………………………………... v Introduction…………………………………………………….. vii 1. Are You Afraid of an Assassination Attempt?..........................1 Relevant Question at a right Time…………………………………… 1 The “Yes” and “No” of the Pope……………………………………. 11 Testimony of Christian Courage……………………………………... 14 2. In the Shoes of the Fisherman…………………………….. 19 Galilean Man designated as “Rock”…………………………………. 21 Peter’s Sword and the Mind of Jesus………………………………… 25 Prisoner in Maximum Security Jail………………………………….. 29 Flight from Persecutions: ButQuo Vadis?..................................................32 Model of a Genuine Disciple……………………………………….. 34 3. Targeting Popes……………………………………………..41 Mehmet Ali Agca: Skilled Shooter who missed Target………………… 41 Rebellious Priest who was Intercepted………………………………… 44 Susanna Maiolo’s leap in St. Peter’s Basilica………………………… 45 What can we learn from those Attacks?........................................................47 4.Like a Lamb led to Slaughter……………………………….61 Cross Bearer who is not Crusader…………………………………… 62 The Palliumshouldered Pontiff across Boarders………...…………….. 72 5.Universal Pastor in Pope Mobile…………………………...77 Sheltering the Pope for Security……………………………………… 77 In Need of the Pope for Security…………………………………….. 80

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6. Head of State Not like Others……………………………...87 The Pope and His Cabinet…………………………………………. 87 Audiences from the Window…………………………………………92 The Vatican Flag- An Emblem of Peace…………………………….. 97 A pastor not Commander in Chief………………………………….. 99 7. Global Youth Shockwaves………………………………… 109 Global Protests: Rebellion from Below………………………………... 115 The Pope: Father and Friend of Young People……………………….. 119 8. Moral Pitfall of Nation States………………………………127 The Human Heart is at Stake……………………………………… 130 The Papacy without Tiara………………………………………….. 133 The Vatican State: Dismissing Wrong Assumptions…………………... 135 The Vatican is not a Nation – State……………………………….. 138 The Vatican is not an Autocratic State………………………………. 145 The Vatican State: Chair of Charity and Truth……………………… 149 Concluding Reflections……………………………………….159 Selected Bibliography…………………………………………167 Index……………………………………………………………173

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Acknowledgements Writing a book for an adult audience and which treats a serious issue like security is an endeavour not without tension. In the first place tension develops as to where one is to find appropriate and adequate sources. Ideas about rebellion and violence which form the sub-title of the book may look threatening and awful, and therefore, in the second place a tension results from doubt as to whether an author can find interested persons who could proof- read the project at hand. What follows, then, is an imperfect attempt to thank all those who offered me a helping hand to overcome such tensions. At the earliest stage the draft was shared to some of my friends in Vienna (Austria), which was my temporal home during my studies there. I entrusted the work to Andrea Ambrozy, Paschal Mfilinge, Fathers Michael Mwambegu, Edward Mwale and Samuel Kiprugut. The first draft of the work appeared in its humble form, yet all these friends offered a fundamental support for me to forge ahead. Words of encouragement from them motivated me to keep writing the book. At a later stage, with the aid of electronic mail I passed the manuscript to a distant place. I sought help from Fr. Bruno Mgaya, and through him to benefit the proof reading of Sharon L. Michel. A gifted reader such as Sharon is; placed the work under her judicious corrections. Sharon wielded her sharp grammatical skills to expose critical gaps and flaws in some sentences. I appreciate the time and diligence she gave to the manuscript. Finally, I have to thank the Editorial Board at Langaa for the interest with the work and for offering to publish it. I have dedicated the book to the late Rev. Fr. John Kornel Nchimbi an outstanding teacher, a gifted thinker, and philosopher. His death by car accident, June 2012 came untimely, and it happened at the moment when the Publisher was looking at the proposal of this manuscript.

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Introduction The window of the papal apartment is a focal point of international media all the time the Pope has an audience with pilgrims, particularly when he speaks on issues of global significance. One of such thrilling moments is at the occasion when he preaches and prays for peace in the world. Usually a dove is let go from the window to commemorate the event. At different occasions doves have been released by the Pope only to return back to him. On 30 January 2005, three months before his death, Pope John Paul II was flanked by two children who released two doves. One of the doves seemed reluctant to fly away from the Pope. It returned and landed on his left shoulder, after which he released it for the second time. Following the practice of his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI at two different occasions, and in order to mark the World Day of Peace released a dove which came back intending to remain in the palace. It seems likely that the doves at all these occasions were gripped by fear of the violent world in front of them. Thus one may presume that the doves were prompted to return to a more serene and peaceful atmosphere of the papal apartment. Such incidents remind us of what happened at the time of Noah. The surface of the earth had been flooded with heavy down pours for forty days, on daylights and in the nights. Noah and his family were protected in the Ark which was built by God’s instruction. After all these days he sent a dove in order to know if violent flooding waters had subsided. When the dove came back Noah knew that chaos and turbulence have not yet gone down (see Gen. 8:6-12). But unlike the time of Noah, doves released by the popes have not come back bearing on their beaks fleshly plucked olive leaves to usher a prospectus for peace in contemporary world. The above reflections strongly came as I was writing this book. Two events dominated the coverage of international and local media, precisely at the time I was developing the manuscript of this book. The first one concerns Anders Behring Breivik, a Norwegian man in

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