capacity, he worked closely with individual bishops and priests throughout the world in preparation for the rare celebration of the Church. On 1 October 2002, Pope John Paul named him prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. When Pope John Paul died on 2 April 2005, all major Vatican officials – including Arinze – automatically lost their positions. He was considered papabile, that is, a candidate for election to the papacy, at the papal conclave that followed, in which he was a cardinal elector. He returned to his post as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship when confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI on 21 April 2005, and on 25 April Benedict named him Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni. On 9 December 2008 Benedict accepted Arinze's resignation as prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship. In retirement Arinze remains active and in 2009 gave the commencement address at the Augustine Institute in Denver. He actively catechises via Familyland TV to the Americas, the Philippines, Africa, and Europe. He has produced over 1,700 television programs with the Apostolate for Family Consecration. The programs cover almost all of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals and apostolic letters, Vatican II, and many other topics. In July 2009, he delivered a major speech promoting interreligious dialogue at The City Club of Cleveland. He is also the author of several books along with a complete "Consecration and Truth Catechetical Program" for children and adults. In May 2018, he addressed the ongoing controversies about granting access to the Eucharist. He objected to any interpretation of Pope Francis' Amoris Laetitia that would allow a Catholic remarried without an annulment to receive communion as an act of mercy saying that Christ saw that condition as adultery and "We cannot be more merciful than Christ." With respect to the proposal endorsed by many German bishops to allow the Protestant spouses of Catholics to receive communion, he said that it was not a question of "hospitality" and the celebration of Mass is "not an ecumenical service". He would say to such a Protestant: "Come, be received into the Church, and then you can receive Holy Communion seven times a week. Otherwise no." Honors He has received honorary degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1986, Catholic University of America in 1998, Wake Forest University in 1999, Catholic University of Manila in 2001, Notre Dame University