World’s cardinals reflect, pray in Vatican before Pope creates 24 new cardinals

(November 19, 2010) The world's cardinals gathered in the Vatican on Friday for a day of reflection and prayer before Saturday’s consistory in which Pope Benedict will create 24 new cardinals for the Catholic Church. The Pope convened the day of reflection and prayer to discuss various Church issues, among them clerical sex abuse scandal, the Vatican's special provision for Anglicans who want to join the Catholic Church, ecumenism, the state of the liturgy and the situation of religious freedom in the world. Among the 24 new cardinals on Saturday will be Sri Lankan Archbishop Ranjith Malcolm of Colombo, the only Asian. At Saturday morning’s ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope will create the new cardinals by giving them the cardinal’s red hat. On Sunday the Holy Father will concelebrate a Mass with them and give them the cardinal’s ring. Prior to Saturday’s consistory, the number of cardinals worldwide currently stood at 179, of whom 101 were below the age of 80 and hence were eligible to vote for a new Pope in a conclave. Of the 24 new cardinals, 20 are eligible to vote for a new Pope. After Saturday’s consistory , the number of cardinals worldwide will swell to 203, with 121 electors.