Day of Prayer for Cardinals in view of Consistory ..
(February 04, 2012) The College of Cardinals and those who will join its number Feb.
18 will gather for a day of prayer and reflection prior to the consistory, by invitation
of Benedict XVI. The Vatican announced today that the Feb. 17 prayer day will focus
on "the announcement of the Gospel today, between 'missio ad gentes' and new evangelization,"
a theme that will be introduced by one of the cardinals-designate, Timothy Dolan of
New York. Bishop Dolan is the president of the U.S. bishops' conference. The day
will also include a report on the forthcoming Year of Faith, to be delivered by Archbishop
Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.
Today's communique also announced that, due to ill health, Cardinal-designate Jesuit
Father Karl Josef Becker will not be created a cardinal during the Feb. 18 public
ceremony, but in private at another time. The Pope had announced the election of 22
new Cardinals on January 6th, during his Angelus message. !8 of the newly
elect can be electors