Pope greets new cardinals,their families and faithful

(February 20, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI on Monday urged the families and faithful of the 22 new cardinals he created on Saturday to be fervent and courageous witnesses of Christ. The Holy Father made the exhortation as he met the new cardinals along with their families, relatives, friends and faithful in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall. Pope Benedict created the cardinals at a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday and celebrated Mass with them in the same basilica on Sunday; and on Monday he addressed the families and faithful urging them to be even closer to the hearts and apostolic zeal of their cardinals. “With living hope listen to their words as Fathers and Teachers.” “Be one with them and with one another in faith and charity, in order to be more fervent and courageous witnesses of Christ,” the Pope added. He also greeted the cardinals and their people in several languages.

Listen to what he said in English:
I am pleased to extend a warm greeting to the English-speaking Prelates whom I had the joy of raising to the dignity of Cardinal in Saturday’s Consistory: Cardinal Edwin Frederick O’Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars (India); Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins, Archbishop of Toronto (Canada); Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York (the United States of America); Cardinal John Tong Hon, Bishop of Hong Kong (the People’s Republic of China); Cardinal Prosper Grech, O.S.A., Emeritus Professor of various Roman Universities and Consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. I also extend a cordial welcome to the family members and friends who join them today. I ask you to continue to support the new Cardinals by your prayers as they take up their important responsibilities in the service of the Apostolic See.