Pope names 15 new cardinals

Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday, Feb. 22, named 15 new cardinals, among them three are from Asia. The others are from various parts of the world showing the universality of the Church . The task of cardinals is to assist the Pope in the fulfilment of his apostolic duties in the service of the church worldwide. It was the first time Pope Benedict has nominated cardinals since his election to the Pontificate last April. He announced the nominations at his weekly general audience, saying he would hold a Consistory on March 24, during which , the formal installation of the new Princes of the Church would take place, and the following day - March 25 on the Feast of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, he would concelebrate a solemn Mass with the new cardinals.

The three new Cardinals from Asia are: -
Archbishop Gaudencia B. Rosales of Manila in the Philippines ;
Salesian Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun of Hong Kong,
and Archbishop Nicolas Cheong-Jin-Suk of Seoul - South Korea.

The other prelates to be made cardinals are : -
Mons. William Joseph Levada – Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
Mons. Franc Rode - Prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic life;
Mons. Agostino Vallini – Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Archbishop. Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino of Caracas, Venezuela
French Archbishop Jean Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux;
Spanish Archbishop Antonio Canizares Llovera of Toledo
American Capuchin Archbishop Sean Patrick O’Malley of Boston
Italian Archbishop Carlo Caffarra of Bologna
And Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, Poland, and the long-serving secretary of
Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II

Pope Benedict also announced that he has nominated as cardinals three prelates above the age of 80, considering their dedicated service rendered to the Church : They are :-
Mons. Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo – Italy
Archbishop. Peter Poreku Dery of Tamale in Ghana
Jesuit Fr. Albert Vanhoye -Rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute and Secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission