Archbishop Cleemis Thottunkal among six new Cardinals

October 24, 2012: Pope Benedict XVI at Wednesday’s General audience announced the names of six new Cardinals. The major Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankara Church in India, Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal finds his name among the six who will be appointed members of the College of Cardinals by the Pope at a Consistory that will be held on 24^th of November.

Announcing the names the Holy Father said “The Cardinals have the task of helping the Successor of Peter in the performance of his ministry of confirming the brethren in the faith, and the principle and foundation of unity and communion of the Church.” With their creation, from November 24, the College of Cardinals will be raised to122 voters of the 211 cardinals, of whom 89 are non-voters.

Here are the names of the new cardinals:
1. Bishop MICHAEL JAMES HARVEY, Prefect of the Papal Household, that I plan to appoint Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls;

2. His Beatitude BÉCHARA BOUTROS RAÏ, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites (Lebanon);

3. His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis THOTTUNKAL, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars (India);

4. Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria);

5. Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez, Archbishop of Bogota (Colombia);

6. Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila (Philippines).

“New Cardinals - as you've heard - exercise their ministry in the service of the Holy See or what fathers and pastors of particular Churches in various parts of the world.” The Pope said. “I invite everyone to pray for the newly elected, asking the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that they will always love Christ and his Church with courage and dedication.” He added.