Pope announces Consistory for creation of cardinals
(Vatican Radio) – Pope Benedict XVI has announced a consistory for the creation of
six new Cardinals. To the joy of pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square for the weekly
audience with the Holy Father, he made his announcement at the end of his catechesis.
Emer McCarthy reports:
The new cardinals
come from three continents: America, Africa and Asia, and they are: Archbishop
James Michael Harvey, Prefect of the Pontifical Household, who will be appointed Archpriest
of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Raï,
Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites (Lebanon), His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal,
Major Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro- Malankara (India), Archbishop John Olorunfemi
Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria), Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez, Archbishop
of Bogota (Colombia), Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila (Philippines).
"The
Cardinals - said the Pope - have the task of helping the Successor of Peter in the
performance of his ministry of confirming the brethren in the faith, and that of being
the principle and foundation of unity and communion of the Church." The new cardinals
- he added - "fulfil their ministry in the service of the Holy See or as fathers and
pastors of particular Churches in various parts of the world."
"I invite everyone
to pray for the newly elected, requesting the maternal intercession of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, that they will always love with courage and dedication to Christ and
his Church."
This is Benedict XVI’s fifth consistory, and with the consistory
of November 24 he will have created 90 cardinals.
On that date, the College
of Cardinals will be composed of 211 cardinals: 120 are eligible to vote in conclave
being under the required 80 years of age.
In a geographical breakdown of
current Cardinal-electors Europe counts 62; Northern America 14, South America 21;
Africa 11; Asia 11; Oceania 3.