Indian cardinal-designate says India is honoured

(Oct. 24, 2012) The Head of the Eastern-rite Syro-Malankara Catholic Church based in India has said that his appointment as a cardinal was a great honour for the Church in the country. Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal of Trivandrum whom the Pope on Wed. announced one of the 6 new cardinals of the catholic church said the honour was to a nation of numerous religious affliations – Hindus, Muslims, Christians , Buddhists and others, which would help in harmonious living.
Another Asian Cardinal Designate - Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Philippines, in his interview to Vatican Radio admitted to being unprepared to receive this honour. He stressed that the appointment should be considered as recognition not of his individual value but of the whole Church in the Philippines. “This Church has an important role for the mission in the whole of Asia,” he added.
The new cardinals will be created at a consistory in Rome on November 24.