Pope to raise 19 prelates to Cardinal in today’s Consistory

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ presides at his first ordinary public consistory in St Peter's Basilica this morning, creating nineteen new cardinals. Sixteen of them are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to choose the next successor of St Peter, while three of them are older - chosen for their distinguished service to the Holy See and to the Universal Church.

Listen to Tracey McClure’s report:


Pope Francis’ personal picks of the men he wants to be Cardinal reflect the universal nature of the Catholic Church and many come from the continents where it’s growing the fastest or has long held significant influence. When he announced the Consistory at the Angelus back in January, the Pope said 16 of the new cardinals come from 12 nations “from every corner of the world.”

Just like he is the Pope who came from “far away,” six of the men chosen come from Francis’ native Latin America – home to nearly half of the world’s Catholics. Two others are from Asia: South Korea and the Philippines, and two from Africa: Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast.

Known to some as the Pope of the poor, Francis handpicked a bishop from the one of the world’s poorest nations, Haiti, to be that country’s very first Cardinal. Then, there’s another Cardinal to be from the tiny Caribebean nation of St. Lucia. It’s a sign too, that he wants to give voice to some of the smallest realities of the Church.

Some of the men are old friends of Pope Francis; one is his new Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin – the Holy See’s former nunzio to Venezuela.

Only six voting age Cardinals are from Europe – and just four from Italy, breaking with a long held tradition. Though one comes from Canada, none are from the United States.

With today’s consistory, the college of Cardinals will consist of 122 cardinal electors under the age of 80 - out of a total of 218. And for the first time, representation will be evenly balanced between 61 from Europe and 61 from the rest of the world.