Pope Francis Names 13 New Cardinals, Placing His Stamp On Church’s Future

Pope Francis named 13 cardinals from eight international locations on Sunday. (File)

Vatican Metropolis:

Pope Francis, leaving his mark on the Roman Catholic Church into the longer term, named 13 cardinals from eight international locations on Sunday, together with 9 who’re eligible to enter a conclave to elect his successor after his loss of life or resignation.

The 9 new cardinal electors, whom the pope listed in a shock announcement whereas addressing pilgrims from his window overlooking St. Peter’s Sq., embody Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington D.C.

Gregory, who will change into the primary African-American to carry the rank, has change into a nationwide determine in latest months. He has referred to as for dialogue to ease racial tensions in the USA following the loss of life of George Floyd within the custody of Minneapolis police in Could.

He has additionally not directly clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump final June when he mentioned he discovered it “baffling and reprehensible” a Catholic Church in Washington allowed Trump to make use of the power for a photograph alternative. Trump supporters later denounced Gregory.

The 13 new cardinals can be elevated to the excessive rank at a ceremony often known as a consistory on the Vatican on Nov. 28, and the choice of extra cardinal electors will increase the chance that the following pope can be somebody who will proceed Francis’ insurance policies.

Francis has now appointed about 57% of cardinal electors, whose quantity rises to about 128 with the naming of the brand new cardinals. The others have been appointed by Francis’ two extra conservative predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II.

Church guidelines often restrict the variety of cardinal electors to 120 however popes have bent that restrict by naming extra, factoring in that some will flip 80 within the coming yr.

The 9 new electors come from Italy, Malta, Rwanda, the USA, the Philippines, Chile, Brunei and Mexico.

Two of the brand new cardinals, Archbishop Antoine Kambanda of Kigali, Rwanda, and Bishop Cornelius Sim of Brunei look like a part of Francis’ coverage of giving extra status to the Church in far-flung locations, usually the place Catholics are a tiny minority.

His elevation of Archbishop Celestino Aos Braco of Chile to the rank of cardinal is important as a result of it’s a part of Francis’ try and heal the nation nonetheless reeling from a sexual abuse disaster.

The brand new cardinal’s predecessor as archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, was the highest-ranking member of the Chilean Church to be caught up within the scandal.

The appointment of Aos Braco was notably stinging to Chileans as a result of he’s Spanish and never a local, signalling the pope’s conviction that an outsider was wanted to wash up the scenario.

LONG SERVICE

The 4 non-electors, who is not going to be allowed to enter a conclave as a result of they’re over the age of 80, are being elevated to the excessive rank due to their lengthy service to the Church. They arrive from Italy and Mexico.

They embody Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, an Italian who has labored world wide and is likely one of the Church’s high consultants on immigration.

The 9 new cardinal electors below the age of 80 are:

** Archbishop Mario Grech, 63, Maltese, Vatican-based Secretary of the Synod of Bishops.

** Archbishop Marcello Semeraro,73, Italian, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

** Antoine Kambanda, Rwandan, 61,Archbishop of Kigali.

** Wilton D. Gregory, American, 72, Archbishop of Washington D.C.

** Jose F. Advincula, 68, Filipino, Archbishop of Capiz.

** Celestino Aos Braco, 75, Spanish, archbishop of Santiago, Chile.

** Archbishop Cornelius Sim, 69, Brunei, apostolic vicar of Brunei

** Augusto Paolo Lojudice, 56, Italian, archbishop of Siena, Italy.

** Father Mauro Gambetti, 54, Italian, custodian of the Franciscan convent of St. Francis in Assisi.

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