Pope announces Consistory for creation of cardinals (brings total to 100)

Vatican Radio ^ | October 24, 2012

[NYer]

(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 House, 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.

[NYer]

From CNS News

Four new cardinals had to keep news secret from synod

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai looks on during the arrival ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI at Rafiq Hariri International Airport in Beirut Sept. 14. He was one of six new cardinals named by the pope Oct. 24. (CNS/Paul Haring)

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Four of the six new cardinals announced by Pope Benedict XVI Oct. 24 were participating in the world Synod of Bishops at the Vatican and had to keep their impending appointments secret as they participated in the synod's small-group work that morning.

The appointment of new cardinals was not announced to synod members, so those who did not have smartphones or tablets or a friend with one found out only during the synod's lunch break.

When they returned to the synod hall in the afternoon -- four hours after the announcement -- the synod hall's foyer turned into a receiving line and photo studio. Synod members congratulated the cardinals-designate, and the cardinals-designate congratulated one another.

The four synod members named cardinals are: Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, 72; Indian Archbishop Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, 53, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; Nigerian Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, 68; and Philippine Archbishop Luis Tagle of Manila, 55.

Between slaps on the back and warm handshakes in the synod hall, Cardinal-designate Rai told Catholic News Service he was told at 5 p.m. Oct. 23 of the pope's intention to make him a cardinal, and he was sworn to secrecy until noon the next day.

Cardinal-designate Thottunkal started to tell CNS the reasons why his nomination was such an honor, but he was interrupted by Patriarch Rai grabbing both his hands and saying, "Dear, dear brother."

When others began congratulating the patriarch, Archbishop Thottunkal continued his brief interview, saying, "For our church, it's a great honor from the Holy See, recognizing our apostolates as well as our missions in India and all over."

The cardinal-designate said the appointment also is an honor for India: "It's great culture and people," and the Vatican recognizes "the great unity in diversity of our country."

Cardinal-designate Tagle said a bishop's job often involves keeping secrets, so spending the morning with other synod members and not breathing a word about the news was not a huge challenge.

He told CNS that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, informed him of the pope's decision just before 5 p.m. the previous evening.

"Listening to the text of the pope's letter being read out to me, I also felt like -- here it comes," he said, fighting back tears, -- "it felt like someone far greater than I am is here. Very near."

He told Vatican Radio the announcement was "a spiritual experience for me," and that his initial reaction was "to respond with the words of the prayer before Communion: 'I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,' but I felt that someone greater than me has come to call me."

The month of October, which is the month of the rosary, "is big for me," he told CNS. He was informed in October 2001 that he would become a bishop and was told he'd be transferred to Manila in October 2011. "And now it's October again," he said, and began laughing.

When the bell rang for the synod's work to begin again at 4:30 p.m., Vatican security escorted reporters out. CNS did not have a chance to speak to Cardinal-designate Onaiyekan.

U.S. Archbishop James M. Harvey, the 63-year-old prefect of the Papal Household, and Colombian Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, 70, were the two new cardinals who were not participating in the synod.

[NYer]

Congratulations to my Patriarch, Bechara Rai!

Here is some background information (from last year) on his succession to Mar Nasrallah Sfeir. As many of you know, the Maronite Catholic Church is the only Eastern Church that has remained faithful to the Chair of Peter. Its liturgy predates that of Rome and the words of consecration are chanted in the language of Jesus, the Blessed Mother and the Apostles.

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The 77th patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, whose motto will be "Communion and Charity", becomes leader of the world's 3.1 million Maronites. More than a million live in Lebanon, while two large diasporas of Maronites are located in Argentina (700,000) and Brazil (500,000).

Born on February 25th 1940 in the mountain village of Himlaya east of Beirut, Bechara Rai was ordained a priest of the Maronite Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 3rd, 1967, and was made a bishop in 1986. He had served as bishop of Jbeil since 1990.

In an interview just before this week's conclave, he spoke of the “inalienable ties” that bind the Maronites in Lebanon. He also stressed that the Vatican did not force Patriarch Sfeir to retire. “He is respected and appreciated," Bishop Rai said, adding that the patriarch decided it was time for someone else to lead the Church.

The new patriarch is described as a man of “deep spirituality”, courageous, sociable, and open to others.  Syrian Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan called the new patriarch "a good friend, an outstanding leader and well-gifted bishop."

"His intense spirituality, solid formation and openness of heart will be, God willing, a tremendous asset to reunite all Catholic Maronites in Lebanon, in the Middle Eastern countries and in the church," Patriarch Younan told CNS.

[sitetest]

I believe this brings the number of papal elector cardinals (those under the age of 80) to 120, not 100.