With new cardinals, pope puts stamp on Church future

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Saturday inducted 20 cardinals from all over the world, selecting males who principally agree along with his imaginative and prescient of a extra progressive and inclusive Church and influencing their alternative of his eventual successor.

Francis, 85, presided at a ceremony referred to as a consistory, telling the brand new cardinals to indicate concern for bizarre folks regardless of the excessive rank that may deliver them into contact with the highly effective of the earth.

The ceremony marked the eight time Francis has put his stamp on the Church’s future with a brand new consumption of cardinals who will function his high advisors and directors on the Vatican and across the globe.

These below 80 – 16 among the many 20 newcomers – can enter a conclave to elect a brand new pope from amongst themselves after he dies or resigns.

They arrive from Britain, South Korea, Spain, France, Nigeria, Brazil, India, the US, East Timor, Italy, Ghana, Singapore, Paraguay, and Colombia.

“A Cardinal loves the Church, all the time with that very same non secular fireplace, whether or not coping with nice questions or dealing with on a regular basis issues, with the highly effective of this world or these bizarre people who find themselves nice in God’s eyes,” Francis mentioned.

Sitting earlier than the primary altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis requested them to recollect “poor households, migrant and homeless individuals.”

He learn his homily in a powerful voice, usually going off script, even to joke a few Rome priest who was so near his parishioners that he knew not solely all their names, but in addition the names of their canine.

Francis, elected as pope in 2013, has now chosen 83 of the 132 cardinal electors, or about 63%.

With every consistory, Francis has continued what one diplomat has referred to as a “tilt in direction of Asia,” rising the chance that the following pope might be from the area that could be a rising financial and political powerhouse.

RESIGNATION NOT AROUND THE CORNER

The 85-year-old pontiff instructed Reuters in an interview final month that if he does resign sooner or later for well being causes – as a substitute of dying in workplace – he has no plans to take action anytime quickly. This implies he may identify much more cardinals as quickly as subsequent 12 months.

After studying his homily, Francis gave them every their ring and pink hat, the color of which, together with their vestments, is to remind them that they need to be keen to shed their blood for the religion.

Since his election as the primary Latin American pope, Francis’ has usually damaged the mould utilized by his predecessors in choosing cardinals. Typically he has most well-liked males from growing nations and smaller cities, reasonably than from main capitals the place having a cardinal was thought of automated.

Archbishop Leonardo Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, turns into the primary cardinal from the Amazon area, underscoring Francis’ concern for indigenous folks and the surroundings.

One other sudden new cardinal elector is Archbishop Giorgio Marengo, an Italian who’s the Catholic Church’s administrator in Mongolia. At 48, he’s the youngest of the brand new cardinal electors.

Mongolia has fewer than 1,500 Catholics however is strategically vital as a result of it borders with China, the place the Vatican is making an attempt to enhance the scenario for Catholics.

“The Holy Father cares for the Church wherever it’s on the planet. (We) really feel {that a} tiny group is as vital as a big group,” he instructed Reuters earlier than the ceremony.

One vital appointment from the richer nations is that of Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, California, who’s seen as a progressive. By giving San Diego its first cardinal, Francis bypassed conservative archbishops in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

McElroy has been an outspoken ally of Francis’ pastoral method to social points, corresponding to safety of the surroundings and a extra welcoming method to homosexual Catholics.

He additionally has opposed conservative U.S. clergymen who wish to ban Catholic politicians, together with President Joe Biden and Home of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, from receiving communion due to their assist of abortion rights.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Enhancing by Ros Russell)