Pope to create 13 new cardinals on November 28

“Jesus establishes two essential hinges for believers of all times.  The first is that moral and religious life cannot be reduced to anxious and forced obedience, but must have love as its principle.  The second is that love must strive together and inseparably towards God and neighbor ".

 

 


 Vatican City (AsiaNews) - On November 28, Pope Francis will hold a consistory to create 13 new cardinals.  Francis himself announced it after the recitation of the Angelus.  "On November 28 - he said - on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, I will hold a consistory for the appointment of 13 new cardinals". 

tHe cardnal-designates are: Msgr.  Mario Grech - general secretary of the Synod of Bishops;  Msgr.  Marcello Semeraro - prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints;  Msgr.  Antoine Kambanda - archbishop of Kigali (Rwanda): Msgr.  Wilton D. Gregory - Archbishop of Washington;  Msgr.  Jose F. Advincula - archbishop of Capiz (Philippines);  Msgr.  Celestino Aós Braco, O.F.M.  Cap - archbishop of Santiago de Chile;  Msgr.  Cornelius Sim - titular bishop of Puzia di Numidia and apostolic vicar of Brunei;  Msgr.  Augusto Paolo Lojudice - archbishop of Siena-Colle Val d’Elsa- Montalcino;  Fr. Mauro Gambetti, O.F.M.  Conv. - Guardian of the Sacred Convent of Assisi.

In the same consistory, 4 over eighty-year-olds will also receive the cardinal's hat, that is, cardinals who could not participate in a possible conclave: they are Msgr.  Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel - bishop emeritus of San Cristobal de las Casas (Mexico): Msgr.  Silvano M. Tomasi, titular archbishop of Asolo, apostolic nuncio;  Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M.  Cap. - preacher of the Papal Household;  Msgr.  Enrico Feroci - parish priest in Santa Maria del Divino Amore in Castel di Leva.

"Let us pray - added Francis - for the new cardinals, so that, by confirming their adhesion to Christ, they will help me in my ministry as bishop of Rome for the good of all the faithful Holy People of God".

Previously, before the Marian prayer, commenting on today's Gospel, Francis stressed that “Jesus establishes two essential hinges for believers of all times.  The first is that moral and religious life cannot be reduced to anxious and forced obedience, but must have love as its principle.  The second is that love must strive together and inseparably towards God and neighbor.  This is one of the main novelties of Jesus' teaching and makes us understand that it is not true love of God that is not expressed in love of neighbor;  and, in the same way, it is not true love of neighbor that which does not draw from the relationship with God ”.

 Pope Francis concluded: "As long as there is a brother or sister to whom we close our hearts, we will still be far from being disciples as Jesus asks of us.  But his divine mercy does not allow us to be discouraged, on the contrary he calls us to start again every day to live the Gospel consistently.  May the intercession of Mary Most Holy open our hearts to welcome the 'great commandment', the double commandment of love, which summarizes the whole law of God and on which our salvation depends".

After the Angelus, Francis also referred to the clashes in Nigeria between young people and the police and asked for prayers for peace and dialogue.