The appointment of Hong Kong’s Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan as a Cardinal a little over a year and a half after he began his Episcopal ministry in the city is yet another sign of Pope Francis’ devotion to Asia and to China in particular. It is also a sign of the Holy Father’s commitment to Read more
Last week’s consistory was unusual for a number of reasons. Firstly, according to the norm set by Blessed Paul VI and confirmed by St. John Paul II, there can be only 120 cardinals with voting rights in the event of a conclave to choose the next Pope. Read more
Pope Francis won’t be convening the traditional pre-consistory meeting before creating five new cardinals tomorrow. The Vatican says the consistory will have a courtesy meeting today and Mass will be celebrated tomorrow, which is the Solemnity of the Saints Apostles Peter and Paul. At this time Francis will impose the Pallia on the new cardinals. Read more
The names of five new cardinals from five very different countries were announced yesterday. Pope Francis says on 28 June he will hold a consistory to appoint the cardinals, who come from El Salvador, Laos, Mali, Spain and Sweden. They will add diversity to the church, Francis says. Apart from Spain, none of the countries Read more
The Vatican will hold a consistory on March 15 to approve the canonization of five men and women, including Blessed Teresa of Kolkata. The meeting, also known as an “ordinary public consistory,” formally ends the process of approving a new saint. Vatican observers expect that Blessed Teresa’s canonization will take place on Sept. 4, the Read more
The establishment of two new congregations–the first for Laity-Family Life, the second for Charity-Justice-Peace, which includes a new office for ecology–were among the proposals for reform of the Roman Curia that were presented to the College of Cardinals on Feb. 12 at the opening session of a two-day meeting in the Vatican. There is as Read more
Calls were made by some cardinals at the Vatican last week for qualified professionals from all over the world to work in the Roman Curia. Some of those who spoke at a consistory said there is a need for an enhanced role for laity, particularly women. Dozens of cardinals spoke about the work of the Read more
Soane Patita Paini Mafi became Tonga’s first Cardinal at ceremony that took place at 11pm on Saturday New Zealand time. Vatican Insider described the scene after the ceremony: “Tonga’s first Cardinal was, “Surrounded by faithful and relatives who have formed a chorus and are singing a traditional song at the top of their voices.” “There Read more
Cardinal John Dew became New Zealand’s 4th Cardinal at the ceremony that took place at 11pm on Saturday New Zealand time. Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, and current President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference was the fourth to kneel before Pope Francis as he placed the Cardinals ring on his finger and a Read more
When he was visiting New Zealand last year Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, who is thought to be close to the Pope, said that there was a need for more cardinals from Oceania. He said Oceania is not Australia by itself, and the region has a wide variety of nations and peoples. So it is possible Read more