Yesterday December 4, 2024, at 12:30 PM, it was announced that Pope Francis will elevate 21 new cardinals during a consistory scheduled for December 7, which is only two days away. This decision underscores the pope’s commitment to a missionary Church aimed at reaching out to the underserved regions of the world.
The consistory will result in an expanded College of Cardinals, now numbering 253. While most cardinals are typically secular clergy, this year’s event will increase the representation of those belonging to religious congregations and institutes to 68.
According to Canon 349 of the Code of Canon Law, cardinals are tasked with the collective responsibility of electing a pope’s successor when a conclave is convened.
However, not all cardinals possess the right to vote in such assemblies. Following the consistory, it is expected that over half of the cardinals will be eligible voters, classified as “cardinal electors.” These members are under the age of 80, making them eligible to vote for the new pope.
This consistory will witness the appointment of both the oldest and youngest members of the College of Cardinals. Cardinal-elect Angelo Acerbi from Italy, who is 99 years old and retired from the Knights of Malta, will become the oldest cardinal. He boasts five decades of experience as a bishop and has served 40 years within the Vatican’s diplomatic mission, during which he held positions in countries like New Zealand, Colombia, Hungary, Moldova, and the Netherlands.
Conversely, at the age of 44, Bishop Mykola Bychok of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne, Australia, will be the youngest cardinal, elevating the total number of cardinals from the Oceania region to four.
Among the 140 cardinal electors, Italy holds the highest number with 17 representatives, followed by the United States with 10 and Spain with 6. The remaining 113 “cardinal non-electors” are aged 80 and older. While they can engage in discussions preceding a conclave, they cannot vote during the election itself.
The trend of diversifying the college beyond its traditional European roots is palpably demonstrated by the inclusion of cardinals from missionary congregations in nations where Catholics form a minority. For instance, Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD from Tokyo and Archbishop Ladislav Nemet, SVD from Belgrade-Smederevo, Serbia, belong to the Society of the Divine Word and represent areas with Catholic populations of 5% or less.
In a letter dated October 6, Pope Francis extended a warm welcome to the new cardinals, emphasizing that their inclusion in the College of Cardinals signifies the unity of the Church and the special connection that links all dioceses to the Church of Rome.
Following this latest consistory, Pope Francis will have appointed around 60% of the current members of the College of Cardinals and nearly 80% of those eligible to select his successor in a future conclave. Although a significant number of cardinals will still come from Europe, particularly those affiliated with Italian churches or of Italian descent, the upcoming consistory will ensure representation from over 90 countries in the college that assists the pope in shepherding the global Church.
The event marking the creation of the new cardinals is set to take place in the Papal Chapel of St. Peter’s Basilica on the afternoon of December 7.
© Oselumhense Anetor, 2024
See original article by CNA’s Christina Millare HERE.
