The Catholic Church now has 21 new cardinals. On December 7, during the consistory for the creation of cardinals, Pope Francis urged them to remain on the path of service so that there may be no division among them, but unity.
The Pope explained that the word “cardinal” implies being a “hinge” of the Church and a point of connection. Francis said that the mission to which cardinals are called is to “encounter others along the way and heal the most fragile.”
After the consistory, the newly created cardinals gathered in the Apostolic Palace to greet the faithful and other members of the Roman Curia. There, they expressed their emotion and commitment to the mission entrusted to them by the Pope.
Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, the Organizer of Papal Travels expressed, “It is a gift and at the same time a responsibility. I was organizing until now the apostolic journeys and I will continue to do that.”
He stated, to be a cardinal, “It is an invitation to be more humble and to serve the Church and to serve the successor of Saint Peter.”
Some of them return to their archdioceses with a vision of what they want to contribute to the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Frank Leo, Archbishop of Toronto, Canada, underlined, “One of the biggest needs is that we need to get back to the basics in proclaiming Jesus, his Gospel in a clear way but in a loving way to help people come to know the person of Jesus, to belong to him, to live in him and with him.”
Among them was Cardinal Bychok, who is now the youngest of the cardinals. At 44 years old and the only Ukrainian cardinal, he stated that his appointment is a powerful call for peace in Ukraine.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne, shared, “It is difficult to say what [the] Pope had in his mind, maybe the future will open this a little bit, for which reason I was nominated as a cardinal, the youngest cardinal, and specially not only for [the] Ukrainian Church or [the] Australian Church, but for the universal Church. But at least there is a small light of hope in this nomination.”
After the consistory, the cardinals explained that they had received their cardinal appointments with surprise but had embraced this service to the Church with great enthusiasm.
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, OP, Bishop and French missionary in Algeria, in this vein said, “I’m sure that I will be more involved in the universal Church not only in my local Church, from my local Church, I will be involved in the universal Church, and I am happy for that.”
As of December 7th, the total number of eligible cardinal electors will be 140 – 110 chosen by Pope Francis. This means the current pontiff has named 79% of the men who will one day elect his successor.
Adapted by Jacob Stein
