… and on Saturday, August 27, I will hold a Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals.
There will be 21 in total with 16 being electors who have the ability to vote in case of a conclave.
Pope Francis had no qualms in choosing most of them from countries where Christians are a minority. For example, two come from India, one being Monsignor Anthony Pool, who belongs to the lowest caste.
Another new cardinal is a 47 year old Italian missionary in Mongolia, another country where Christians are a minority. Paraguay will have its first cardinal and Africa will gain two: one from Nigeria and the other from Ghana, where only 10% of the population is Catholic.
Among the new electors from Europe, there are three, two of them were appointed because they work in the Vatican. One of whom is Monsignor Authur Roche, current prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.
ARCH. ARTHUR ROCHE
Congregation for Divine Worship
“Our Lord shows us how to grow through His own experience.
From the United States, current bishop of San Diego, Robert Walter McElroy, will become a cardinal.
After the August consistory there will be 133 cardinal electors. Of these 11 were appointed by John Paul II, 38 by Benedict XVI and 84 by Pope Francis.
JRB
TRANS: OG