Pope Benedict XVI named 23 new cardinals on 17th October, Wednesday, a list that highlights the concerns and the shifting demographics of the worldwide church. He said he would elevate the prelates at a Vatican ceremony on 24 November. After the November 24ths consistory, the College of Cardinals will have 202 members, of whom 121 will be electors.
The cardinal electors are the archbishops of Paris; Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; Valencia, Spain; Barcelona, Spain; Monterrey, Mexico; Dakar, Senegal; Sao Palo, Brazil; the primate of Ireland; and a handful of Italians. A cardinal's main function is to elect the Pope, whenever by death or resignation, the seat becomes vacant. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and making themselves available individually or collectively to the pope if he requests their counsel. Most cardinals have additional duties, such as leading a diocese or archdiocese or running a department of the Roman Curia.
The Cardinals are ranked in to three levels. They are Cardinal Bishops, Cardinal Priests and Cardinal Deacons. Cardinal Bishops, or Cardinals of the Episcopal Order, are among the most senior Prelates of the Catholic Church. Each cardinal takes on a “title” to a certain church in Rome or one of the suburbicarin sees. The only exception is for patriarchs of Eastern Catholic Churches.Cardinal Priests are the most numerous of the three orders of Cardinals in the Catholic Church. They formally rank above the Cardinal Deacons and below the Cardinal Bishops though this is not a matter of exercise of authority. Those who are named Cardinal Priests today are generally archbishops of important dioceses throughout the world, though some hold Curial positions.The Cardinal Deacons are the lowest-ranked of the three orders of Cardinals of the Catholic Church. Cardinals elevated to the diaconal order are either officials of the Roman Curia or priests elevated after their eightieth birthday.
Mumbai Archbishop Oswald Gracias is the 10th Cardinal form India in the history of the Church. Dr.Valerian Gracias, Mar Joseph Parekkattil, Dr. Lawrence Pikkashi, Mar Antony Padiyara, Dr. Simon Lourde Swami, Dr. Simon Pimenta, Dr. Teles Pher Toppo, Mar Varkey Vithayathil, Dr. Ivan Dias are the other Indian Cardinals.
Further readings please do visit
1. zenitenglish@zenit.org 18 October 2007
2. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1176456,00.html
3. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21342463/
Sebastian Kollamkunnel
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento