Pope Francis has made Arthur Roche, the former Bishop of Leeds, one of 20 new cardinals during a consistory in Rome.
Cardinal Roche, Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, received the red skullcap, biretta, ring, and the bull assigning the title and rank during a ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday.
He then received an embrace of peace from Pope Francis, a gesture repeated immediately afterward by the Cardinal Dean, the senior Cardinal Priest and senior Cardinal Deacon, representing the entire College of Cardinals.
The new Cardinals hail from five continents and four new countries were represented – Mongolia, Paraguay, Singapore and East Timor.
Sixteen are under the age of 80, hence eligible to serve as electors in a future Conclave, and four non-electors, over the age of 80.
At the conclusion, the new Cardinals approved the canonisation of the founder of the Scalabrinians, Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, and Salesian layman, Artemide Zatti.
The Pope then left the Basilica through the Door of Prayer with the new Cardinals, and proceeded to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens to visit and greet Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Cardinal Roche then greeted the faithful of Rome and those visiting from England and Wales for the customary post-Consistory congratulatory visits. These visits took place in the Paul VI Hall and the Apostolic Palace.
The new cardinals on Monday began two days of in-depth study on Praedicate Evangelium, the Apostolic Constitution reforming the Roman Curia.
Finally they were due to celebrate Mass together with Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica late on Tuesday afternoon.
Pope Francis used his homily during the Ordinary Public Consistory to remind the new cardinals that they have been given a ministry of particular service, “it is as if Jesus is handing us a lighted torch and telling us: ‘Take this; as the Father has sent me so I now send you’.”
In this way, the Holy Father said, the Lord gives us His own “apostolic courage” and zeal for the salvation of every human being, without exception.
Francis said: “He wants to share with us His magnanimity, His boundless and unconditional love, for His heart is afire with the mercy of the Father.”
He cited the example of St Charles de Foucauld, who, he said, “lived for years in a non-Christian environment, in the solitude of the desert, staking everything on presence: the presence of the living Jesus, in the word and in the Eucharist, and his own presence, fraternal, amicable and charitable”.
He also reminded the College of Cardinals of the religious and priests “who persevere in selfless and unassuming ministry” as well as married couples who keep the flame of God’s love alive through their humble service and raising of children.
The consistory also included a greeting and an expression of gratitude to Pope Francis delivered by Cardinal Roche on behalf of all the new cardinals.
“All of us, coming from different parts of the world, with our personal stories and different life situations, carry out our ministry in the vineyard of the Lord,” said Cardinal Roche.
“As diocesan and religious priests, we are at the service of preaching the Gospel in many different ways and in different cultures, but always united in the one faith and the one Church,” he said.
“Now, in manifesting your trust in us, you call us to this new service, in an even closer collaboration with your ministry, within the broad horizon of the universal Church,” he continued. “God knows the dust of which we are all made, and we know well that without Him we are capable of falling short.”
He added: “We draw strength from you, Holy Father, from your witness, your spirit of service and your call to the entire Church to follow the Lord with greater fidelity; living the joy of the Gospel with discernment, courage and, above all, with an openness of heart that manifests itself in welcoming everyone, especially those who suffer the injustice of poverty that marginalizes, the suffering of pain that seeks a response of meaning, the violence of wars that turn brothers into enemies. We share with you the desire and commitment for communion in the Church.”
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