Some video to supplement Austen Ivereigh's reporting below, on the 24 new cardinals, including two Americans, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, D.C., and Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura.
Video: Pope Benedict Creates 24 New Cardinals
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“His presence brings prestige to our nation and to the entire Group of 7. It is the first time that a pope will participate in the work of the G7,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
“Many conflicting, divergent and often contradictory views of the human person have found wide acceptance … they have led to holders of traditional theories being cancelled or even losing their jobs,” the bishops said.
Robots can give you facts. But they can’t give you faith.
“Irena’s Vow” is true story of a Catholic nurse who used her position to shelter a dozen Jews in World War II-era Poland.
Cardinals reaching the age of 80 can no longer cast their vote in the election of a pope. The newly elected pope, however, can continue to reign as pope even after reaching that now canonically critical age.
This appears strange and unfair: which is easier, electing a pope, or being pope and govern the universal church?
If there is wisdom in the exclusion of the cardinals over 80 from a papal conclave, the same wisdom would suggest also the canonical retirement of the pope on his 80th birthday.
Should such wisdom be questionable, let all cardinals continue to be valid papal electors as long as they live. If not, let even the pope canonically resign on reaching the age of 80.
When a pope is elected, all cardinals would know the exact date of the next conclave, namely the 80th birthday of the newly elected pope, barring of course the possible sudden death of even a young reigning pontiff.
Knowing in advance the exact date of the next papal election would greatly simplify for all cardinals their planning and scheduling of important meetings, retreats, anniversaries and necessary travel.
Cardinals would no longer be surprised by the sudden illness of an aging Holy Father or, worse perhaps, by his possible lingering incapacitated for weeks and even months as pope.
Five years ago, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 78, and Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, 78, were the two closest papabili. Today, Cardinal Ratzinger, 83, is pope, and Cardinal Martini, 83, is legally unable even to vote for a pope. Videant consules...