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The Pope utters the magic words... "Terrò un concistoro..." -- "There will be a consistory...." The list as formally announced... in real-time... filling in names.... Sandri FOLEY Lajolo Cordes Comastri Rylko Farina Garcia, Valenzia Brady, Armagh Sistach, Barcelona Vingt-Trois, Paris Bagnasco, Genoa Sahre, Dakar Gracias, Bombay Lopez, Monterey Mexico DINARDO, Galveston-Houston Scherer, Sao Paulo Njue, Nairobi five honoraries/over-80s...

Cardinal William Levada took possession of his titular church Sunday in the heart of the Italian capital, where he was greeted by a crowd of cheering faithful and pilgrims - many of them Americans. Levada, who was elevated to cardinal during Friday's consistory, was assigned to the St. Mary in Domnica church where he held a festive two-hour-long Mass. "I'm very delighted of being titular of this basilica, a parish in this historical zone in the city of Rome," he said at the beginning of his homily. "I hope to be able to come here often." St. Mary's in Domnica,...

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 23, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Cardinals, those special advisers to and collaborators with the popes, have a long history and varied duties. They oversee the presbyterates of 25 titular and quasi parish churches of Rome, of which seven are regional deaconries and six Palatine deaconries, and seven suburban sees. The Pontifical Yearbook explains that the College of Cardinals was formed in 1150, with a cardinal dean, who is the bishop of Ostia, and the chamberlain, who on the death of a pope is in charge of the administration of the affairs of the Holy See. Since 1059 the cardinals...

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 23, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The red hat that 15 new cardinals will receive from Benedict XVI on Friday will manifest their willingness to shed their blood for the Church. The Pope will attest to this during the consistory for the elevation of new cardinals, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. local time in St. Peter's Square. According to the new rite introduced in the June 1991 consistory, the ceremony will begin with a liturgical greeting and the Holy Father's reading of the formula of elevation and of the solemn proclamation of the names of the new cardinals. The first of...

Leaders of the Roman Catholic Church began gathering in Rome for a day of "prayer and reflection" ahead of the first consistory under Pope Benedict XVI, in which he will elevate 15 cardinals who will help him guide the world's more than one billion Catholics. The day of prayer on Thursday will be a kind of "brainstorming" session to discuss problems facing the Church worldwide, what observers say is an example of Benedict's stated intention to have greater collegiality, or consultation, within the Church. The gathering of top clergy will show the two faces of the Roman Catholic Church in...

ROME (CNS) -- Although he said he would continue to wear his brown Capuchin habit most of the time, the archbishop of Boston did go to a tailor for a final fitting of his new red cassock three days before he was set to become a cardinal. Cardinal-designate Sean P. O'Malley told Boston reporters that he told the tailor, "I could always wear it if I was called to be on a hunting expedition with the vice president," Dick Cheney. "It's very red." The cardinal met with his hometown media March 21 at Rome's North American College. He was scheduled...

Well, we're 16 days from the consistory which will elevate 15 prelates to the College of Cardinals. As the magic date of 24 March draws nearer, I'd like do a little piece here, a little bit there on the College, the various aspects of its role in the life of the church and how it operates. Then again, if you want to make God laugh, you tell him your plans. Nevertheless, I will try. It's been said that there's no greater secret in the world than the identity of a prince of the church named in pectore -- that...

On Feast of Chair of St. Peter "A Privileged Sign of the Love of God" VATICAN CITY, FEB. 22, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's address at today's general audience, on the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. * * * Dear Brothers and Sisters! The Latin liturgy celebrates today the feast of the Chair of Peter. It is a very ancient tradition, witnessed in Rome since the end of the fourth century, which renders thanksgiving to God for the mission entrusted to the Apostle Peter and his successors. "Cathedra" literally means the established seat of...

I was waiting for it.The first to complain Archbishop O’Malley’s designation to become a Cardinal is one of the local shark-attorney who has represented alleged sex abuse victims in lawsuits against the Archdiocese: Mitchell Garabedian. “O’Malley hasn’t treated the latest group of plaintiffs with any urgency. Many victims feel O’Malley is being rewarded for a job not very well done.” The drama of the victims is out of the question as well as the Church’s responsibility. But the incredible effort of Archbishop O’Malley to settle in a fast, fair and compassionate manner cannot be ignored. It just happens that for...

The other night, I advised everyone to put as much stock in Saturday's ADNKronos report as you would in James Frey's next book. Well, the rumours that a consistory for the creation of new cardinals will be held on the Solemnity of the Annunciation got a firm boost this morning from Andrea Tornielli in Il Giornale. Translation: "Ratzinger plans new cardinals, curial changes for his Church" The first consistory for the creation of new cardinals in the pontificate of Benedict XVI could be called before the end of this month and celebrated next 25 March. If the leaks which come...

Vatican, Dec. 29 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) may soon name new members of the College of Cardinals, according to rumors in the Italian press. The ADN Kronos news agency has gone so far as to say that the Pope will call a consistory for February 22, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. Citing "informed Vatican sources," ADN Kronos said that the consistory will be announced-- and presumably the new cardinals will be identified-- on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. The rumors of a consistory have circulated quickly in Rome. Pope Benedict and...

<p>Pope John Paul II appointed 31 new cardinals on Sunday. Just about every news outlet in the world is united on two certainties about these new princes of the Catholic Church: They are all conservative, and they were named by the pope as part of his supposed plan to guarantee a conservative successor. The common wisdom is wrong on both counts. Not one of the new cardinals can qualify as a conservative. But even more unexamined is that the reforms of John Paul II all but guarantee that the next pontiff will be a progressive.</p>

The Future Cardinals: a Closer Look Monday, September 29, 2003 12:00:00 AM GMT Vatican, Sep. 29 (CWNews.com) - Among the 30 future cardinals named by Pope John Paul II (bio - news) on September 28, 26 will be eligible to vote in papal elections. Nearly half of the new cardinals-- 14-- are European, including 6 Italians. There are also 2 from North America, 2 from South America, 3 from Africa, 3 from Asia, and 1 from Australia. (This account, of course, concerns only the 30 future cardinals whom the Pope identified; nothing is known about a 31st, who was named...

Archbishop Marc Ouellet, born in Lamotte, Quebec, is one of only two Canadians whose careers included both heading up a diocese at home and holding a major position at the Vatican. Pope John Paul is likely to name Quebec City's Archbishop Marc Ouellet a cardinal this weekend. According to Vatican rumours widely reported in Italian and Catholic media, the Pope will announce tomorrow the names of Catholic archbishops to be elevated on October 22 to fill vacancies in the College of Cardinals that will someday elect his successor. All of the world's current cardinals are already scheduled to be in...