Pope Francis has announced the appointment of 21 new cardinals, including the Archbishop of Toronto, Thomas Collins. The announcement was made during his weekly Sunday address at the Vatican.
The new cardinals come from 14 different countries, reflecting the diversity of the Catholic Church. Among them are bishops from Rwanda, the Philippines, and Chile, as well as the first-ever cardinal from Brunei.
Archbishop Collins, who has been the head of the Archdiocese of Toronto since 2007, expressed his gratitude for the appointment, saying, “I am humbled and honoured by the Holy Father’s trust in me to serve as a cardinal of the Church.”
The role of a cardinal is to advise the pope and participate in the election of a new pope when the current one passes away. They are also responsible for overseeing the administration of the Church and serving as a link between the pope and the local dioceses.
Pope Francis emphasized the importance of the new cardinals’ role in promoting unity and diversity within the Church. He said, “The College of Cardinals is an expression of the Church’s universality, which is not uniformity but a harmony of differences.”
The appointment of Archbishop Collins as a cardinal is seen as a recognition of the growing influence of the Catholic Church in Canada. With over 1.3 million Catholics in the Archdiocese of Toronto alone, it is the largest diocese in the country.
The ceremony to officially elevate the new cardinals will take place on November 28 at the Vatican. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected to be a smaller and more intimate event than usual.
In his address, Pope Francis also called for prayers for the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti and the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. He urged the new cardinals to be “men of peace” and to work towards building a more just and compassionate world.
The announcement of the new cardinals has been met with excitement and anticipation from Catholics around the world. It is seen as a significant step in Pope Francis’ efforts to diversify and modernize the leadership of the Catholic Church.
As the Church prepares to welcome its new cardinals, the faithful are reminded of the important role they play in guiding and shaping the future of the Church.
