On Sunday, October 25th, 2020, Pope Francis announced the appointment of 21 new cardinals, including Archbishop Wilton Gregory, the Vatican's ambassador to the United States, marking a significant milestone in the Church's history. This move by the Pope is considered a significant step towards the Vatican's efforts to diversify its leadership and promote inclusion in the Church.
Archbishop Wilton Gregory's appointment as a cardinal is historic, as he becomes the first-ever African American cardinal in the Catholic Church's history. He has been a prominent figure in the Church and a vocal advocate for racial justice, particularly following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earlier this year. Archbishop Gregory's appointment is a positive sign of progress towards a more inclusive and diverse Church, which is essential in today's world.
The 21 new cardinals will be formally installed in a ceremony called a consistory, which will take place on November 28th, 2020, in Rome. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony will be significantly scaled down, with only a handful of cardinals and bishops present. However, the Vatican has promised that the ceremony will be live-streamed so that Catholics worldwide can participate and share in the celebration.
Remarkably, nine of the new cardinals are under the age of 80, which makes them eligible to elect the next Pope. This means that Pope Francis has significantly increased the number of potential Papal candidates, which could have significant implications for the Church's future leadership. However, given Pope Francis's relatively young age, it may be some time before the Church needs to elect a new Pope.
In his announcement, Pope Francis emphasized the new cardinals' diversity, describing them as "pastors who reflect the face of the Church in various parts of the world." He also noted that the Church's universality is reflected in the new cardinals' origins, which range from Italy to Rwanda, the Philippines to Mexico, and Chile to Brunei. The Pope also emphasized the new cardinals' pastoral experience, saying that they "have distinguished themselves for their love of the Church and their pastoral concern for the least and the marginalized."
The appointment of new cardinals is a significant event in the Catholic Church's life, as cardinals serve as the Pope's closest advisors and are responsible for electing his successor. In addition, they hold various positions of leadership within the Church, including serving as bishops of dioceses worldwide. The appointment of Archbishop Wilton Gregory and the other new cardinals is a positive sign of the Church's progress towards greater inclusion and diversity, which is essential in today's world.
In conclusion, the appointment of 21 new cardinals, including Archbishop Wilton Gregory, the Vatican's ambassador to the United States, is a significant milestone in the Catholic Church's history. Their appointment reflects the Pope's commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the Church and increases the number of potential Papal candidates, which could have significant implications for the Church's future leadership. The Church's universality is reflected in the new cardinals' origins, which range from Italy to Brunei, and their pastoral experience, which has been distinguished by their love for the Church and their concern for the least and the marginalized. The formal installation of the new cardinals on November 28th, 2020, will be live-streamed and will allow Catholics worldwide to share in the celebration of this historic event.