Francis warns cardinals against "useless arguments" over power



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  Pope Francis leads a consistory to create 14 new cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on June 28. (CNS / Paul Haring)

Pope Francis leads a consistory to create 14 new cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on June 28. (CNS / Paul Haring)

Vatican City – Pope Francis Says to the Catholic Cardinals of the World that they must serve by recommending them not to undertake "useless arguments" over who is most important but to gain their authority by serving those who need it most.

At a ceremony on June 28 at St. Peter 's Basilica marking the creation of 14 new The Cardinals, said the Pope, "The only credible form of authority arose from S & #. sit at the feet of others to serve. "

"It is the authority that has just never forgotten that Jesus, before bowing his head on the cross, did not hesitate to bow down and wash the feet of the disciples", explained the pope at the ceremony, known as the consistory.

"None of us should feel" superior "to anyone." None of us should look at others from above, the only time we can look at someone in this way, it's when we help him get up. "

He said that Jesus told his followers that" whoever would be first among you should be slave to everything "should be" bliss and the Magnificat that we are called to sing daily. "

" The authority of the church grows with this ability to defend the dignity of others, to anoint them and to heal their wounds and their often shattered hopes, "said Francis.

Cardinals are usually high-ranking Catholic prelates who serve either as bishops in world dioceses or in the Vatican's central bureaucracy.Their main role is to meet in secret conclave after the death or resignation of a Pope to elect his successor.

Historically, the Cardinals came from large cities known for their Catholic populations or of global importance, Francis sought to diversify representation in the group – choosing men from long-time sub-locations Represented or even not represented at the College of Cardinals.

Francis further diversified the college on June 28 – adding 14 new prelates from places as far away as the Pakista n, Japan, Madagascar and Peru. One of the most dramatic choices was the Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako, an Iraqi who often speaks publicly about the suffering suffered by his people after the American invasion of their country in 2003.

When June 27, 2009 Sako said his cardinal's name told Christians in Iraq and across the Middle East that "the pope is thinking of them."

"With this appointment, the pope wanted to say that he is present, he is close to them," Sako said. "They are not isolated or forgotten."

Sako said that he thought that his appointment as cardinal could also give a sign of papal approval to his frequent appeal to the efforts of dialogue and reconciliation between suffering Iraqis after years of war and the violence perpetrated by the Islamic State group.

"I think it's a call for reconciliation," he said. "Only dialogue can solve problems, not war or weapons."

In his homily, the Pope reflected part of the Gospel of Mark where Jesus walked before the disciples on their journey to Jerusalem.

"The evangelist does not shrink from revealing secrets present in the hearts of the disciples: their search for honors, jealousy, envy, intrigue, d & rsquo; accommodation and compromise, "said Francis." This kind of thinking not only wears and gnaws their relationship, but also locks them into useless and mean-spirited discussions. "

" Jesus Teaches Us That Conversion, Change of Heart and the reform of the church are and will always be in a missionary. Continued the pope, warning the Cardinals to "become effective roadblocks", whether because of our short-sightedness or useless squabbles over who is most important. "[19659003EveryoneoftheprechallengefromFrancoisfromtheFrenchmasterofSaint-Pierresanouvellhevalonnetsandbonnetrougconnusallthebiretta

Each Cardinal was then appointed honorary chief of a parish church in Rome. is related to the role of the cardinal in the election of the pope. From these posts, the cardinals are considered the clergy of Rome, who then elects their bishop, the pope.

Sako, who, as patriarch takes precedence over the 13 other new cardinals, addressed Francis on behalf of the group at the beginning He says that being named cardinal does is "not a price, nor a personal honor … but an invitation to a mission with a red suit that means the gift of life until the end, even for the gift of blood, so you can not go back. bring to all the Evangelii Gaudium the joy of the Gospel. "

" We are aware of the risks and challenges we face, but our faith in the Lord gives us the courage to continue to hope for a better future for all, "said Sako.

" In your presence today, we wish to renew our fidelity, our love for the church and for the people with our promise to do our best to be happy witnesses of our faith, of our love, of the gratuity, of forgiveness, of the construction of peace in toda The world of y, "he continued.

Among other cardinal events were Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi, Pakistan; The Archbishop Pedro Barreto de Huancayo, Peru, Archbishop Desire Tsarahazana of Toamasina, Madagascar, and Archbishop Manyo Maeda of Osaka, Japan

There were also four Vatican officials in the group: Luis Ladaria, Head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Angel o Donatis, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome; Giovanni Becciu, soon to head the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; and Konrad Krajewski, head of the pope's charity office.

Cardinals can vote in conclave on the death or resignation of the pope until they reach the age of 80 years. From 125 cardinals at the moment, Francis has appointed 59 Forty-seven of the remaining cardinal electors were appointed by Pope Benedict XVI; 19 were appointed by Pope John Paul II.

Ten current cardinals will reach the age of 80 in 2019, starting January 30 with Alberto Suárez, Archbishop Emeritus of Morelia, Mexico. Others who will reach the age of 80 in 2019 include Edwin O'Brien, Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher; and Stanislaw Dziwisz, close collaborator of John Paul II and archbishop emeritus of Cracow, Poland

The country with the largest number of cardinals remains Italy, which has 22. The second largest number comes from From the United States,

According to Vatican figures, the distribution of the various regions of the Cardinals is:

  • 42% of Europe
  • 14% of North America
  • 14% d & # 39; Asia;
  • 13% from Africa
  • 10% from South America
  • 4% from Central America
  • 3% from Oceania

[JoshuaJMcElweeisthecorrespondentofNRCaVatican'selectronicaddressisjmcelwee@ncronlineorgFollow-Twitter: @joshjmac .]

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