By Paul Obi in Abuja with agency report

Nigeria was again omitted as Pope Francis 1 on Sunday appointed 17 new cardinals across the world, fourteen of whom are likely successors to the Papal throne.

Announcing the new cardinals at the Vatican, Pope Francis harped on the need for the church to restore mercy, particularly in the southern hemisphere where the Catholic Church is expanding astronomically.

The Catholic pontiff explained that the new promotion of Archbishops to the rank of cardinals will in the long run show “the universality of the Church which proclaims and bears witness to the Good News of God’s Mercy in every corner of the earth,” he said.

The 17 new cardinals include 13 electors who are under 80 years and eligible to participate in the election of a new Pope, while four are above 80 and not eligible to vote in the selection process of a new Pope.

Out of the 17 new cardinals, only Archbishop Dieudonne’ Nzapalainga of Central Africa Republic and Archbishop Sebastian Koto Khoarai of Lesotho made the list from Africa. Nzapalainga, at 49, will now be the youngest cardinal in the Catholic conclave. </s> VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis named 17 new cardinals Sunday — three of them American moderates, including Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich and Indianapolis Archbishop Joseph Tobin — in a clear signal to the conservative U.S. church hierarchy that he values pastors focused more on mercy than morals.

Tobin’s nomination also carries a political message ahead of the U.S. election next month, given that he openly opposed a request from Indiana Gov. Michael Pence, now the running mate of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, to not settle Syrian refugees in the state.

“I am shocked beyond words by the decision of the Holy Father,” Tobin tweeted. “Please pray for me.”

Thirteen of the new cardinals, including all the Americans, are under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a future conclave to elect Francis’ successor, the key job of a cardinal.

As is Francis’ tradition, the new cardinals hail from some of the most far-flung and peripheral corners of the globe, with Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania getting far more representation in this round than Europe, which has long dominated the College of Cardinals.

New “princes” of the church include bishops from Bangui, Central African Republic; Port Louis, Mauritius and Tlalnepantla, Mexico. In all, seven countries that have never had a cardinal are getting one in this, the third batch of red-hatted churchmen named by Latin America’s first-ever pope. Despite the new nominations, though, Europe still has the most voting-age cardinals with 54.

Significantly only one Italian elector was named: Francis’ ambassador to “the beloved and martyred Syria,” Cardinal-elect Mario Zenari.

And one of the over-80 cardinals is a clear sentimental favorite: the Rev. Ernest Troshani Simoni of Albania.

Simoni, who turns 88 later this month, brought Francis to tears when he recounted his life story to the pope during Francis’ 2014 visit to Tirana: the two decades he spent imprisoned, tortured and sentenced to forced labor for refusing to speak out against the

The third American, Cardinal-elect Kevin Farrell, the outgoing bishop of Dallas, was an expected nomination. Francis in August named him to head the big new Vatican department for laity, family and life issues.

Speaking Sunday at the end of a special Mass on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis said the 17 would be elevated at a consistory on Nov. 19, on the eve of the close to his Holy Year of Mercy.

“Their provenance from 11 nations expresses the universality of the church that announces and is witness to the good news of the mercy of God in every corner of the world,” Francis said.

Their elevation will bring the number of voting-age cardinals to 120 by the end of November, the maximum allowed under current rules. With the non-voting cardinals included, the college by that time will number 228. With Sunday’s appointees, Francis will have appointed 44 cardinal electors and 11 non-electors.

Of the new cardinals, Cupich is very much a pastor in Francis’ likeness, emphasizing the merciful and welcoming side of the church — somewhat to the dismay of U.S. conservative Catholics. His nomination as Chicago archbishop was Francis’ first major U.S. appointment and he was a papal appointee at the pope’s big family synod last year.

In a statement, Cupich said his appointment was “humbling and encouraging” and said he hoped that despite the new responsibilities, he and his flock would “continue the task we have begun of renewing the church in the archdiocese and preparing it to thrive in the decades ahead.”

The nomination for Tobin is significant both for the U.S. church and the U.S. election and reflects Francis’ ongoing concern for refugees.

A U.S. federal appeals court recently used stinging language in a ruling that will keep Pence from barring Syrian refugee resettlement in Indiana for now. Trump, the Republican nominee for president and Pence’s running mate, has proposed deporting millions of immigrants and banning the entry of Muslims from other countries.

“You can find a political message” in the Tobin appointment, said Massimo Faggioli, a Villanova University expert on the Vatican.

Tobin’s nomination could also indicate Francis’ appreciation of his support for American nuns. Tobin had been the No. 2 in the Vatican office for religious orders for only two years when in 2012, then-Pope Benedict XVI sent him back to the U.S. to head the Indianapolis archdiocese, which has fewer than 230,000 parishioners.

The transfer was seen in some Vatican circles as being tied to Tobin’s efforts to promote dialogue and resolve tensions between the Vatican and U.S. nuns who were subject of two separate Holy See investigations at the time.

After Francis was elected, both investigations were concluded with Vatican praise for the work of the sisters.

Francis has made it a point to no longer automatically name cardinals from big dioceses as had been the practice for centuries. The Italian cities of Venice and Turin, for example, have been without cardinals for several years.

The same goes for the U.S., where such staunchly Catholic archdioceses as Philadelphia, which hosted Francis last year at the Catholic Church’s big family rally, was passed over again. Philadelphia is headed by the conservative Archbishop Charles Chaput, who has insisted on traditional church doctrine on issues such as whether civilly remarried couples can receive Communion — areas where Francis has sought greater flexibility.

“It’s a clear message to the United States Catholic bishops about the kind of church Francis has in mind,” Faggioli said.

The geographic distribution of electors still heavily favors Europe, which has 54 voting-age cardinals. The Americas come next with 34 cardinals in North, South and Central America. Africa has 15, Asia 14 and Oceania four. On Nov. 28, Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr of Senegal will turn 80, bringing the voting number down to 120.

This version corrects the spelling of Blase Cupich sted Blaise. </s> VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis announced he will create five new cardinals June 28; the new cardinals-designate come from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador.

Unusually, the group of prelates announced by the pope May 21 includes an auxiliary bishop whose archbishop is not a cardinal; he is Cardinal-designate Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, the current auxiliary bishop of San Salvador.

The other churchmen who will receive red hats are: Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Bamako, Mali, 73; Archbishop Juan Jose Omella of Barcelona, Spain, 71; Bishop Anders Arborelius of Stockholm, Sweden, 67; and Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, apostolic vicar of Pakse, Laos, 73.

After briefly talking about the day's Gospel reading, leading the crowd in St. Peter's Square in reciting the "Regina Coeli" prayer and greeting various groups present, instead of wishing everyone a good Sunday and a good lunch -- the normal procedure at the noon prayer -- Pope Francis made his announcement.

The five new cardinals coming from "different parts of the world demonstrates the catholicity of the church spread across the globe," Pope Francis said. And the practice of assigning to each of them a church in Rome "expresses that the cardinals belong to the Diocese of Rome," which, as St. Ignatius of Antioch explained, "presides in charity over all the churches."

Pope Francis said that June 29, the day after the consistory and the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the new cardinals would concelebrate a Mass with him, the entire College of Cardinals and new archbishops from around the world.

"We entrust the new cardinals to the protection of Sts. Peter and Paul," Pope Francis said, praying that with St. Peter they would be "authentic servants" of communion in the church and that with St. Paul they would be "joyful proclaimers of the Gospel."

The pope also prayed that "with their witness and their counsel," the new cardinals would "support me more intensely in my service as bishop of Rome, pastor of the universal church."

With five new cardinals, the College of Cardinals will have 227 members, 121 of whom are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave. The number of electors exceeds by one the limit of 120 set by Blessed Paul VI. The next cardinal to turn 80 will be Cardinal Antonio Maria Veglio, retired president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, who will celebrate his birthday Feb. 3.

The Vatican released brief biographical notes about the five who will be inducted into the college in June:

-- Cardinal-designate Zerbo was born Dec. 27, 1943, in Segou and was ordained to the priesthood there in 1971. He earned a license in Scripture studies from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and then returned to Mali as a pastor and professor at the seminary in Bamako.

Ordained a bishop in 1988, he served first as auxiliary bishop of Bamako and then was named bishop of Mopti. He has led the Archdiocese of Bamako since 1998.

According to the Vatican, "he played an active role in the Mali peace negotiations" and has worked for solidarity and reconciliation among the nation's citizens.

-- Cardinal-designate Omella was born in the small town of Cretas April 21, 1946, and did his seminary studies in Zaragoza as well as Louvain, Belgium, and Jerusalem. He was ordained in 1970. In addition to parish work in Spain, he spent a year as a missionary in then-Zaire, now Congo.

Ordained a bishop in 1996, he served as auxiliary bishop of Zaragoza and later as bishop of Barbastro-Monzon, then bishop of Calahorra and La Calzada-Logrorio. Pope Francis named him archbishop of Barcelona in 2015.

He has long been a member of the Spanish bishops' commission for social questions and served two terms as commission president. He is a member of the Vatican Congregation for Bishops.

-- Cardinal-designate Arborelius hosted Pope Francis' visit to Sweden in October as part of an ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

Born in Sweden Sept. 24, 1949, he joined the Catholic Church at the age of 20. A few years later, he entered the Discalced Carmelites, took vows in 1977 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1979.

Ordained bishop of Stockholm in 1998, he became the first native Swedish bishop in Sweden since the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, according to the Vatican.

-- Cardinal-designate Ling was born April 8, 1944, in Laos. The Vatican did not say in what city, but did say he was educated and did seminary studies in Laos and Canada.

Ordained to the priesthood in 1972 by the apostolic vicar of Vientiane, he was instrumental in training catechists and was known for his pastoral visits to remote mountain villages.

In October 2000, he was named apostolic vicar of Pakse and was ordained a bishop six months later. Since February, he also has served as apostolic administrator of Vientiane, which currently is without a bishop.

-- Cardinal-designate Rosa Chavez was born Sept. 3, 1942, in Sociedad, El Salvador. He studied at San Jose de la Montana Seminary in San Salvador, earned a degree in social communications and studied at the Catholic University in Louvain, Belgium.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1970 in San Miguel and served overlapping -- and sometimes simultaneous -- terms as the bishop's secretary, pastor of a parish and director of the diocesan radio station. From 1977 to 1982, he served as rector of San Jose de la Montana Seminary in San Salvador, a position that brought him into regular contact and close collaboration with Blessed Oscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador, who was assassinated in 1980.

He was named auxiliary bishop of San Salvador in 1982. Currently, in addition to his duties as auxiliary bishop, he serves as pastor of the Church of St. Francis in the capital, president of Caritas El Salvador and president of Caritas in Latin America and the Caribbean. </s> Pope Francis announced yesterday that he would be appointing 17 new cardinals, including Irishman Kevin Farrell, at a consistory in Rome next month.

With these appointments, Francis continues to put his imprint on the church: he himself has now chosen 44 of the 121 “elector” cardinals (those under 80 years of age) in the College of Cardinals.

Five of the 17 new cardinals come from Europe, while three, including Kevin Farrell, are USA church figures.

Otherwise, the appointments have a very “Francis” look about them in that he has named cardinals from the “periphery”, namely the Central African Republic, Mauritius, Lesotho, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil.

Bishop Farrell (68) had appointed prefect of the new Dicastery (department) for Laity, the Family and Life in mid-August, so it was always probable that he would be made a cardinal.

The Dublin born bishop has been based in the USA for the majority of his life as a priest. </s> Pope Francis said on Sunday he would elevate 17 Roman Catholic prelates to the high rank of cardinal, including 13 who are under 80 years old and thus eligible to enter a conclave that will one day choose his successor.

Cardinals are the most senior members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy after the pope. Each time a pope names new cardinals he puts his stamp on the future of the 1.2-billion-member global church.

Francis, according to Reuters, making the surprise announcement during his weekly Sunday address, said the men came from five continents and that the ceremony to elevate them, known as a consistory, would be held on Nov. 19.

It is the third time Francis has appointed new cardinals since his election in 2013 as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years.

The new cardinal-electors, those under 80, come from Italy, the Central African Republic, Spain, the United States, Brazil, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Belgium, Mauritius, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.

Three are from the United States: Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, Archbishop William Tobin of Indianapolis and Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, who was recently appointed to head a new Vatican department on family and life issues.

One of the four new cardinals over 80, and who will not be able to enter a conclave, is Father Ernest Simoni, 88.

Simoni is an Albanian priest who spent many years in jail and forced labor during the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985. </s> Pope Francis announcing next month's consistory after reciting the Regina Caeli prayer, May 21, 2017. (CTV)

The cardinal-designates will be elevated to the College of Cardinals at a consistory on Wednesday June 28, the vigil of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Pope Francis has announced a consistory for the creation of five new cardinals, four of whom are bishops of sees that have never had a cardinal before.

The five new recipients of the red hat come from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador.

The consistory will take place on June 28th, the vigil of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The names of the new cardinal-designates are:

Announcing the new names after reciting the Regina Caeli prayer this afternoon, the Pope drew attention to the fact that all five “come from different parts of the world, showing the catholicity of the Church.”

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has made a point of choosing cardinals from the “peripheries” with a few exceptions. Often he selects them from the developing world and from sees never before headed by a cardinal. This time, with the exception of Barcelona, all have a cardinal for the first time. It is also the first time an auxiliary bishop has been elevated to the College of Cardinals.

Many Swedish Catholics are celebrating the choice of Bishop Anders Arborelius. The first ethnic Swede to have been consecrated bishop since the Reformation (most Scandinavian Catholics, particularly clergy, are immigrants or of immigrant descent), Bishop Arborelius played a key role in ensuring the Pope’s sensitive and controversial visit to Lund last year to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation went smoothly.

A Discalced Carmelite who was received into the Catholic Church at the age of 20, he is highly regarded by many Swedish Catholics who attest to his orthodoxy.

Despite speculation the Pope would introduce a new rule which would do away with the advised 120 limit of cardinal electors and increase the number to over 150, for now he will roughly adhere to the established practice, exceeding the limit by just one.

Currently there are 116 cardinals eligible to vote in the next conclave. Not until next year does the next cardinal exceed the voting age for cardinals, when Italian Cardinal Antonio Vegliò turns 80 on Feb. 2.

With the five announced today, Francis will have chosen 49 cardinal electors, close to half of the College eligible to vote in the next conclave.

Like his predecessors, the Holy Father will be aware that with each cardinal-making consistory he calls, his stamp on the Church is likely to become more enduring.

The Pope told pilgrims in St. Peter’s square today that the new cardinals will concelebrate Mass on Thursday, June 29, the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, along with new metropolitan archbishops, bishops and priests. </s> ROME—Pope Francis has removed the three oldest members of his advisory Council of Cardinals, two of them prelates tainted by scandals related to the Catholic Church’s crisis over clerical sex abuse.

The Vatican announced Wednesday that the pope had written in October to Australian Cardinal George Pell, 77; Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, 85; and Congolese Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, 79, “thanking them for their work over the last five years” and relieving them from their roles on the council. </s> Pope Francis on Sunday promoted 17 Roman Catholic prelates from around the world to the high rank of cardinal, including 13 who are under 80 years old and thus eligible to succeed him one day.

Cardinals, who wear red hats and are known as “princes of the church,” are the most senior members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy after the pope and serve as his principal advisers around the world and in the Vatican.

Naming new cardinals is one of the most significant powers of the papacy, allowing a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2-billion-member global church.

Cardinals under 80, known as cardinal-electors, can enter a secret conclave to choose a new pope from their own ranks after Francis dies or resigns. Francis, the former cardinal-archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected in a conclave in March 2013.

The new cardinal-electors come from Italy, the Central African Republic, Spain, the United States, Brazil, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Belgium, Mauritius, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.

Significantly, Francis said the current Vatican ambassador in Syria, Italian Archbishop Mario Zenari, will be elevated but remain in his post to show the church’s concern for “beloved and martyred Syria”— an allusion to the devastating civil war there.

It is believed to be the first time in recent history a Vatican ambassador, known as a nuncio, will have the rank of cardinal.

The pope has made numerous appeals for an end to Syria’s war and last month he urged forces to stop bombing civilians in Aleppo, warning them they will face God’s judgment one day.

The four new cardinals over 80, who get the position as a symbolic honor to thank them for long service to the church, include Father Ernest Simoni, 88, an Albanian priest who spent many years in jail and forced labor during the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985.

Francis, making the surprise announcement during his weekly Sunday address, said the ceremony to elevate the prelates, known as a consistory, will be held on Nov. 19.

With the current batch, Francis has named 44 cardinal-electors, slightly more than two thirds of the total of 120 allowed by church law.

It will be his third consistory since his election in 2013 as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years and he has used each occasion to show support for the church in far flung places or where Catholics are suffering.

The Central African Republic, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and Lesotho will have a cardinal for the first time, underscoring Francis’ conviction that the church is a global institution that should become increasingly less Euro-centric.

Last year the pope visited Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. Amid some of the tightest security ever seen on his trips, he preached reconciliation in the nation racked by bloodshed between Muslims and Christians.

Only one of the 13 cardinal-electors will take on a Vatican job. The others will remain in their posts around the world.

Three are from the United States: Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, Archbishop William Tobin of Indianapolis and Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, who was recently appointed to head a new Vatican department on family and life issues.

In addition to Simoni, the Albanian priest, the other three cardinals over 80 come from Malaysia, Italy and Lesotho. </s> Pope Francis is to elevate five Roman Catholic prelates from outside Italy and the Vatican to the rank of cardinal, the elite group of churchmen who are his closest advisers and can enter a conclave to choose his successor.

The pope, making the surprise announcement during his weekly Sunday address, said the men came from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador.

The new cardinals were named as Archbishop Jean Zerbo, 73, of Bamako, Mali, Archbishop Juan José Omella, 71, of Barcelona, Spain, Bishop Anders Arborelius, 67, of Stockholm, Bishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, 73, of Pakse, Laos, and Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chávez, 74, of San Salvador.

The ceremony to elevate them, known as a consistory, would take place on June 28.

The fact that none of the five are Italian and none hold Vatican positions underscores Francis’ conviction that the Church is a global institution that should become increasingly less Italian-centric.

Naming new cardinals is one of the most significant powers of the papacy, allowing a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.

Since only cardinals aged under 80 can enter a secret conclave to choose a new pope from their own ranks after Francis dies or resigns, the new members will join the ranks of prelates known as “cardinal electors”.

Francis, the former cardinal-archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected in such a conclave on March 13, 2013 as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years.

It will be Francis’s fourth consistory and he has used each occasion to show support for the Church where Catholics are in a minority, in this case Sweden, Mali and Laos.

The naming of a cardinal for Sweden was significant because Sweden is where the Lutheran World Federation was founded in 1947 and because this year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation.

Francis, who visited Sweden last year, is keen to further Catholic dialogue with Protestant churches.

 Sweden is also one of the world’s most secular countries and the naming of a cardinal there will boost the morale of the tiny Catholic population.

Including the current batch, Francis has named nearly 50 cardinal-electors, or about 40 per cent of the total of 120 allowed by Church law.

Francis, like some of his predecessors, bent the rules. With the latest appointments, there will be 121 cardinal electors until February, when one Vatican-based Italian cardinal turns 80.
Pope Francis announces the upcoming creation of 17 new Cardinals; 13 of them will be under the age of 80 and thus able to vote in a future papal conclave to select the new Pope.