Pope names six cardinals to put stamp on Church future

[rug]

By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY | Wed Oct 24, 2012 12:13pm EDT

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict named six new cardinals on Wednesday, including two from countries with large Muslim populations, to put his stamp on the future of the Catholic Church.

All six are under 80 years old and thus eligible under Church law to enter a conclave that will one day choose Benedict's successor.

Among them is American Archbishop James Michael Harvey who, as head of the "Pontifical Household", was the boss of the pope's former butler Paolo Gabriele. He was convicted this month of stealing papal documents and leaking them to the media.

A spokesman denied the promotion of Harvey, who will now leave the Vatican to become head of a Rome basilica, was a means of removing him because of the scandal.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/24/us-pope-cardinals-idUSBRE89N0JS20121024

Anybody know anything about these new Cardinals?

[UrbScotty]

1. This is an awfully small consistory.

Six cardinals - that will mean there will be exactly 120 voting cardinals. There are currently 116 cardinals who would be able to vote in a conclave, but two of them (Cardinals Arinze and Martino) will turn 80 before the consistory.

Most consistories include several cardinals - 15, 20, or more - including many who are already over 80 when they are named Cardinals.

Another thing to keep in mind: this will be the third consistory in two years, and the second of 2012. Usually they are two or three years apart (November 2010, November 2007, February 2006, October 2003, etc.).

[rug]

2. Not to be morbid but it's likely sooner rather than later.

Other than the American, it's interesting he picked bishops from Lebanon, India, Nigeria, Colombia and the Philippines.

[mjrr_595]

5. couldn't agree more friend

[tjwmason]

3. No Europeans or north Americans

This means that several significant sees have been left without the red hat - Westminster leaves England without any voting Cardinals, and even the Patriarch of Venice is not a Cardinal. It also means that the prefect of the C.D.F. is a 'mere' Archbishop.

[rug]

4. Excspt for Harvey.