Pope Francis Has Named A Ukrainian Catholic Bishop In Australia, and Three More Priests With Connections To Australia As Some Of 21 New Cardinals...
Laudetur Iesus Christus.
ROME | Pope Francis has elevated 21 priests and Bishops to the rank of Cardinal, including one Bishop in Australia and three others with connections to Australia.
Pope Francis, after his usual Sunday Angelus, announced today that a Consistory will be held on December 9th, during which he will formally create 21 new Cardinals.
One of those Cardinals is Melbourne-based Ukrainian Catholic Bishop His Grace Mykola Bychok, who was born in Ukraine in 1980.
Another Cardinal-designate is Canadian-Italian Archbishop Francis (Frank) Leo, who is the Archbishop of Toronto. He lived in Canberra as a Papal diplomat from 2008 until 2011.
Another is Cardinal-designate Father Timothy Radcliffe, who was in Canberra earlier this year and, in an interview with The Catholic Voice, said he had visited Canberra [and Australia] numerous times.
The other is Cardinal-designate Father Fabio Baggio, Vatican Under-Secretary for Migrants and Refugees, who visited Canberra and Australia several times to visit the Australian Catholic Office of Migrants and Refugees (ACMRO). He was the main speaker at the ACMRO conference in 2019 and was a panellist several times in the Bishop J. Grech Colloquium on ethics and migration.
Additionally, in an interesting turn of events, His Holiness has appointed two Bishops who will seperately become the oldest and youngest members of the College of Cardinals.
Cardinal-elect Angelo Acerbi is 99 years old, making him the oldest member of the College by one year. Cardinal-elect Mykola Bychok is 44 years old, making him the youngest member of the College by six years.
The move to appoint Bishop Mykola Bychok is an interesting one. The appointment may mean that His Grace is moved to a more prominent Ukrainian-Catholic Diocese, likely in Ukraine.
A Cardinal holds a prestigious and unique role, serving as a senior advisor to the Pope and playing a vital part in the Church's governance. Often referred to as the Princes of the Church, this title reflects their historical and symbolic authority, as they not only advise the Pope but also participate in the election of His successor during a conclave.
Many key figures within the College of Cardinals hold significant positions within the Vatican, overseeing congregations and councils that shape global Catholic doctrine and practice.
A Cardinal's distinctive red attire, including the biretta and cassock, symbolises their readiness to defend the faith, even unto martyrdom. Representing the blood they would shed in their defence and sacrifice for the Church.
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