VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis announced on Sunday his intention to appoint 21 new cardinals, a way for him to put his stamp on the future of the Catholic Church.
The 85-year-old pontiff made the surprise announcement after his Sunday blessing in front of thousands of people who came to meet him in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
Among the newcomers, 16 are reading cardinals aged under 80 likely to participate in the conclave aimed at designating his successor after his death or resignation. Eleven of the latter are settled or native to countries outside Europe or North America.
Sometimes nicknamed “princes of the Church”, cardinals are the pope’s closest advisers.
Among the important appointments is that of Robert McElroy, bishop of San Diego in California.
He is seen as a progressive, close to the pope on issues like environmental protection and benevolent attitude towards gay Catholics. He also opposed the conservative American religious supporters of prohibiting communion to Catholic politicians in favor of the right to abortion.
After the August 27 ceremony called consistory, which will officially install these new cardinals, Franois will have named about two-thirds of the reading cardinals, increasing the chances that his successor will reflect his positions on key issues.
This will be the eighth consistory since the 2013 election of Pope Francis, born in Argentina.
By appointing cardinals in Singapore, Mongolia, India and East Timor, Franois seems to be seeking to increase the church’s influence in Asia, a growing region of the world.
Among the nominees is Archbishop Giorgio Marengo, an Italian currently administrator of the Catholic Church in Mongolia.
The country has less than 1,500 Catholics but it is highly strategic as it neighbors communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve the situation of Catholics. At 48, he is the youngest of the new cardinal readers.
The others come from France (the Archbishop of Marseille Jean-Marc Aveline), Nigeria, Brazil, India, the United States, East Timor, Italy, Ghana, Singapore and Paraguay, in particular .
(Report Philip Pullella; French version Elizabeth Pineau)