Accompanied by speculation about his health and a possible resignation, Pope Francis appointed 20 new cardinals on Saturday. Most of the cardinals appointed at the ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica are under the age of 80 and could therefore choose the next pope in a future conclave.
It is the eighth time in his pontificate, which began in 2013, that Francis has appointed new cardinals. This means that 83 of the current 132 members of a possible future conclave have been appointed by him.
The 85-year-old head of the Catholic Church personally put the crimson cap on almost all of the new cardinals at the ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday. A cardinal loves the Church – whether dealing with big or small issues, Francis said. One of the new dignitaries, Richard Kuuia Baawobr from Ghana, was absent due to health problems.
Among the dignitaries newly appointed on Saturday is the Italian missionary Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect in Mongolian Ulan Bator and at 48 the youngest cardinal ever. The newly appointed Bishop of California, Robert McElroy, is considered progressive because of his position on homosexuals in the Catholic Church. This time, no bishops from Germany were included in the appointments.
After the ceremony, Francis and the new cardinals visited the German Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. in his monastery house in the Vatican, as announced by the Holy See. In 2013, the 95-year-old – whose real name is Joseph Ratzinger – was the first pope to resign in many centuries.
At the end of July, Pope Francis also indicated a possible resignation for health reasons. He must “save his strength a little” or “otherwise think about the possibility of stepping aside,” said the 85-year-old.
The Pope suffers from pain in his right knee and has been using a cane or a wheelchair for months. In June he had canceled a trip to Africa planned for early July.
The Pope will hold a two-day meeting with around 200 cardinals and other church dignitaries on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the future of the Catholic Church.
