New Cardinals Express Joy and Trepidation at Appointments

VATICAN CITY — Following the nomination of 31 new cardinals by Pope John Paul II on Sept. 28, Catholic officials, commentators and the cardinals-designate themselves have speculated upon reasons for their appointments.

Have they been made to reflect the Holy Father's own vision for his successor? Which one might some day be elected to the Chair of St. Peter? Were the nominations and the consistory announced earlier than expected because of the Pope's health?

“I believe John Paul has it in mind that this could be his one last crack at appointing new cardinals,” said Catholic author and commentator Russell Shaw.

“I think they've been chosen not simply because they are obvious choices or meritorious but also because he's getting the next conclave in place,” he added. “That's not to say he's stacking it up and making them resemble clones of Pope John Paul II. But, like the rest of us, he has his view on the next conclave.”

Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, national director of the ecclesial movement Communion and Liberation, has known the Holy Father since before he was Pope. He said that given John Paul's health, he was “not surprised by the decision” to announce the appointments at this time.

“I think the most important consequences will be in the election of the new pope,” he said. “Afterward, the tone and direction will be set by whoever is elected and not by the College of Cardinals as such.”

Msgr. Albacete pointed out that for many of those nominated, “the choice was already made when they were appointed to an office that traditionally is occupied by a cardinal. So I believe the Holy Father wanted to speed that part of it, given his poor health.”

Surprises

Some were surprised at the nominations to the dioceses in Sudan and Vietnam. The former has been suffering from a bloody civil war for more than two decades, often defined by a largely Muslim north and a Christian south.

Vietnam has a communist government that is no supporter of the Catholic Church and has no formal relations with the Vatican.

The Vietnamese government at first refused to recognize the appointment of Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mam of Ho Chi Minh City but later backed down.

Msgr. Albacete believes this deference to the Church is precisely why these two countries have been singled out in the recent nominations.

“This has been a concern of the Holy Father from the beginning and indicates how he hopes the Church in the developing world will be a fertile ground for the faith that has become so difficult for the Western world,” he said.

“Moreover,” he continued, “it is in those countries that the Church will confront other religions with violent adherents, and I imagine the Holy Father wants the new cardinals to promote dialogue with responsible leaders of these religions that are seeking to isolate their violent adherents.”

There was a bit of buzz regarding the nomination of newly appointed Archbishop Justin Rigali of Philadelphia as the only new red hat in the United States. Many commentators had expected Archbishop Sean O'Malley of Boston to be so honored.

But, according to Shaw, the reason is simple: “The Vatican has for a long time had a clear policy that where retired cardinals are still eligible to vote [as is former Boston Cardinal Bernard Law], another appointed cardinal cannot vote over the retired one,” he said. “You cannot have two voters from the same diocese.”

Officials at the Vatican are also reported to believe that the archbishop of Boston has plenty of time-consuming duties to carry out in his archdiocese.

Reactions

The designated cardinals responded to the news with a mixture of surprise, joy, sense of honor and trepidation.

Archbishop Renato Martino, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, was one of only two senior curial officials to be appointed. He told the Register the appointment will help him “a great deal” in his work and encourages him to do “better and more” after serving the Holy See for 41 years.

Archbishop Rigali told Vatican Radio he was “deeply grateful” for the appointment, which, he said, was “an encouragement to be ever more faithful to the universal Church, to the Gospel, ever more committed to the integrity of life for all of us. There is already a wonderful renewal going on in the Church.”

Australian Archbishop George Pell, who has been an outspoken supporter of Church teaching, was not surprised at his appointment, as his Archdiocese of Sydney has traditionally been led by a cardinal since 1946.

His appointment was criticized by Bishop Patrick Power of Canberra, however, who said Archbishop Pell might not represent the needs of Catholics in Australia or open to dialogue within the Church.

In his defense, Archbishop Pell told Vatican Radio he was a “loyal son of Vatican II” and that he is a supporter of the Pope.

Cardinal-designate Rodolfo Quezada Toruno of Guatemala City said his appointment was a “sign of hope” for the people of Central America. He told Catholic News Service he believed the decision was taken “not so much for me but for the country.”

Another notable appointment was the nomination of Indian Cardinal-designate Telesphore Troppo of Ranchi, who was appointed in recognition of the growth of the Church among tribal peoples of India.

Archbishop Keith O'Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland could be a controversial figure, once stating that while he believed priestly celibacy was a gift to the Church, he would have “no problem with celibacy withering away.”

All those nominated will receive their red hats at the forthcoming consistory Oct. 21. According to Archbishop Martino, it will be “ different from other consistories where there's discussion of saints to be made or other matters proposed.”

It will instead be an opportunity for the cardinals to “get to know one another,” he said. It will be “an excellent occasion to meet and be acquainted.”

Edward Pentin writes from Rome.