All cardinals, regardless of their age, are allowed to participate in pre-conclave meetings, known as general congregations, which give them a say in the kind of person they think younger cardinals should choose.
Cardinals are second only to the Pope in the Church hierarchy and serve as his closest advisors. Because of their historical power and influence, they are still called princes of the church, even though Francis told them not to live like kings and to be close to the poor.
Three new cardinals have recently been named heads of the Vatican’s main departments, including Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican’s doctrinal department.
Another important appointment was that of Bishop Stephen Chow Sao Yan of Hong Kong. Zhao is one of the main links with the Catholic Church in Communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve conditions for Catholics. The bishop visited Beijing in April.
Another is Archbishop Robert Francis Prevost, an American who was recently appointed head of the Vatican department that helps the pope select new bishops, one of the most powerful positions in the Vatican.
The following are appointed to become a cardinal:
Cardinal voters under 80
1 – Archbishop Robert Prevost, Vatican official, head of the Bishops’ Circle 2 – Archbishop Claudio Gogrotti, Italian, Vatican official, head of the Department of Eastern Churches 3 – Archbishop Victor Fernandez, Argentine, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery of the Faith of the Church Faith 4 – Archbishop Émile Chirrigue, Vatican Swiss Ambassador to Italy 5 – Archbishop Christophe Pierre, French, Vatican Ambassador to the United States 6 – Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Italian, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem 7 – Archbishop Stephen Breslin, South Africa, Primate Archbishops of Cape Town 8 – Archbishop Angel Rossi, Argentinian, Archbishop of Cordoba. Juba, South Sudan 12 – Archbishop Jose Kano, Spain, Archbishop of Madrid 13 – Archbishop Protas Rugambwa, Tanzanian, Archbishop of Tabora 14 – Bishop Sebastian Francis, Malaysian, Bishop of Penang 15 – Bishop Stephen Chow Sao-yan, Bishop of Hong Kong 16 – Bishop François-Xavier Bustelo, Spanish-French, Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica. 17- Bishop Americo Alves Aguiar, Portuguese, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon 18- Father Angel Fernandez Artem, Spanish, Salesian Abbot
Over 80 and ineligible to enter the Conclave
19- Archbishop Agostino Marchito, Italian, former diplomat in the Vatican. 20- Archbishop Diego Padron Sanchez, Venezuelan, Archbishop Emeritus of Cumana. 21- Father Luis Dre, an Argentine priest.
Reuters