Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, was named cardinal by Pope Francis. “The Catholic Church in our countries has always had a profound and loving loyalty to the Holy Father, the Successor of St Peter. This appointment enables me, on behalf of all, to serve the Pope in a direct and prolonged way”, said the designated-cardinal.
Born in Crosby, Lancashire, Archbishop Nichols wanted to be a lorry driver when he was still a child before he felt the call to become a priest as a teenager. He studied at the Venerable English College, a Roman Catholic Seminary in Rome. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Liverpool on the 21st of December 1969. Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Westminster and he received his episcopal consecration on 24th January 1992, becoming the youngest Catholic bishop in the United Kingdom at the age of 46. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Westminster and thus he was installed on 21st May 2009.
Pope Francis named a total of 19 bishops, from which 15 are voting cardinals and 3 are non-voting as they are over 80 years old. Among these names there is also the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Orani João Tempesta, who was responsible for the organization of WYD 2013.
On February 22, Feast of the Chair of St Peter, Pope Francis will hold the 22nd consistory where he will create the new Cardinals. “Cardinalate is not a promotion”, said the Holy Father, “the Cardinalate does not signify a promotion, or an honour, or a decoration. It is simply a service that calls for enlarging one’s vision and widening one’s heart”.
On other occasion, Pope Francis spoke about career changes in the Church, “When someone is given a higher position — in the world’s eyes — we say, ‘ah, that person has been promoted to… Yes, that’s a lovely phrase and we in the Church should use it, yes; this person was promoted to the Cross, that person was promoted to humiliation. That is true promotion. It is what makes us more like Jesus”.
Archbishop Vincent is on his way to Rome where Pope Francis will meet privately with the new cardinals two days prior to the consistory and also to participate on a reflection on the family.
By Shalom Community
OH MY GODNESS