Pope Francis is continuing to shape the direction of the Catholic Church in major ways. His latest move: further internationalizing the College of Cardinals.<\/p>\n
The new cardinals come from 14 countries spread over six continents. Of the 20 cardinals, 15 of them are under-80 years old and eligible to vote in future conclaves.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis has made a bold statement with his decision, choosing cardinals from some of the furthest peripheries of the Universal Church.<\/p>\n
Three voting-age cardinals come from Asia, three from Latin America, two from Africa, and two from Oceania. Just five are European.<\/p>\n
Cape Verde, Myanmar, and Tonga will have their first ever cardinals.<\/p>\n
The youngest in the group is 53-year-old Soane Patita Paini Mafi, who was the Bishop of Tonga. The small nation has just 15,000 Catholics and is 11,000 miles from Rome. ;<\/p>\n
The other new cardinals come from France, Portugal, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand, Uruguay, Spain, Panama, Colombia, Germany, Argentina, and Mozambique.<\/p>\n
The appointments represent a major shift in the Church. Europeans no longer have a majority in the College of Cardinals.<\/p>\n
Less than two years into his papcy, about 25 percent of the voting-age cardinals have been chosen by Pope Francis.<\/p>\n
ATO
\nRR
\nVM
\n-PR
\nUp: MPI<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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