Pope to create 21 new cardinals, six from Asia

Pope Francis will create 21 new cardinals in the next consistory on Aug. 27, including five archbishops and one bishop from Asia.

The pope made the announcement in front of the crowd at St. Peter’s Square after the “Regina Coeli” address on May 29.

"Let us pray for the new cardinals so that, in confirming their adhesion to Christ, they may help me in my ministry as bishop of Rome for the good of the entire holy people of God," Pope Francis said.

Sixteen of the new cardinals are under the age of 80, who are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect the successor of Pope Francis, and for five others the title is mostly honorary.

Five Asian prelates are – Archbishop Felipe Nerri Ferrao of Goa and Daman (India), Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad (India), Archbishop William Goh of Singapore, Archbishop Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, SDB of Dili (East Timor), Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy (South Korea).

Bishop Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) is an Italian Consolata missionary who leads the tiny Catholic Church with estimated 1,400 members in the central Asian country.

Three of the new cardinals are from Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration. They are Archbishop Arthur Roche, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments; Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy; and Archbishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

The consistory, the formal meeting of the College of Cardinals, in August will be the eighth consistory during the pontificate of Pope Francis.

The College of Cardinals currently consists of 208 Cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 91 non-electors. As of 27 August, the number will grow to 229 Cardinals, of whom 131 will be electors, according to Vatican News.

Following the consistory the pope will reflect and discuss with the cardinals on the new Vatican constitution, Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), on Aug. 29-30. The formal legislation was declared in March and will be in effect on June 5.

The new cardinals represent various continents and cultures – eight from Europe, six from Asia, two from Africa, four from Central and Latin America and one from North America.

Here is the full list of the new cardinals, in the order named by the pope as reported by Catholic News Service:

-- Archbishop Arthur Roche, 72, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

-- Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, 70, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy.

-- Archbishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, 77, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

-- Archbishop Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France, 63.

-- Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke of Ekwulobia, Nigeria, 59.

-- Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, 71.

-- Archbishop Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão of Goa, India, 69.

-- Bishop Robert Walter McElroy of San Diego, 68.

-- Archbishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva of Dili, Timor-Leste, 54.

-- Bishop Oscar Cantoni of Como, Italy, 71.

-- Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, India, 60.

-- Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa of Brasília, Brazil, 54.

-- Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr of Wa, Ghana, 62.

-- Archbishop William Goh Seng Chye of Singapore, 64.

-- Bishop Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, who will be 48 June 7.

-- Retired Archbishop Jorge Jiménez Carvajal of Cartagena, Colombia, 80.

-- Retired Archbishop Lucas Van Looy of Ghent, Belgium, 80.

-- Retired Archbishop Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari, Italy, who turns 80 July 18.

-- Jesuit Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, professor of canon law, who turns 80 July 5.

-- Msgr. Fortunato Frezza, canon of St. Peter's Basilica, 80.