The Pope has announced the convocation of a Consistory on September 30th to appoint 21 new cardinals, among them the recently appointed Archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo Cano, the Rector Major of the Salesians, Angel Fernandez Artimeand the bishop of the French town of Ajaccio (on the island of corsica)., the Spanish Francisco Xavier Bustillo.
After the Sunday Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Francis announced the creation of a total of 21 new cardinals, of which 18 may succeed him in a possible conclave for being under 80 years of age, as dictated by the Canon law.
“I am happy to announce that on September 30 I will celebrate a Consistory for the appointment of new cardinals. Their origin expresses the universality of the Church, which continues to announce the merciful love of God to all men on earth. The inclusion of the new cardinals in the diocese of Rome, furthermore, it manifests the inseparable link between the See of Peter and the particular Churches throughout the world”, assured Pope Francis.
The three new cardinals with more than 80 years are the Venezuelan Diego Padron Sanchez, archbishop emeritus of Cumana; the capuchin friar Luis Pascual Driconfessor of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Pompeii in Buenos Aires and the Italian nuncio Augustine Marchetto.
Among the new appointments there are two other Argentines, beginning with the new prefect for the Doctrine of the Faith, Victor Manuel Fernandezpersonal friend of the pontiff, as well as the archbishop of Córdoba, monsignor Angel Sixto Rossi.