Next Consistory on November 24
On October 29, 2007, the Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations has announced that the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of new Cardinals would begin at 10:30 am on Saturday, November 24. These cardinals, 18 voting cardinals, and 5 non-voting cardinals over 80 years of age, will bring the Cardinals College to the number of 202, 121 of whom can vote. Their relatives, the faithful and all the inhabitants of Rome are invited to come and congratulate the new princes of the Church that same day from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. These “courtesy visits” traditionally take place in the reception halls of the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. Among the new cardinals are 6 prelates of the Roman Curia, Archbishop André Vingt-Trois of Paris, and the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon Emmanuel III Delly. On Sunday, November 25, at 10:30 am, a Mass will be celebrated on St. Peter’s Square during which the ring of office will be presented to the 23 new cardinals.
On the other hand, the Holy See did not officially announce that Benedict XVI had convoked all the cardinals, on the eve of the consistory of November 24, for a work session behind closed door. However, in a letter signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, the cardinals have been convoked for two work sessions on November 23. Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, will introduce the morning session on the issue of ecumenism, which will be at the center of the topics for the day. (Sources: Cipa/Imedia)
