Pope Encourages New Cardinals Not To Let Virus of 'Animosity' Enter The Church
87-year-old Cardinal Sebastian Koto Khoarai of Lesotho was created a cardinal although he was unable to travel to Rome
19 November 2016 | by Catholic News Service
The Catholic Church's 17 new cardinals must dedicate their lives to being ministers of forgiveness and reconciliation in a world – and sometimes a Church – often marked by hostility and division, Pope Francis said today as he appointed new leaders for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
Creating 17 new cardinals from 11 nations on Saturday 19 November, the Pope said the College of Cardinals – and the Catholic Church itself – must be a sign for the world that differences of nationality, skin colour, language and social class do not make people enemies, but brothers and sisters with different gifts to offer.
Even Catholics are not immune from "the virus of polarisation and animosity," the Pope told the new cardinals, and "we need to take care lest such attitudes find a place in our hearts."
Only 16 of the new cardinals were present for the ceremony. The Vatican said 87-year-old Cardinal Sebastian Koto Khoarai, the retired bishop of Mohale's Hoek, Lesotho, was created a cardinal although he was unable to travel to Rome.
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