Pope Francis has sent a letter to the 21 new cardinals, whom he will create in a consistory to be held on 7 December, the eve of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
“With the creation of cardinal, you will become part of the clergy of Rome. Welcome! A membership that expresses the unity of the Church and the bond of all the Churches with this one of Rome,” wrote the Holy Father in the text released on 12 October, the day of Our Lady of Pilar, by the Vatican Press Office.
In this group of 21 new cardinals, there are 5 from Latin America: Mons. Jaime Spengler, Archbishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil), Mons. Vicente Bokalic, Archbishop of Santiago del Estero (Argentina), Mons. Carlos Castillo, Archbishop of Lima (Peru), Mons. Fernando Chomalí, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile and Mons. Luis Cabrera , Archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador).
“I encourage you to make your cardinalate embody those three attitudes with which an Argentine poet, Francisco Luis Bernárdez, described Saint John of the Cross, but which are also good for us: ‘ eyes raised, hands together, bare feet, ‘” Pope Francis exhorts in his letter.
“Look high, because your service will require broadening your gaze and widening your heart to look further and love more universally with greater intensity. Enter the school of his gaze —Benedict XVI— the open Side of Christ.”
“Hands joined together, because what the Church needs most — along with the proclamation — is your prayer to feed well the flock of Christ. Prayer, which is the sphere of discernment to help me seek and find God’s will for our people, and to follow it,” wrote Pope Francis.
“Bare feet, touching the harshness of reality in many corners of the world, intoxicated by pain and suffering from war, discrimination, persecution, hunger and numerous forms of poverty, which will demand so much compassion and mercy from you,” the Holy Father continued.
“Thanking you for your generosity, I pray for you that the title of ‘servant’ – deacon – may increasingly overshadow that of ’eminence’. Pray for me and may Jesus bless you and the Holy Virgin accompany you,” concludes Pope Francis.