Consistory called for Sept. 30, on the eve of the Synod. Asians include Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang. Pontiff's "sorrow" over new violence in Holy Land, hope for resumption of "direct dialogue." At Angelus Francis recalls the "things" that God has "hidden" from the wise and revealed to the "little ones" who know how to "welcome" them.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - There are also the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan of Hong Kong and the Bishop of Penang, Malaysia, among the new cardinals named today by Pope Francis at the conclusion of the Angelus in which he recalled the violence in the Holy Land.

The consistory, the pontiff continued, will be held next Sept. 30 - on the eve of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops - for the election of 21 new cardinals, including 18 electors, whose "providence" expresses "the universality" of the Church, which "continues to proclaim God's merciful love to everyone on earth." 

Among the new cardinals is the bishop of Hong Kong, a "bridge" to mainland China, a land and people dear to the pontiff's heart amid complicated relations with Beijing authorities over violations of religious freedom and the state of the Sino-Vatican agreement (and the appointment of bishops).

For the Middle East, the long-awaited appointment by the Church of the Holy Land of Patriarch Pizzaballa, in a complicated phase for the region at home to continuing violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

The relentless spiral was also evoked today by Pope Francis, prior to the convening of the Consistory, in which he said he "learned with sorrow" of the "new blood spilled" in the region, not least the massive army operation in Jenin. 

 The pontiff then hoped that "the authorities" of the two sides "can resume direct dialogue" to "end" the "spiral of violence" and "open paths of reconciliation and peace." Speaking to AsiaNews, former patriarchal vicar Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo described it as a "surprise" that has been expected "for more than 20 years."

At the conclusion of the Marian prayer, the pope then greeted a group of Ukrainian pilgrims, once again asking for prayers for a people "so tried" and who "have suffered so much" and the NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans for the rescues of migrants at sea.

His thanksgiving that fits in with earlier reflections on todays' marking of Sea Sunday in which he hailed how much they work on ships and in the marine environment, especially in cleaning up the waters "from filth" by entrusting sea workers to the "protection of Mary Star of the Sea." 

Earlier, commenting on the words offered by the Gospel liturgy, the Pope recalled how God's "greatness" consists in the love with which he acts, but "is not understood" by those who believe they are great and "manufacture a god [lowercase, ed.] in their own image: powerful, inflexible, vindictive."

"He fails to accept God as Father who is full of himself, proud, concerned only with his own interests." Jesus recalls three wealthy cities of the time-Corazìn, Bethsaida, and Capernaum-where "he performed many healings," the pontiff points out, but "whose inhabitants remained indifferent to his preaching." Here the miracles were "spectacular events" but exhausted "passing interest" they were "filed away" for other news of the moment.

In contrast, the little ones "know how to welcome and Jesus praises the Father for them," says the pope, according to whom the simple and little ones are like children, feel "needy and not self-sufficient," are "open to God" and are "amazed" by his works.

"Do we know how to be amazed," the pope asked, "at the things of God?"

Francis went on  to observe that our lives "are full of miracles," gestures of love and signs of God's goodness, but "our hearts can remain indifferent and become habitual," unable to "let ourselves be impressed," which the pope calls "a beautiful verb," like "a photographer's film." This is the right attitude before the works of God: "photograph them in the mind [...] so that they may be impressed in the heart, and then develop them in life, through many gestures of good." 

In the final passage of the Angelus he urges the faithful to ask themselves whether in the face of the "tide of news that overwhelms us" we are capable of stopping "at the great things that God accomplishes" and whether, like a child, we are capable of marveling at the good that "silently changes the world." "May Mary, who rejoiced in the Lord, make us capable," the pope concluded, "of marveling at His love and praising Him with simplicity."

Below is the complete list of new cardinals: 

S. H.E. Msgr. Robert Francis PREVOST, O.S.A., prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops

H.E. Msgr. Claudio GUGEROTTI, prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches

S. E. Msgr. Víctor Manuel FERNÁNDEZ, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

S. E. Msgr. Emil Paul TSCHERRIG, Apostolic Nuncio

S. E. Msgr. Christophe Louis Yves Georges PIERRE, Apostolic Nuncio

S. E. Msgr. Pierbattista PIZZABALLA, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

S. E. Msgr. Stephen BRISLIN, Archbishop of Cape Town (Kaapstad)

S. E. Msgr. Ángel Sixto ROSSI, S.J., Archbishop of Córdoba

S. E. Msgr. Luis José RUEDA APARICIO, Archbishop of Bogotá

S. E. Msgr. Grzegorz RYŚ, Archbishop of Łódź,

S. E. Msgr. Stephen Ameyu Martin MULLA, Archbishop of Juba

S. E. Msgr. José COBO CANO, Archbishop of Madrid

S. E. Msgr. Protase RUGAMBWA, coadjutor archbishop of Tabora

S. E. Msgr. Sebastian FRANCIS, Bishop of Penang

S. E. Msgr. Stephen CHOW SAU-YAN, S.J., Bishop of Hong Kong

S. E. Msgr. François-Xavier BUSTILLO, O.F.M. Conv., Bishop of Ajaccio 17- H. E. Msgr. Américo Manuel ALVES AGUIAR, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon

Rvdo. Ángel FERNÁNDEZ ARTIME, s.d.b., Rector Major of the Salesians

They are joined by three other future non-electoral cardinals, having passed the age of 80, two archbishops and a religious who have distinguished themselves for their service to the Church:

H.E. Msgr. Agostino MARCHETTO, Apostolic Nuncio.

H.E. Msgr. Diego Rafael PADRÓN SÁNCHEZ, archbishop emeritus of Cumaná

R. Fr. Luis Pascual DRI, OFM Cap., confessor at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, Buenos Aires

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• Consistory
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