Pope to create 14 new cardinals, three from Asia, on 29 June
At the end of the Regina Caeli, Francis called again for dialogue in the Holy Land. He appealed for non-violence in Venezuela, especially towards prisoners. "From that day of Pentecost, and until the end of time, this holiness, whose fullness is Christ, is given to all those who open themselves to the action of the Holy Spirit and endeavour to be docile to it."
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – At the end of the Regina Caeli, Pope Francis said that he was going to create 14 new cardinals. He also made an appeal for Venezuela and expressed his participation in last night’s prayer vigil for peace in Jerusalem.
Among the new cardinals, three are from Asia: His Beatitude Louis Raphaël I Sako, Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon; His Excellency Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi; and His Excellency Thomas Aquinas Manyo, Archbishop of Osaka.
The others are His Excellency Luis Ladaria, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; His Excellency Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of Rome; His Excellency Giovanni Angelo Becciu, Substitute of the Secretary of State and Special Delegate for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta; His Excellency Konrad Krajewski, Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities; His Excellency António dos Santos Marto, Bishop of Leiria-Fátima; His Excellency Pedro Barreto, Archbishop of Huancayo; His Excellency Desiré Tsarahazana, Archbishop of Toamasina; His Excellency Giuseppe Petrocchi, Archbishop of L’Aquila; His Excellency Sergio Obeso Rivera, Emeritus Archbishop of Xalapa; His Excellency Toribio Ticona Porco, Emeritus Bishop of Corocoro; and Rev Father Aquilino Bocos Merino, member of the Claretian order.
Francis told the 30,000 people present in St Peter's Square for the Marian prayer that Pentecost represents the high point of the Easter season, "centred on the death and resurrection of Jesus. This solemnity reminds us and makes us relive the effusion of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the other disciples, gathered in prayer with the Virgin Mary in the Cenacle (cf. Acts 2: 1-11). On that day, the story of Christian holiness began because the Holy Spirit is the source of holiness, which is not the privilege of the few, but the vocation of all."
"With the Baptism, in fact, we are all called to participate in the same divine life of Christ and, with Confirmation, become his witnesses in the world. ‘The Holy Spirit bestows holiness in abundance among God’s holy and faithful people’ (Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et exsultate, 6). As the Second Vatican Council states, ‘God, however, does not make men holy and save them merely as individuals, without bond or link between one another.” Rather it “pleased Him to bring men together as one people, a people which acknowledges Him in truth and serves Him in holiness’ (Const. Dogm. Lumen gentium, 9).
"From that day of Pentecost, and until the end of time, this holiness, whose fullness is Christ, is given to all those who open themselves to the action of the Holy Spirit and endeavour to be docile to it. In fact, another fundamental aspect of holiness is that of being the fruit par excellence of the Holy Spirit. When we open ourselves to the Spirit and allow ourselves to be led by it, we then set out on the path of sanctification, which consists in living in a manner worthy of God and which makes us experience full joy. By coming into us, the Holy Spirit defeats aridity, opens hearts to hope, stimulates and fosters inner maturation in relationship with God and fellow humans. This is what Saint Paul tells us when he says, 'the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness' (Gal 5:22)".
After the Regina Caeli, Francis said that "Pentecost brings us with our heart to Jerusalem. Last night I was spiritually united with the prayer vigil for peace that took place in that city, holy for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Today we continue to invoke the Holy Spirit to inspire willingness and acts of dialogue and reconciliation in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East."
Last but not least, the pope turned his thoughts to "beloved Venezuela". "May the Holy Spirit give wisdom to everyone, the people, the rulers, everyone". He ended praying "for the detainees who died yesterday".
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