By LiCAS.news

Manila, July 9, 2023: Pope Francis on July 9 announced he would hold a consistory for the creation of 21 new cardinals, including the bishops of Malaysia and Hong Kong.

“I would like to announce that next 30 September, I will hold a Consistory for the appointment of new Cardinals. Where they come from expresses the universality of the Church, which continues to proclaim the merciful love of God to all people of the earth,” said Pope Francis.

The 86-year-old pontiff made the announcement from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square after the Angelus prayer.

The pope said, “The insertion of the new Cardinals in the Diocese of Rome, manifests the inseparable bond between the See of Peter and the local Churches spread throughout the world.”

Jesuit Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-yan of Hong Kong and Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang (Malaysia) are among those named as cardinals.

Bishop Chow Sau-yan has been the bishop of Hong Kong since December 4, 2021. He was provincial superior of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits, Chinese province from 2018 to 2021.

Bishop Francis was appointed prelate of Penang by Pope Benedict XVI on July 7, 2012. He served as the vicar general of Melaka-Johor Diocese.

In his 10 years of pontificate, the pontiff has already created 121 cardinals from 66 countries at eight consistories. The last consistory to create new cardinals took place on August 27, 2022.

Ten members of the College of Cardinals have turned 80 since the last consistory, thus losing their chance to participate in a future papal election. Seven more cardinals will turn 80 before the end of the year.

Immediately following the 2020 consistory, Pope Francis had appointed 83 of the members of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote in a future conclave.

Benedict XVI had named 38 of the cardinal electors and John Paul II had appointed 11.

Ahead of the upcoming consistory, there are currently 121 cardinal electors, 81 (67%) of whom have been appointed by Pope Francis. – with reports from Catholic News Agency and Vatican News.

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