Pope Francis has chosen 13 men he admires and whose sympathies align with his to become the Catholic Church's newest cardinals.
A formal ceremony elevating the prelates to the elite position in church hierarchy takes place on Saturday.
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Pope Francis has chosen 13 men he admires and whose sympathies align with his to become the Catholic Church's newest cardinals.
Many of the pastors receiving red hats at Saturday's consistory are from far-flung dioceses in the developing world that never have had a "prince" of the Catholic Church representing them.
FILE - In this March 19, 2016 file photo Pope Francis poses his hands on the head of Father Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, during a Mass for the ordination of new bishops, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Bishop Guixot is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino, file)
FILE - In this March 9, 2012 file photo, Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald takes part in a funeral at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., for five 19th-century Irish immigrants whose remains were excavated from the Duffy's Cut site. Bishop Fitzgerald is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony Satuday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoMatt Rourke, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2019 file photo Pope Francis ordains bishop Michael Czerny, as he celebrates a mass during which he conferred the ordination to four bishops in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Bishop Czerny is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino, file)
FILE - In this March 5, 2019 file photo Cristobal Lopez Romero, Rabat Archbishop takes notes during a presser at Casablanca's Notre Dame church to brief them on the upcoming papal visit, in Morocco. Bishop Romero is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoMosa'ab Elshamy, file)
The appointments mean Francis will have named more than half of the members in the College of Cardinals who are eligible to vote in a concave to choose the next pope.
FILE - In this Feb. 21, 1998 file photo, old Cardinals are seen during the Concistory in which the Pope summoned 22 new Princes of the Church, as cardinals are also called, to help him lead the Roman Catholic church, at the Vatican. Pope Francis has chosen men he admires, resembles and wants to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoAndrew Medichini, file)
Many of the pastors receiving red hats at Saturday's consistory are from far-flung dioceses in the developing world that never have had a "prince" of the Catholic Church representing them.
Francis was elected as the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope in 2013. The social justice ethos of the Jesuits has informed his focus on marginalized communities and the selection of likeminded cardinals.
In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, Michael Czerny, one of the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated during a formal ceremony at the Vatican on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, poses for portraits during an interview with The Associated Press at The Vatican. Czerny is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoDomenico Stinellis)
FILE - In this March 19, 2016 file photo Pope Francis poses his hands on the head of Father Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, during a Mass for the ordination of new bishops, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Bishop Guixot is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino, file)
FILE - In this March 9, 2012 file photo, Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald takes part in a funeral at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., for five 19th-century Irish immigrants whose remains were excavated from the Duffy's Cut site. Bishop Fitzgerald is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony Satuday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoMatt Rourke, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2019 file photo Pope Francis ordains bishop Michael Czerny, as he celebrates a mass during which he conferred the ordination to four bishops in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Bishop Czerny is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoAlessandra Tarantino, file)
FILE - In this March 5, 2019 file photo Cristobal Lopez Romero, Rabat Archbishop takes notes during a presser at Casablanca's Notre Dame church to brief them on the upcoming papal visit, in Morocco. Bishop Romero is among 13 men Pope Francis admires, resembles and has chosen to honor as the 13 newest cardinals who will be elevated at a formal ceremony, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP PhotoMosa'ab Elshamy, file)