Pope Francis has today Saturday presided over the Holy Mass for the ordinary public Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals in St Peters Basilica.

The Pope reminded the prelates receiving the red hat that just as Jesus’ ascent to Jerusalem, was not an ascent to worldly glory but to the glory of God, which they too must put the Lord at the center and be the builders of communion and unity.

He encouraged the group of twenty one new Cardinals from across the globe to walk the way of Jesus, together, with humility, wonder and joy.

Pope Francis announced the Consistory at the beginning of October pointing to the fact that the origins of the Cardinal – elects express the universality of the church which continues to proclaim God’s merciful love to all people on earth.

He urged the new Cardinals whom he noted came from different backgrounds and cultures, to be witnesses of fraternity, artisans of communions and builders of unity.

By Gideon Peter Ssebulime

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