Pope sends letter to new cardinals

In a letter sent to the 19 new cardinals, to be appointed on February 22,  Pope Francis recalled that this new designation “does not mean a promotion, an honour or an award,” but to be elected Cardinal “is simply a service that requires a broader perspective and to enlarge the heart.”

Bergoglio asked his cardinals to receive this designation “with simplicity and  with a humble heart” and to “stay away from any worldly expression or celebration other than the evangelical spirit, based on austerity, simplicity and poverty.”

The Argentine pope named 19 new cardinals, paying more attention to Latin America. The Cardinals appointed are: the Archbishop of Managua (Nicaragua,)  Leopoldo Jose Brenes Solorzano; Rio de Janeiro (Brazil,) Orani Tempesta Joo; Santiago (Chile,) Ricardo Ezzati Andrello; Les Cayes (Haiti,) Chibly Langlois, and Bergoglio’s substitute in Buenos Aires (Argentina,) Mario Aurelio Poli.

He also appointed the Archbishop of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso,) Philippe Ouedraogo Nakellentuba, Cotabato (Philippines,) Orlando Quevedo, and Abidjan (Ivory Coast,) Jean -Pierre Kutwa.