With the new creations, as the making of cardinals is officially known, Pope Francis will blast through the soft cap of 120 electors set by his predecessor, Pope St. Paul VI.
Christopher R. Altieri is a journalist, editor and author of three books, including Reading the News Without Losing Your Faith (Catholic Truth Society, 2021). He is contributing editor to Catholic World Report.
Pope Francis on Sunday announced a consistory for the creation of new cardinals, and it’s a bumper crop. On September 30th, eighteen new red hats will gain voting rights in the next conclave, bringing the total number of electors to 137. Ninety-nine of them have their hats directly from Francis.
With the new creations, as the making of cardinals is officially known, Pope Francis will blast through the soft cap of 120 electors set by his predecessor, Pope St. Paul VI. By this, he may or may not be successful in securing a successor who will preserve and continue his work. But it is abundantly clear now that he is trying—and in a hurry—to secure his legacy. …
