Update 3: Prospero Grech elevated to Cardinal
Prospero Grech has been elevated to Cardinal in a ceremony at St Peter's Basilica in Rome this morning,
The Basilica provided the appropriate backdrop for the Papal ceremony, during which Pope Benedict XVI appointed 22 new Cardinals.
Maltese eyes were firmly locked on Cardinal Grech, the 86-year-old Augustinian scholar who became the second Cardinal in Maltese history.
A bitter cold melted away into the first vestiges of spring sunshine this morning, with queues snaking around St Peter's square from early in the morning.
The Cardinal-designates approached the Pope one-by-one, professed their faith and allegiance and kneeled. In turn, they each received their red skull caps and Cardinals' hats, and wereassigned a titular church here in Rome to serve as protectors of.
Cardinal-elect Grech has been given the titular church of Santa Maria Goretti in Rome.
Each of the designates embraced the Pontiff, and then proceeded to greet their new colleagues within the College of Cardinals.
The ceremony, which also saw seven men canonised as saints, has been clouded by embarrassing leaks of internal documents alleging financial mismanagement in Vatican affairs, and reports in the Italian media of political jockeying among church officials who, sensing an increasingly weak pontiff, are already preparing for a conclave.
Today's consistory brought to 125 the number of cardinals aged under 80 who are eligible to vote in a papal election. In all, the College of Cardinals now numbers 213.
Pope Benedict, who turns 85 in April, spoke in a strong voice as he told the cardinals they will be called upon to advise him on the problems facing the church.
In remarks at the start of the service, he recalled that the red colour of the three-pointed hat, or biretta, and the scarlet cassock that cardinals wear symbolises the blood that cardinals must be willing to shed to remain faithful to the church.
"The new cardinals are entrusted with the service of love: love for God, love for his church, an absolute and unconditional love for his brothers and sisters even unto shedding their blood, if necessary," Benedict said.
At the end of his remarks, Pope Benedict said: "And pray for me, that I may continually offer to the people of God the witness of sound doctrine and guide holy church with a firm and humble hand."
Of the 22 new cardinals, seven are Italian, adding to the eight voting-age Italian cardinals named at the last consistory in November 2010. As of today, Italy will have 30 cardinals out of the 125 under 80.
That boosts Italy's chances of taking back the papacy for one of its own following decades under a Polish and a German pope, or at least playing the kingmaker role if an Italian papabile, or papal candidate, does not emerge.
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
36 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Victor Pulis
Feb 18th 2012, 17:04
The closest to god on our planet is the pope. Who says? Tha closest to god if you believe the gospel are the down trodden, the poor and the oppressed. Icertainly didn't see any poor oppressed and downtrodden among all that red and purple.
Wilfred Camilleri
Feb 18th 2012, 18:35
The Pope represents Jesus on earth, so yes, he is the closest to God. Jesus told Peter that on this rock (Peter) he would build His Church. So before you try to (mis)interpret the Gospel, first read it and try to understand what it is saying.
Victor Pulis
Feb 18th 2012, 20:36
I thought the popes name was Benedict not 'Peter. The pope is elected by human cardinals and we all know what goes on behind the scenes of the conclaves. It is just another race for power. As for Jesus telling Peter that he would build his church on 'this rock'Jesus never meant to establish a new church. he was a jew and he came to restore the jewish religion. it was only after the Jews rejected him as the messiah and the destruction of jerusalem by the Romans did his disciples and followers especially Paul establish a new religion mostly based on the Roman empire including most of the rites customs and architecture. The pope became the new emperor complete with the title of Pontifex maximus. In fact The roman emperor would not feel out of place in the vatican.I would be very grateful if you could explain to me where I misinterpreted the bible.
Ms.D. Galea
Feb 18th 2012, 16:58
This is a great honour for Malta and all Maltese especially those born in the city of his birth.
Your Eminence, congratulations, may God bless you and please remember the country of your origin in your daily prayers
Carmelo schembri
Feb 18th 2012, 15:03
Veru li jiddispjacik taqra hafna kummenti bla sens. Possibbli li kulhadd, jew ahjar il-magguranza, jaraw kollox ikrah. Kemm ma nafux inzommu ftit serjeta´f´dak li jinkiteb. Xi drabi meta naqra certi kummenti inhossni verament mdejjaq. U nghid possibbli dawn in-nies x´jahsbu? Huma biss ghandhom ragun? Kulhadd ghandu l-fehma tieghu u mohh biex jahseb. Imma li dejjem kollox ikrah u li kollox hazin igiebli modrija lejn dawn in-nies.
Ejjew inkunu iktar sincieri u naraw is-sabih f´dak li qed jigri.
Lill-Emminenza Patri Prospero Grech OSA nawguralu u nitlob lil Alla ibierek l-ghazla tieghu ta Kardinal. Gieh lil Malta u rikonoxximent tal-hidma tieghu fil-kamp akkademiku u ta kull ma ghamel fil-qadi tieghu ta sacetrdot religjuz agostinjan fil-Knisja .
Daniel Goggi
Feb 18th 2012, 17:43
You know the saying no? "Empty Vessels Make Most Sound".. that's what all these self appointed advocates of ethics, human rights (I quote someone who said we have freedom of speech or something of that sort), moralists, and people who think can or are able to think in a puritan way. LIVE AN LET LIVE PEOPLE.
News is News.. if you don't like it just dont click or view or read the article!
Mr C Busuttil
Feb 18th 2012, 14:56
Xi dwejjaq tan-nies mhux il-Kardinal imma dawn l-erba ghorriefa li wiehed issib fuq dawn il-blogs,
GET A LIFE ghax dejjem fuq din il-website, fuq kull suggett fuq kwalunkwe haga tridu tghidu u kieku tghidu x'haga bis-sens ta' l-inqas!!!!!
L-anqas il-Papa Benedittu ma jaf daqskom, issa dan l-akbar teologu ta' dawn iz-zmienijiet skont is-seksieka ta' dawn il-blogs hmar mill-kbar. Ara veru l-ispizjar milli jkollu jtik ...........biex inkun pulit
W Cassar
Feb 18th 2012, 15:51
Mr C Busuttil
Let the people judge, they have every right since the Church does too and calls you a sinner!
Mr C Busuttil
Feb 18th 2012, 19:55
@W. Cassar
The Catholic Church has that right through her founder therefore go and ask Jesus Christ.
Negative and biased people have no right to judge others neither a priest nor a thief, they live behind a keyboard and write out their frustrations. They same lot on every issue especially when it comes to politics you can feel their hatred towards the other side.
The same lot that ridicule rivalry in the local festas or football when in fact they are even worse when it comes to politics. People who judge others should look into the mirror.
Personally I never heard about this new cardinal however although I am no practising catholic for me it means that the Pope who is no donkey found him worthy of such honour. The new Cardinal must have distinguished himself not like is-seksieka u nullitajiet you find on this blog. The same lot, They should call them desperate bloggers
vella m
Feb 18th 2012, 14:02
I am surrounded by priests who repeat incessantly that their kingdom is not of this world, and yet they lay their hands on everything they can get.Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.
Andy Farrugia
Feb 18th 2012, 15:05
And you are among the "wise"? Hilarious!
vella m
Feb 18th 2012, 16:03
@ Andy Farrugia,Christ did not have any belongings in this world, He had no testament, He left no material inheritance; only spiritual ones.Harsu lejhom tal Curia, kollhom dehbijiet, ruzetti, bokli tad-deheb, tronijiet indurati u mitri .
Andy Farrugia
Feb 18th 2012, 16:46
@ vella m
Your answer DEFINITELY confirms that you ARE among the "wise", no doubt about that!
vella m
Feb 18th 2012, 19:17
@Andy Farrugia,so in your opinion We are not supposed to "think" but merely to obey, consume and propagate.Andy you should read more about the illustrious and spiritual Augustinian, Martin Luther .
Andy Farrugia
Feb 18th 2012, 20:22
@ vella m
Opinion is free, facts are sacrosanct; my comments were exclusively based on fact, namely that you consider yourself to be among the "wise". Good. All other issues are purely the fruit of speculative conjecture, yours, that is. As to what I should read or not, I do hope that you will allow me freedom of choice.
Charmaine Marmara'
Feb 18th 2012, 13:09
such brainwash and rich getting richer ....yes thats our church sadly , money money money !!!!
Tommy Vella
Feb 18th 2012, 14:11
Where is the money in being appointed a cardinal? Fr. Grech was an Aganostinian priest living in an Agostinian community and after to-day he will still be an Agostinian priest living in an Agostinian community.
Wilfred Camilleri
Feb 18th 2012, 18:37
Of course you must be speaking about yourself Charmaine. Sadly, people like you do not have a clue!
Ian Pace
Feb 18th 2012, 12:39
What a load of hogwash!!! With all respect, if this is your assessment of what "closeness to God" means then I can understand why the Church is in such a mess! Yes you can start accusing me that I am anti clerical, start judging as usual...
John Spiteri
Feb 18th 2012, 13:13
We need priests for baptisms weddings and funerals and confession of sin
Mike Abbot
Feb 18th 2012, 15:12
John Spiteri: that's assuming we need baptisms and confession of sin and priests for weddings and funerals
Tommy Vella
Feb 18th 2012, 12:06
We should be very proud, not only because Mons. Grech was elevated to Cardinal but also due to the fact that he is a very erudite scholar, a fact which was stressed both by the Italian commentator as well as the one commenting on EWTN.
DR EMMANUEL BEZZINA,MA,MAG.JUR.[EU Law],LL.D.,
Feb 18th 2012, 12:03
These carnival farces are a far cry of what Christ preached. They will not impress or lure individuals to the intimate faith the Catholic Church once specialised in - now NO MORE.
Jo Camm
Feb 18th 2012, 13:09
Although I have only four letters after my name (C A M M), I am intelligent enough to allow people to do what they think is the best in the cricunstances.
Andy Farrugia
Feb 18th 2012, 13:13
The Cosmic Divinity has spoken from his abode on the Moon!
John Spiteri
Feb 18th 2012, 13:14
Dont be bitter. Whats has the Church dont to upset you
Mr D Galea
Feb 18th 2012, 13:32
karnivalati dak li tghid int. Il-Knisja hija wkoll istituzzjoni li thaddan fiha miljuni ta' persuni u ghalhekk ikun hemm il-bzonn li jkun hemm gerarkija li tmexxi u tiehu hsieb dak li jsir. Il-htiega tal-kardinali hija mportanti ghax dawn jiehdu decizzjonijiet ghal gid tal-knisja.
Allura la skontok it-titlu ta' kardinal huwa farsa karnivaleska, skont l-opinjoni tieghi dawk l-ittri kollha wara ismek huma karnivalata shiha.
Joe Felice-Pace
Feb 18th 2012, 14:07
Naħqa ta' ħmar qatt ma telgħet is-sema, jgħid proverbju Malti
Wilfred Camilleri
Feb 18th 2012, 18:40
And the alphabet soup behind your name is a far cry from what Christ preached as well. They will not impress anyone but yourself and will not lure anyone to your way of thinking.
Ġ. Agius
Feb 18th 2012, 11:30
This is the greatest Maltese man alive at the moment. A fellow Malteser who is closer to God than any one of us. May he pray for us whilst in the vicinity of God near the most sacred of altars, that of the Vatican and next to the direct minister of God for our planet and indeed the universe, Pope Benedict.
GREAT MAN, GREAT GOD!
Franco Farrugia
Feb 18th 2012, 12:27
With all respect, what do you mean by 'A fellow Malteser (?) who is closer to God (??) than any one of us (???).
Whether your comment is in earnest or ironic, it is certainly out of place, uncalled for.
Mr T. A. Bartolo
Feb 18th 2012, 13:11
It is not my habit to waste my time posting comments on timesofmalta.com, however, I really feel the need to question the criteria on which you declare this Prospero fellow to be 'the greatest Maltese man alive at the moment.'
Ian Pace
Feb 18th 2012, 13:18
What a load of hogwash!!! With all respect, if this is your assessment of what "closeness to God" means then I can understand why the Church is in such a mess! Yes you can start accusing me that I am anti clerical, start judging as usual...
Victor Pulis
Feb 18th 2012, 13:52
next to the direct minister of God for our planet and indeed the universe, Pope Benedict.
Don't you think you are overdoing it now? Do you really believe that the pope is ministering the whole universe on behalf of god?!He has a tough job administering the smallest state on the planet as it is!! And since when being a cardinal gets you closer to godwhatever that means?
Ġ. Agius
Feb 18th 2012, 14:27
Of course he is. The greatest thing that we know of is God, no? and the person who is closest to God on our planet is the pope so yes, the pope is responsible for the spiritual administration of existence
AND THIS COUNTS FOR THE NON BELIEVERS TOO. JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN YOUR SOUL, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE POPE OR GOD DOES NOT!!!
W Cassar
Feb 18th 2012, 15:48
@Ġ. Agius
Yes we are the centre of the Universe, greater than any living life form found or not found .... and the earth is flat!
Please choose the reason of your report below: