Archbishop O’Brien, New Cardinal
On Saturday, February 18, during the fourth ordinary public consistory, Pope Benedict XVI has appointed 22 new cardinals, including Archbishop of Baltimore, Edwin O’Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
Pope Benedict XVI imposed the red biretta and robe and delivered the ring to each of the 22 designated cardinals, including His Excellency Edwin O’Brien, former Pro-Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher. Being created Cardinal, he became the Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher. For this occasion, H.B Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Grand Prior of the Order, went to Rome on Saturday 18th. There are also among the new cardinals His Excellency Fernando Filoni, former apostolic nuncio in Jordan from 2001 to 2006 and now Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
In his homily, the Pope stressed the depth of the vocation of the Cardinal: “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” It is also “expressed in the words of placing the biretta”, he added. Then challenging the new cardinals, he called upon the total gift of themselves: “Dear Brothers who are to be enrolled in the College of Cardinals, may Christ’s total gift of self on the Cross be for you the foundation, stimulus and strength of a faith operative in charity.”
Finally, the Pope invited the faithful to pray for the new Cardinals so “that their lives will always reflect the Lord Jesus, our sole shepherd and teacher.”
Since his election in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI has designated half of the current Cardinals, the others were appointed by his predecessor Pope John Paul II.
Hereafter is an excerpt from the Saturday celebration and the creation of Archbishop Edwin O’Brien as Cardinal: CBS Baltimore Video.
Amélie de La Hougue