• December 29
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that Pope Benedict XVI sent a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Bishops, on the death at 104 of his father, Matteo Re.

• December 27
  Biograhical entry of Quasi-cardinal Jean Parisot de La Valette, O.S.Io.Hieros. (1565), based in part on information kindly provided by Father Sebastian Wiśniewski, from Gliwice, Poland; and by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• December 22
  Pope Benedict XVI named members of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints Cardinals Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts, and James Michael Harvey, archpriest of the papal basilica of S. Paolo fuori le mura.

• December 20
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that Pope Benedict XVI received in private audience in the morning Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. During the audience, the pope authorized the congregation to promulgate several decrees. Among them, the one concerning the heroic virtues of Pope Paul VI, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, who was born in Concesio, Italy, on September 26, 1897 and died in Castelgandolfo, Italy, on August 6, 1978.

• December 19
  Vatican Radio announced that Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the Chaldean Church presented by Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, and convoked in Rome on January 28, 2013, the Synod of Bishops of that Church for the election of the successor. The pope charged Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, with presiding the synod. According to the law, the administrator of the Chaldean Church until the election of the new patriarch is the bishop of curia Jacques Ishaq, titular archbishop of Nisibi of the Chaldeans.

• December 17
  New photographs of Cardinal James Michael Harvey (2012); John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (2012); Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M. (2012); Rubén Salazar Gómez (2012); and Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle (2012).

• December 12
  The Brazilian Federal Senate awarded the Prize "Dom Helder Câmara" to five citizens, among them Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of Saõ Paulo. The prize was created by the senate in 2010 to honor the citizens who distinguished themselves in the defense of human rights.

• December 12
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Cibo (1473); Bandinello Sauli (1511); Federico Borromeo, seniore (1587); Franz Seraph von Dietrichstein (1599); Roberto Bellarmino, S.J. (1599) Armand-Jean du Plessis de Richelieu (1622): Antonio Barberini, seniore, O.F.M.Cap. (1624); Giambattista Pamphilj (1627); Benedetto Odescalchi (1645); Federico Visconti (1681); Lorenzo Brancati, O.F.M. Conv. (1681); Gianfrancesco Albani (1690); Giuseppe Archinto (1699); Giuseppe Vallemani (1706); Gaetano Stampa (1739); Stefano Borgia (1789); Ercole Consalvi (1800); Gregorio Barnaba Chiaramonti, O.S.B.Cas. (1785); Thomas Weld (1830); Antonio Maria Cagiano de Azevedo (1844); Paul-Thérèse-David d'Astros (1850); Jean-Baptiste-François Pitra, O.S.B. (1863); John McCloskey (1875); Johannes Baptiste Franzelin, S.J. (1876); Antolín Monescillo y Viso (1884); Alfonso Capecelatro, Orat. (1885); Placido Maria Schiaffino, O.S.B.Oliv. (1885); Pietro Respighi (1899); Aristide Rinaldini (1907); Pietro Maffi (1907); Pietro La Fontaine (1916); Eugenio Tosi, O.SS.C.A. (1922); Luigi Lavitrano (1929); Luigi Maglione (1935); Giovanni Mercati (1936); Jaime de Barros Câmara (1946); Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1953); Fernando Quiroga y Palacios (1953); John Francis O'Hara, C.S.C. (1958); Raúl Silva Henríquez, S.D.B. (1962); Giovanni Colombo (1965); Paul Yü Pin (1969); Peter Thomas McKeefry (1969); Eugênio de Araújo Sales (1969); Ferdinando Giuseppe Antonelli, O.F.M. (1973); Humberto Sousa Medeiros (1973); László Lékai (1976); George Basil Hume, O.S.B. (1976); Joseph Louis Bernardin (1983); Paul Augustin Mayer, O.S.B. (1985); Vincentas Sladkevičius (1988); Alexandru Todea (1991); Giovanni Saldarini (1991); Miloslav Vlk (1994); Mikel Koliqi (1994); Dionigi Tettamanzi (1998); Paul Shan Kuo-Hsi, S.J. (1998); François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân (2001); Stephen Fumio Hamao (2003); João Braz de Aviz (2012); Edwin Frederick O'Brien (2012); Julien Ries (2012); and Pseudocardinal Alamanno Adimari (1411), kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• December 8
  Cardinal Eusébio Oscar Scheid, S.C.I., archbishop emeritus of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The members of the College of Cardinals are 211. The cardinal electors are now 119; 52 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 67 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 92, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 73 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• December 7
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, special papal envoy to the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni, India, and the 25th anniversary of the institution of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), programmed for February 9 to 11, 2013.

• December 5
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Cesare Monti (1629); Antonio Francesco Sanvitale (1709); Benedetto Erba-Odescalchi (1713); Ippolito Antonio Vincenti Mareri (1794); József Samassa (1905); Domenico Serafini, O.S.B.Cas. (1914); Luigi Maglione (1935); Carlos María de la Torre (1953); and James Michael Harvey (2012).

• December 1
  Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, was awarded the Prize Caravella del Mediterraneo, promoted and organized by the association "Terra del Mediterraneo", in partnership with Europuglia, the portal for the promotion of the activities and projects of the Mediterranean Service of the Region of Puglia, Italy. The cardinal was awarded the prize "for the long service to the Church in the promotion of reconciliation between peoples and cultures and the proposal of the testimonies of faith that have joined the banks Mediterranean in the sign of solidarity, acceptance and coexistence": The ceremony took place in Bari, Italy.

• December 1
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 277 (46.223), sabato 1 dicembre 2012, p. 8, reported that "As part of the traditional exchange of delegations for their feasts of patron saints, June 29 in Rome for the celebration of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul and November 30 in Istanbul for the celebration of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, headed this year the delegation of the Holy See for the Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The cardinal was accompanied by Bishop Brian Farrell, L.C., secretary of the dicastery, and Monsignor Andrea Palmieri, undersecretary. In Istanbul, the apostolic nuncio in Turkey, Archbishop Antonio Lucibello, joined the delegation. The delegation of the Holy See took part in the solemn Divine Liturgy presided by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in the patriarchal church of Fanar, and had a meeting with the patriarch and conversations with the synodal committee in charge of relations with the Catholic Church. Cardinal Koch delivered an autograph message to the ecumenical patriarch from the pope. The message was read at the end of the Divine Liturgy. The pope also sent a gift. The cardinal also met with representatives of the local Catholic community and had a conversation with the ecumenical committee of the apostolic vicariate of the Catholic Church in Istanbul.

• November 30
  After the consistory of November 24, 2012, the total number of members of the College of Cardinals is 211, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 125 by Pope John Paul II; and 84 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 91, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 72 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal electors are 120; 53 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 67 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• November 28
  Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, bishop of the title of Porto-Santa Rufina, sub-dean of the College of Cardinals, suffered another fall in his apartment and fractured again his femur. He successfully underwent surgery and is recovering at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. Information kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• November 27
  -- Thottunkal: 'We have to laugh more' and spread joy; and Pope greets new cardinals and their families, videos, Rome Reports.

• November 27
  Cardinal Elia dalla Costa, archbishop of Florence, Italy, from 1931 until 1961, has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by the Yad Vashem Museum of the Holocaust in Jerusalem. The cardinal's name will be engraved on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous for having saved the lives of hundreds of Jews from the Nazi persecution during the Second Wolrd War.

• November 26
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 273 (46.219), lunedì-martedì 26-27 novembre 2012, pagina 6, reported that Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka, O.P., archbishop of Prague, solemnly took possession on the evening of Sunday November 25, 2012, of the title of Ss. Marcellino e Pietro, the Roman church in via Labicana, the Lateran. The Dominican cardinal was welcomed by the parish priest, Father Giuseppe Sergio Ciucci, who presented the the crucifix to the cardinal to kiss and venerate. This was followed by the mass. Together with Cardinal Duka concelebrated, among others, Cardinal Giovanni Coppa, apostolic nuncio in Prague from 1990 to 2001; Bishop Enrico dal Covolo, rector of the Pontifical Lateran University; Monsignor Natalino Zagotto, protonotary apostolic supernumerary, who read the papal bull; the parish priest; and Czech priests of the Order of Preachers. Present were some diplomatic representatives, including the ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Holy See. The rite was directed by Monsignor Konrad Krajewski, papal master of ceremonies.

• November 26
  -- Pope greets family members of Cardinals James Harvey, John Onaiyekan and Boutros Rai; -- Pope's Angelus: Pray for the new cardinals; -- Pope congratulates new Colombian Cardinal Ruben Salazar; -- Pope cheerfully greets Cardinal Tagle's parents; -- Benedict XVI homily for the feast of Christ the King; -- Lebanese Catholics see new cardinal as symbol of unity in Middle East; and Cheers and colorful attire celebrate Nigeria's newest cardinal, videos, Rome Reports.

• November 26
  At noon, in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Benedict XVI received in audience the new cardinals created on Saturday November 24, 2012, accompanied by their families and the faithful of their dioceses who had come to Rome to participate in the consistory and addressed them a discourse.

• November 26
  -- Benedict XVI homily for the ceremony to create six new cardinals; -- Vatican opens its doors for courtesy visits with six new cardinals; -- Six new cardinals: various birettes, tears and African cheers in St. Peter's Basilica; and Cardinal Tagle explains his emotion, videos, Rome Reports.

• November 25
  At 9.30 a.m., on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, Pope Benedict XVI presided over a celebration of the eucharist in the papal Vatican basilica with the six new cardinals created in yesterday's consistory. At the beginning of the mass, Cardinal James Michael Harvey, archpriest of the papal basilica of S. Paolo fuori le mura, the first of the new cardinals, addressed the pontiff expressing gratitude in his name and on behalf of the other newly created cardinals. During the mass, the pope delivered the homily.

• November 24
  In the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of six new cardinals celebrated at 11:00 a.m. in the papal Vatican basilica, Pope Benedict XVI assigned the deaconry of S. Pio V a Villa Carpegna to Cardinal James Michael Harvey; the title of S. Gregorio VII to Cardinal Baselios Clemes Thottunkal; the title of S. Saturnino to Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan; the title of S. Gerardo Maiella to Cardinal Rubén Salazar Gómez; and the title of S. Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle to Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle. Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M., because he is a patriarch of Oriental rite, was not assigned a Roman titular church. At the beginning of the ceremony, the pope delivered the homily. Special delegations from the countries of origin of the new cardinals included Lebanese President Michel Suleiman; as well as a delegation from Hezbollah, which operates in the country as a political party and mainstream social movement; the vice president of the Philippines, Jejomar Binay; and lawmakers from India and Nigeria.

• November 24
  Pope Benedict XVI named member of the Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; and member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Guadalajara, México.

• November 23
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal-designate James Michael Harvey, until then prefect of the Papal Household, archpriest of the papal basilica of San Paolo fuori le mura. The post had been occupied until today by Cardinal Francesco Monterisi. Video, Rome Reports.

• November 23
  Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax and of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The members of the College of Cardinals are 205. The cardinal electors are now 114; 53 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 61 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 91, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 72 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI. Video, Rome Reports.

• November 22
  The cost of becoming a cardinal by Andrea Tornielli, Vatican Insider, 11/22/201. Same news in Italian.

• November 22
  New Cardinals: What will the College of Cardinals look like?; What is a consistory?; and Are there different types of cardinals?, videos, Rome Reports.

• November 21
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff informed that on Saturday November 24, 2012, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., will take place the visits of courtesy to the new cardinals in the following places:
  
  Sala Regia, Apostolic Palace:
  Cardinals James Michael Harvey; Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M.; and Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal.
  
  Sala Ducale, Apostolic Palace:
  Cardinals John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan; Rubén Salazar Gómez; and Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle.
  
  To reach the first Loggia of the Apostolic Palace the access is from the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica.
  Starting at 4 p.m., there will be available: for the cars of the cardinals, the courtyard of San Damaso; and for family members and guests, the semi-circle on the left of St. Peter's Square.
  During all visits it is requested to follow the routes indicated.
  
  Mons. Guido Marini
  Master of the Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations.

• November 19
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff informed that on Sunday November 25, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., Cardinal Dominik Duka, O.P., archbishop of Prague, Czech Republic, will take possession of the title of Ss. Marcellino e Pietro, Via Labicana, 1, Rome.

• November 16
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced that on Saturday November 24, 2012, at 11 a.m., in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI will hold an Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of six new cardinals, the imposition of the biretta, the consignment of the ring and the assignation of title or diaconate.
  
  The courtesy visits to the new cardinals will be held on Saturday November 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the places to be at the time indicated.
  
  On Sunday November 25, Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, at 9:30 a.m., in St. Peter's Basilica, the pope will celebrate mass. The new cardinals will concelebrate with him.

• November 15
  By decree of Fra' Matthew Festing, prince and grand master of the of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Cardinal Prosper Grech, O.S.A., was admitted into the order in the rank and dignity of a bailiff grand cross of honor and devotion. The ceremony was held at the Magistral Palace, Via Condotti, Rome. Information kindly provided by Mr. Michael Grech, from Malta.

• November 15
  Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Guadalajara, México, was elected president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference for the triennium 2012-2015, during the plenary assembly of the bishops of the country. Video, Rome Reports.

• November 15
  Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum returned to the Vatican after visiting the Middle East as a special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI to call for peace and deliver a million dollars from the pontiff in humanitarian aid to Syria and other countries in conflict. Cardinal Sarah was appointed by the pope to visit the region and went to Beirut, Lebanon, unable to enter Syria for security reasons. The cardinal returned to Rome after meeting with the displaced Syrians taking refuge in the neighboring country. He also met with twenty Catholic charitable agencies working in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.

• November 13
  Biographical entries of the newly found Cardinal Longino (1140) and Pseudocardinal Lancelot de Lusignan (1447), based on information kindly provided by Mr. Tomasz Karlikowski, from Poznań, Poland.

• November 11
  A solemn mass was celebrated in the church of the Gesù in Rome for the opening of the year-long ceremonies to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the campaign to end slavery in Africa launched by the French Cardinal Charles-Martial-Allemand Lavigerie, M.Afr., in 1888, at the invitation of Pope Leo XIII. The mass was celebrated by Michael Louis Fitzgerald, M.Afr., titular archbishop of Nepte, former nuncio to Egypt.

• November 10
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Paul Poupard, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture, special papal envoy to the concluding celebrations of the jubilar year dedicated to the Venerable Servant of God Pauline Jaricot, in the 150th anniversary of her death and in the fiftieth anniversary of the decree of the heroicity of her virtues, programmed for Lyon, France, on January 9, 2013.

• November 9
  The Press Office of the Holy See announced that Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new cardinals on Saturday November 24, 2012, at 11 a.m., in the papal Vatican Basilica. On the following day, Sunday November 25, Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, at 9:30 a.m., the pope will concelebrate mass with the new cardinals.

• November 7
  During today's general audience, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he is sending to Lebanon Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum as his representative to Syria. Because of the instability in that country, the plan to send a synodal delegation to that country has become impossible. Cardinal Sarah will be in Lebanon from now until November 10. He will meet with the bishops and the faithful of the Church that have a presence in Syria. He will visit refugees from that country and will chair the coordination meeting of Catholic charitable institutions to which the Holy See has called for a special aid of the Syrian population inside and outside the country. On this visit to Lebanon, Cardinal Sarah will bring a donation of one million dollars to help rebuild the country and help the victims.

• November 6
  Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Pontifical Faculty of Theology, which is part of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński Catholic University of Warsaw. In the ceremony, the laudatio was delivered by Auxiliary Bishop Tadeusz Pikus of Warsaw. The cardinal was accompanied by the auxiliary bishop of Barcelona, Sebastià Taltavull Anglada, by his immediate staff and by some other faithful. Invited by Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop of Warsaw, Cardinal Martínez Sistach will also have the opportunity to present the Polish version of his book "Las asociaciones de fieles" (Lay associations), which has been translated into several languages.

• November 6
  Today was celebrated in the Ambrosian Library, in Milan, the conference "Giovanni Colombo e il suo tempo. Statura e originalit` di un maestro e di un pastore", which was opened with the intervention of Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan. The conference starts the year (Anno Colombiano) dedicated to the memory of Cardinal Giovanni Colombo, who was archbishop of that see from 1963 to 1979.

• November 3
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Franc Rodé, C.M., prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, special papal envoy to the conclusive celebration of the 500th anniversary of the archdiocese of Ljubljana, Slovenia, which will take place on December 9, 2012.

• November 3
  At 11:30 a.m., in the Altar of the Cathedra of the papal Vatican basilica, Pope Benedict XVI presided over the eucharistic celebration in suffrage of the ten cardinals who died between December 11, 2011 and September 20, 2012; and the 143 archbishops and bishops who passed away from October 27, 2011 until October 28, 2012 . The pope also delivered the homily. Concelebrating with the pope were thirty two cardinals, among them Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals; and Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State. Present in the ceremony were Cardinals Eduardo Martínez Somalo, Darío Castrillón Hoyos and Walter Brandmüller. Also present was Monsignor Guido Pozzo, who today was named papal almoner and titular archbishop of Bagnoregio. With the diplomatic corps were Archbishops Angelo Becciù, substitute of the Secretariat of State; and Dominique Mamberti, secretary for the Relations with the States; and Monsignor Fortunatus Nwachukwu, head of protocol of the Secretariat of State. Accompanying the pope were Archbishop James Michael Harvey, prefect of the Pontifical Household, who will be promoted to the cardinalate on November 24 of this year; Monsignors Georg Gänswein, his private secretary; and Alfred Xuereb, of the papal private secretariat; and Professor Patrizio Polisca, his personal physician. Booklet for the celebration.

• November 2
  Catalog of Hungarian cardinals (1251-2003).

• November 1
  Cardinal Francis Arinze, bishop of the title of the suburbicarian see of Velletri-Segni and prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The members of the College of Cardinals are 205. The cardinal electors are now 115; 54 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 61 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 90, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 71 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI. Video from Rome Reports.

• October 31
  la-Croix.com informed that Cardinal-designate John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, received the Prix de la Pax from Pax Christi International for "his effort to promote the mutual understanding for the dialog between persons of different religions in Africa, in particular in his native country, Nigeria", in a ceremony celebrated in the archdiocesan pastoral center of Malines, Belgium.

• October 28
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, CLII n. 249 (46.195) domenica 28 ottobre 2012 pag. 6, informed that during the 21st general congregation of the Synod of Bishops, its secretary general, Archbishop Nikola Eterović, announced the names of the members of the 13th council of the general secretariat of the synod. Among them are Cardinals Christoph Schönborn, O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria, president of the Episcopal Conference; Wilfrid Fox Napier, O.F.M., archbishop of Durban, South Africa; Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax; George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia; Péter Erdö, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, president of the Episcopal Conference, president of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (C.C.E.E.); Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India, secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (F.A.B.C.); Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of São Paulo, Brazil; Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Donald William Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, United States of America; and Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York, president of the Episcopal Conference, United States of America. Also, Cardinal-designate Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, archbishop of Manila, Philippines.

• October 27
  Pope Benedict XVI named member of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialog Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; and member of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, president of Caritas Internationalis.

• October 27
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced that on Saturday November 3, 2012, at 11:30 a.m., in the Altar of the Cathedra of the papal Vatican basilica, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate Holy Mass in suffrage of the cardinals and bishops who have died during the current year.

• October 27
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 248 (46.194) sabato 27 ottobre 2012 pag. 7, reported that in the afternoon of Thursday October 25, 2012, Cardinal Edwin Frederick O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, took possession of the deaconry of S. Sebastiano al Palatino, a Roman church in Via San Bonaventura. The American cardinal was greeted by the rector of the church, Father Alvaro Cacciotti, of the Friars Minor, who held out the crucifix for the ritual kiss; and then the cardinal presided the Eucharist and delivered the homily. Concelebrating were His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins and grand prior of the Order; Archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea, councilor; and Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Secular Institute Pius X, archbishop of Québec, Canada; Father Cacciotti, a priest of the North American College, of which Cardinal O'Brien was rector; and a priest from the archdiocese of Baltimore, of which Cardinal O'Brien was archbishop. Among those present were Cardinal Bernard Francis Law; Bishop Franco Croci; the governor general of the order, Agostino Borromeo; with the vice governor, Giorgio Moroni Print; and the lieutenant for central Italy, Saverio Petrillo; and Monsignor Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin, protonotary apostolic de numero participante, who read the papal bull. The rite was directed by Monsignor John Richard Cihak, papal master of ceremonies. The seminarians of the North American College served the liturgical celebration and provided chants. At the end, in Palazzo della Rovere, the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Palestine, patroness of Jerusalem, was celebrated.

• October 25
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 246 (46.192) giovedì 25 ottobre 2012 , p. 7, reported that on the afternoon of Tuesday October 23, 2012, Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins, archbishop of Toronto, Canada, took possession of the title of S. Patrizio a Villa Ludovisi. After the ritual kiss to the crucifix on the threshold of the Roman church run by the Augustinian fathers, the Canadian cardinal presided over the eucharistic celebration. Concelebrating were Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Secular Institute Pius X, archbishop of Québec; William Richard Smith, archbishop of Edmonton; Gerard Pettipas, C.SS.R., archbishop of Grouard-McLennan; and Lionel Gendron, P.S.S., bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil; in addition to the rector of the church, Father Anthony Finn. Monsignor Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin, protonotary apostolic, read the papal bull. The rite was directed by Monsignor John Richard Cihak, papal master of ceremonies. Among those present were Monsignor José Avelino Bettencourt, an official of the Secretariat of State; and Anne Leahy, ambassador of Canada to the Holy See.

• October 24
  

  At the end of the weekly General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI announced the celebration of a consistory for the creation of new cardinals that will take place on November 24, 2012. The prelates that will be elevated to the cardinalate are:
  James Michael Harvey, titular archbishop of Memfi, prefect of the Pontifical Household, who will be named archpriest of the papal basilica of San Paolo fuori le mura.
  Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M., patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon.
  Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, archbishop major of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India.
  John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria.
  Rubén Salazar Gómez, archbishop of Bogotá, Colombia.
  Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, archbishop of Manila, Philippines.

  Note. This is the first consistory since the one celebrated by Pope Pius XI on December 19, 1927 (X) in which no Italian prelate was promoted to the cardinalate; and the first one in which no Europeans were elevated to that dignity since the consistory of March 24, 1924 (IV) by the same pope.

• October 24
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Francesco Monterisi, archpriest of the papal basilica of S. Paolo fuori le mura, member of the Congregation for Bishops.

• October 22
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 244 (46.190), lunedì-martedì 22-23 ottobre 2012, p. 7, reported that on the afternoon of Saturday October 20, 2012, Cardinal Julien Ries solemnly took possession of the deaconry of S. Antonio di Padua in Circonvallazione Appia. After the ritual kiss to the crucifix on the threshold of the Roman church, of the fathers Rogationists, the Belgian cardinal presided over the eucharistic celebration. Concelebrating were Archbishops Pier Luigi Celata, vice chamberlain of Holy Roman Church, and André Léonard, archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, president of the Episcopal Conference of Belgium; the pastor, Father Paul Bertapelle, who read the papal bull; and Rogationists priests of the community. The rite was directed by Monsignor Stefano Sanchirico, papal master of ceremonies.

• October 18
  Additional details on the episcopal consecration of Cardinals Francesco Maria Tarugi, Orat. (1596); Lucio Sanseverino (1621); Cesare Monti (1629); Giuseppe Archinto (1699); Antonio Maria Cagiano de Azevedo (1844); Niccola Paracciani Clarelli (1844); Gaetano Aloisii Masella (1887); have been added to their biographical entries courtesy of Mr. Charles N. Bransom, Jr., director and editor of Revue des Ordinations Épiscopales, and creator of the site Apostolic Succession & Episcopal Lineages in the Roman Catholic Church.

• October 16
  During the afternoon session of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State, informed that a delegation from the Holy See will travel to Damascus, Syria, "in order to express, in his name and in all our names:
  - our fraternal solidarity with the entire population, with a personal offering from the Synod Fathers as well as from the Holy See;
  - our spiritual closeness to our Christian brothers and sisters;
  - our encouragement to all those involved in seeking an agreement that respects the rights and duties of all, with particular attention to the demands of humanitarian law."
  
  The delegation will be composed of Synodal Fathers: Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa; Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue; Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, United States of America; Bishop Fabio Suescun Mutis, military ordinary of Colombia; Bishop Joseph Nguyên Nang of Phát Diêm.
  
  In addition to these Synodal Fathers, the following individuals will also be part of the delegation: Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State; and Monsignor Alberto Ortega, official of the Secretariat of State. Video, Rome Reports.

• October 16
  Fourteen years ago today, the site "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church" was started. Since January 1, 2002, it has received over 1.6 million visits. Thanks to all who have contributed with their input, work and interest as well as to all the visitors.

• October 15
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 238 (46.184), lunedì-martedì 15-16 ottobre 2012, p. 12, reported that in the afternoon of Sunday October 14, 2012, Cardinal George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, solemnly took possession of the title of S. Bernardo alle Terme. After the ritual kiss to the crucifix on the threshold of that Roman church in Via Torino, the head of the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church presided over the liturgy of the word. Present were Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; with Monsignor Maurizio Malvestiti, secretary, His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars; the abbot general of the Cistercians, to which order is entrusted the church, Mauro Giuseppe Lepori, with the Fathers Stefano Zanolini, prior, and Romano Bressan, rector; and the procurator of the Syro-Malabars in Rome, Stephen Chirapanath. The ritual was directed by Monsignor Stefano Sanchirico, papal master of ceremonies.

• October 15
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 238 (46.184), lunedì-martedì 15-16 ottobre 2012, p. 12, reported that in the morning of Sunday October 14, 2012, Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York, took solemn possession of the title of Nostra Signora di Guadalupe a Monte Mario. After the ritual kiss to the crucifix on the threshold of that Roman church, the president of the Episcopal Conference of the United States of America presided over the eucharistic celebration. Concelebrating, among others, were the archbishop of Louisville, Joseph Edward Kurtz, vice president of the conference; Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, of the Secular Institute Pius X, archbishop of Québec; Brian Joseph Dunn, bishop of Antigonish, Canada; and the parish priest Monsignor Francesco Mammoli. The papal bull was read by Monsignor Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin, protonotary apostolic. The rite was directed by Monsignor John Richard Cihak, papal master of ceremonies.

• October 14
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 237 (46.183), domenica 14 ottobre 2012, reported that on October 13 and 14, took place in Roteglia (Reggio Emilia) the congress "I fratelli Mercati nella storia e nella cultura del Novecento" (The Mercati brothers in the history and in the culture of the twentieth century), dedicated to Giovanni Mercati (1866-1957), who was cardinal librarian and archivist; Angelo Mercati (1870-1955), prefect of the Vatican Archive; and Professor Silvio Giuseppe Mercati (1877-1963), a distinguished Byzantinist. Participating in the congress, among others, were Bishop Sergio Pagano, prefect of the Secret Vatican Archive; Monsignor Cesare Pasini, prefect of the Apostolic Vatican Librarary; Felice Accrocca, Pontifical Gregorian University; Paolo Vian, director of the Department of manuscripts of the Apostolic Vatican Library; Annalisa Capristo, library of "Centro Studi Americani di Roma"; and Francesco D'Aiuto, professor of Byzantine phylology at "Università 2 di Roma".

• October 13
  On Saturday, October 6, 2012, the remains of Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa, archbishop emeritus of Dar-es-Saalam, Tanzania, were reinterred in the cathedral of Bukoba, after restorations on the latter were completed. The transfer of his remains coincided with the centenary of his birth. Thousands participated in the event. Dignitaries included over twenty three bishops from all over the world and a selection of government officials, including the Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development Professor Anna Tibaijuka. Information kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• October 13
  Among the seventy six surviving bishops who participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) are Cardinals Fiorenzo Angelini (1991) (four sessions); Serafim Fernandes de Araújo (1998) (first, second and fourth sessions); Francis Arinze (1985) (fourth session); Giovanni Canestri (1988) (four sessions); Emmanuel III Delly (2007) (second and fourth sessions); and Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy (1985) (second, third and fourth sessions).

• October 13
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, archbishop emeritus of Manila, Philippines, special papal envoy to the Tenth Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), which will take place in Viêt Nam, at Xuân Lôc Diocesan Pastoral Center, from November 19 to 25, 2012, and which concluding ceremony will take place in the metropolitan cathedral of Thành-Phô Hô Chi Minh (Hôchiminh Ville).

• October 12
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese (1605); Lorenzo Ganganelli, O.F.M.Conv. (1759); Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana y Butrón (1789); Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta (1903); Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (1911); Michele Lega (1914); Louis-Joseph Maurin (1916); Oreste Giorgi (1916); Eugenio Tosi, O.SS.C.A. (1922); Bonaventura Cerretti (1925); Luigi Capotosti (1926); Giuseppe Gamba (1926); Carlo Dalmazio Minoretti (1929); Maurilio Fossati, O.SS.C.G. (1933); Carlo Salotti (1933); Norman Thomas Gilroy (1946); Celso Costantini (1953); Carlo Chiarlo (1958); Albert Gregory Meyer (1959); William Theodore Heard (1959); Laurean Rugambwa (1960); Léon-Étienne Duval (1965); Dino Staffa (1967); Pericle Felici (1967); Michele Pellegrino (1967); Benno Walter Gut, O.S.B. (1967); Eugênio de Araújo Sales (1969); Jean Daniélou, S.J. (1969); Joseph Cordeiro (1973); James Darcy Freeman (1973); Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy (1985); Paulos Tzadua (1985); Paul Poupard (1985); Angelo Felici (1988); Pierre Eyt (1994); William Henry Keeler (1994); Jean Balland (1998); Giovanni Cheli (1998); Severino Poletto (2001); Gustaaf Joos (2003); Domenico Calcagno (2012); Giuseppe Versaldi (2012); and Quasi-cardinal Josip Uhac (1998), kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• October 10
  Cardinal Dominik Duka, O.P., archbishop of Prague, Czech Republic, informed in his blog that he will take possession of his title, Ss. Marcellino e Pietro, on November 25, 2012, at 6:00 p.m.

• October 10
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Anno CLII n. 233 (46.179), mercoledì 10 ottobre 2012, pagina 11, informed that on the afternoon of Monday, October 8, 2012, His Beatitude Cardinal Lucian Mureşan, archbishop major of Făgăras şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians, Romania, solemnly took possession of the title of S. Atanasio, the Roman church in Via del Babuino. The cardinal was greeted by the rector of the Pontifical Greek College, Archimandrite Manuel Nin, O.S.B., who presented the crucifix. Following, took place the celebration of Vespers. Among those present were Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; with Monsignor Maurizio Malvestiti, under-secretary; the Greek Catholic major archbishop of Ukraine; and Romanian bishops members of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Synod with a Latin brother; Monsignor Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin, protonotary apostolic di numero partecipante, who read the papal bull; the Romanian ambassador to the Holy See, Bodgan Tataru-Cazaban, who granted, on behalf of the president of the republic, a high honor to the cardinal. The rite was directed by Monsignor Marco Agostini, papal master of ceremonies.

• October 9
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff communicated the details concerning the taking of possession that will take place in the coming days:
     -- Sunday October 14, 2012, at 11:30 a.m., Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York, United States of America, will take possession of the title of Nostra Signora di Guadalupe a Monte Mario, Piazza Nostra Signora di Guadalupe, 12.
     -- Tuesday October 23, 2012, at 6:00 p.m., Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins, archbishop of Toronto, Canada, will take possession of the title of S. Patrizio, Via Boncompagni, 31.
     -- Thursday October 25, 2012, at 5:00 p.m., Cardinal Edwin Frederick OBrien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, will take possession of the deaconry of S. Sebastiano al Palatino, Via di San Bonaventura, 1.

• October 7
  New bibliographic items added to the site during the months of July to September 2012.

• October 5
  The Holy See Press Office published the list of participants in the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which includes forty nine cardinals. The Synod will take place in Vatican City, from October 7 to 28, 2012, on the theme "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith".

• October 3
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff published the details concerning the taking of possession of the following titles and deaconry:
     -- At 6 p.m. on Monday October 8 Cardinal Lucian Mureşan, archbishop major of Făgăras şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians, Romania, will take possession of the title of S. Atanasio, Via del Babuino 149, Rome.
     -- At 4 p.m. on Sunday October 14 Cardinal George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, will take possession of the title of S. Bernardo alle Terme, Via Torino 94, Rome.
     -- At 6.30 p.m. on Saturday October 20 Cardinal Julien Ries will take possession of the deaconry of S. Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia, Circonvallazione Appia 150, Rome.

• October 1
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican news paper, Anno CLII n. 226 (46.172), lunedì-martedì 1-2 ottobre 2012, p. 4, informed that Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, has instituted the "Prize Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini" to encourage the study of biblical disciplines, particularly textual criticism, the deepening of the theme of the lectio divina and the reflection on the relationship between the Gospel and the present time. The convocation to the competition will be published on February 15, 2013, the day when Cardinal Martini, who was archbishop of Milan 1979 to 2002, would have turned 86 years old.

• September 26
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican news paper, Anno CLII n. 221 (46.167), mercoledì 26 settembre 2012, p. 8, informed that on the evening of Tuesday, September 25, 2012, took place in the monastery of Pedralbes, in Barcelona, the ceremony for the conferral of the International Award Conde de Barcelona on Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State. The prestigious award was established by the foundation Conde de Barcelona of the Spanish newspaper "La Vanguardia", and is intended to honor individuals or institutions who have distinguished themselves in the field of communications. Present at the ceremony was King Juan Carlos I of Spain. The cardinal was accompanied, among others, by Monsignors Lech Piechota, Roberto Lucchini, Guillermo Javier Karcher and Francisco Javier Froján Madero, and by the director of L'Osservatore Romano. The ceremony was attended by numerous religious and civil authorities, including Cardinals Antonio María Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid and Antonio Cañizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Archbishop Renzo Fratini, apostolic nuncio in Spain; Interior Minister, Jorge Fernández Díaz; and the Spanish ambassador to the Holy See, Eduardo Gutiérrez Sáenz de Buruaga. After the intervention of Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, and before the words by King Juan Carlos, the secretary of State delivered an address in Spanish preceded by a brief greeting in Catalan.

• September 24
  Cardinal Karl Lehmann, bishop of Mainz, Germany, was hospitalized on Sunday September 23, 2012 and operated on the evening of the following day. There is no further news yet. Information kindly provided by Mr. Lambert Klinke, from Gießen, Germany.

• September 22
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican news paper, Anno CLII n. 220 (46.166), lunedì-martedì 24-25 settembre 2012, p. 7, published the chronicle of the funeral of Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, penitentiary major emeritus:
  At the altar of the Chair of St Peter's Basilica on Saturday evening, September 22, 2012, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the funeral of Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, major penitentiary from 2 June 2009 to 5 January of the current year. The cardinal died on Thursday, September 20 at the age of 77 years. Together with Cardinal Sodano concelebrated twenty cardinals, including Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State, Paul Poupard - who went to the altar for the consecration - and Jean-Pierre Ricard. Also concelebrating were many bishops and prelates of the Roman Curia, including Archbishop Angelo Becciù, sostituto of the Secretariat of State; Bishops Giuseppe Sciacca, secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City; and Gianfranco Girotti - a close associate of Cardinal Baldelli as regent of the Penitentiary; and Monsignor Peter Bryan Wells, commissioner of the State Secretariat. Also present were some bishops from France, where the late cardinal was nuncio for ten years, who are visiting Rome these days for the visit "ad limina". The rite was directed by Stefano Sanchirico, papal master of ceremonies.

• September 22
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardnal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of Sevilla, Spain, special papal envoy to the conclusive celebrations of the fifth centennial of the arrival in Puerto Rico of the first bishop, Don Alonso Manso, which will take place in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 19, 2012.

• September 22
  Pope Benedict XVI named member of the Congregation for Bishops Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

• September 22
  Following the requiem mass to be held this evening at the papal Vatican basilica, the body of Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, penitentiary major emeritus, will be transferred to Casacastalda, where Domenico Sorrentino, archbishop-bishop of Assisi, will preside over another mass at Santuario della Madonna dell'Olmo on Sunday, September 23, at 9 am. Interment will take place at the Cemetery of Valfabbrica, the cardinal's birth place. Information kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• September 21
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that on Saturday November 3, 2012, at 11.30 a.m., Pope Benedict XVI will concelebrate a mass at the altar of the Cathedra in the papal Vatican basilica for the cardinals and bishops who died during the course of the year.

• September 21
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, dated Saturday September 22, 2012, published the following notification from the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Roman Pontiff:
  
  Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice
  Cappella Papale per le esequie del Signor Cardinale Fortunato Baldelli
  
  NOTIFICAZIONE
  Sabato 22 settembre 2012, alle ore 18, all'Altare della Cattedra della Basilica Vaticana, avranno luogo le Esequie del Signor Cardinale Fortunato Baldelli, della Diaconia di SantAnselmo all'Aventino, Penitenziere Maggiore emerito.
  La Liturgia Esequiale sarà celebrata dal Sig. Cardinale Angelo Sodano, Decano del Collegio Cardinalizio, insieme con gli Em.mi Signori Cardinali e gli Ecc.mi Arcivescovi e Vescovi.
  I Signori Cardinali, gli Ecc.mi Arcivescovi e Vescovi che desiderano concelebrare vorranno trovarsi alle ore 17.30 nella sagrestia della Basilica Vaticana per indossare le vesti sacre, portando con sé: i Signori Cardinali la mitra bianca damascata, gli Ecc.mi Arcivescovi e Vescovi la mitra bianca semplice.
  Coloro che, in conformità al Motu Proprio «Pontificalis Domus», fanno parte della Cappella Pontificia e intendono partecipare al Sacro Rito, indossando il completo abito corale, sono pregati di trovarsi per le ore 17.30 presso l'Altare della Cattedra per occupare il posto che sarà loro indicato.
  
  Città del Vaticano, 21 settembre 2012.
  Per mandato del Santo Padre
  Mons. Guido Marini
  Maestro delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche Pontificie

• September 21
  Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, penitentiary major emeritus, died in the evening of September 20, 2012, at Istituto Internazionale del Clero in Rome. Upon learning the news of his death, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the eternal repose of his soul and sent his brother, Piero Baldelli, a telegram of condolence. The funeral of the late cardinal will take place on Saturday September 22, 2012, at 6 p.m., in the altar of the Cathedra of the papal Vatican Basilica, concelebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, together with other cardinals, archbishops and bishops. After the death of Cardinal Baldelli, the members of the College of Cardinals are 205. The cardinal electors are now 116; 55 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 61 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 89, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 70 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• September 18
  Cardinal Walter Brandmüller collapsed in Rome and was brought to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, where he had a pacemaker implanted. Information kindly provided by Mr. Lambert Klinke, from Gießen, Germany.

• September 18
  Pope Benedict XVI named synodal fathers of the Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place at the Vatican, from October 7 to 28, 2012, on the theme "The new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith", Cardinals Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals; Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Federal Republic of Germany; Vinko Puljić, archbishop of Vrhbosna, Bosnia e Erzegovina; Polycarp Pengo, archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (S.C.E.A.M.); Christoph Schöborn, O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria; George Pell, archbishop of Sydney Australia; Josip Bozanić, archbishop of Zagreb, Croatia; Péter Erdö, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, president of the Consilium Conferentiarum Episcoporum Europae (C.C.E.E.); Agostino Vallini, vicar general of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome; Lluís Martínez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, Spain; André Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France; and Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India, secretary general of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (F.A.B.C.).

• September 15
  Pope Benedict XVI named member of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Family.

• September 14
  Vietnamese Cardinal François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân, who was president of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax, was remembered with a mass celebrated in the basilica of S. Maria della Scala a Trastevere, Rome, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his death. The eucharist was presided by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, current president of that pontifical council.

• September 13
  Cardinal Pedro Rubiano Sáenz, archbishop emeritus of Bogotá, Colombia, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The members of the College of Cardinals are 206. The cardinal electors are now 117; 55 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 62 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 89, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 70 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• September 5
  To facilitate the access to the information contained in the cardinals' site, a Google search engine was installed today. In the coming days, it will be available in all the sections of the site.

• September 3
  The funeral mass for Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., took place in the metropolitan cathedral of Milan from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. During the wake, more than 200,000 people passed before the casket of the late cardinal to pay homage. This is the text used to follow the exequies. At the beginning of the ceremony, the representative of the pope, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City and archpriest of the papal basilica of San Pietro in Vaticano, read a message from Pope Benedict XVI (1). Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, presided over the concelebrated mass and delivered the homily. At the end of the mass, Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop emeritus of Milan, read his remembrance. Concelebrating with Cardinal Scola were Cardinals Comastri; Tettamanzi; Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference; Silvano Piovanelli, archbishop emeritus of Florence; Paolo Romeo, archbishop of Palermo; Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax; and Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and of the Pontifical Commissions for the Patrimony of the Church and of Sacred Archeology. Tens of bishops and dozens of priests also concelebrated. Present were the sister of Cardinal Martini, Maris; his niece, Giulia; and his nephew, Giovanni. In attendance were Father Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus, and representatives of other Christian denominations, and of the Jewish and Muslim communities. The Italian government was represented by Prime Minister Mario Monti and his wife. Also present were the mayor of Milan; several ministers of the government friends of the late cardinal; as well as former Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Mario Enrico Delpini, titular bishop of Stefaniaco, auxiliary and vicar general of Milan, thanked, in the name of Cardinal Scola and the cathedral chapter, all those who had attended the wake and the funeral of Cardinal Martini as well as those who had assisted him during his illness. At the end of the mass, Cardinal Scola went to the square of the cathedral to greet and thank the thousands of people who had not been able to enter the cathedral. In a private ceremony, following the Ambrosian rite, the body of the late cardinal was buried in an empty tomb on the left side of the cathedral, facing the main altar at the foot of the altar of the Cross of San Carlo Borromeo. The funeral liturgy was broadcast live nationwide. Present at the interment were Cardinal Scola, bishops, relatives of the late cardinal and the metropolitan cathedral chapter of Milan.
  
  (1) This is the text of the message, published by L'Osservatore Romano, 3-4 settembre 2012:
  
  Cari fratelli e sorelle,
  in questo momento desidero esprimere la mia vicinanza, con la preghiera e l'affetto, all'intera Arcidiocesi di Milano, alla Compagnia di Gesù, ai parenti e a tutti coloro che hanno stimato e amato il Cardinale Carlo Maria Martini e hanno voluto accompagnarlo per questo ultimo viaggio.
  "Lampada per i miei passi è la tua parola, luce sul mio cammino" (Sal 118[117], 105): le parole del Salmista possono riassumere l'intera esistenza di questo Pastore generoso e fedele della Chiesa. È stato un uomo di Dio, che non solo ha studiato la Sacra Scrittura, ma l'ha amata intensamente, ne ha fatto la luce della sua vita, perché tutto fosse "ad maiorem Dei gloriam", per la maggior gloria di Dio. E proprio per questo è stato capace di insegnare ai credenti e a coloro che sono alla ricerca della verità che l'unica Parola degna di essere ascoltata, accolta e seguita è quella di Dio, perché indica a tutti il cammino della verità e dell'amore. Lo è stato con una grande apertura d'animo, non rifiutando mai l'incontro e il dialogo con tutti, rispondendo concretamente all'invito dell'Apostolo di essere "pronti sempre a rispondere a chiunque vi domandi ragione della speranza che è in voi" (1 Pt 3, 15). Lo è stato con uno spirito di carità pastorale profonda, secondo il suo motto episcopale, Pro veritate adversa diligere, attento a tutte le situazioni, specialmente quelle piy difficili, vicino, con amore, a chi era nello smarrimento, nella povertà, nella sofferenza.
  In un'omelia del suo lungo ministero a servizio di questa Arcidiocesi ambrosiana pregava cosí: "Ti chiediamo, Signore, che tu faccia di noi acqua sorgiva per gli altri, pane spezzato per i fratelli, luce per coloro che camminano nelle tenebre, vita per coloro che brancolano nelle ombre di morte. Signore, sii la vita del mondo; Signore, guidaci tu verso la tua Pasqua; insieme cammineremo verso di te, porteremo la tua croce, gusteremo la comunione con la tua risurrezione. Insieme con te cammineremo verso la Gerusalemme celeste, verso il Padre" (Omelia del 29 marzo 1980).
  Il Signore, che ha guidato il Cardinale Carlo Maria Martini in tutta la sua esistenza accolga questo instancabile servitore del Vangelo e della Chiesa nella Gerusalemme del Cielo. A tutti i presenti e a coloro che ne piangono la scomparsa, giunga il conforto della mia Benedizione.
  Da Castel Gandolfo, 3 Settembre 2012
  BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

• September 2
  Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal Vatican basilica and vicar of the pope for Vatican City, will represent Pope Benedict XVI at the funeral of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., archbishop emeritus of Milan.

• September 1
  The funeral of Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, S.J., bishop emeritus of Kaohsiung, Taipei, took place in the gymnasium of Saint Dominic Catholic High School, in that city, attended by thousands of people. The mass was presided over by Bishop Peter Liu Chen-chung of Kaohsiung and concelebrated by numerous bishops and priests. Among them were Cardinals Joseph Zen Ze-kiung, S.B.D., bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, and John Tong Hon, current bishop of Hong Kong; Savio Hon Tai-Fai, S.D.B., titular archbishop of Sila, secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith; and Monsignor Paul Fitzpatrick Russell, counselor and chargé d'affaires of the nunciature in China (Taiwan), who read a message from Pope Benedict XVI. In accordance with the late cardinal's wishes, the chapel was simply decorated with candles and crucifixes, and flower bouquets were not accepted. Cardinal Shan had said in his will that as he took a vow of poverty throughout his life, his departure from this world should not be in any sense luxurious. President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan also attended the ceremony and paid tribute to Cardinal Shan's religious dedication. After the funeral, the body of the late cardinal was buried in a local Catholic cemetery in a simple coffin on a site no bigger than 1 ping (3.3 square meters) in compliance with his will. A foundation will be established in the cardinal's memory to assist the disadvantaged people to continue his dedication to Taiwans less fortunate.

• September 1
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Cormac Murphy-OConnor, archbishop emeritus of Westminster, England, special papal envoy to the celebrations of the 125th anniversary of the archdiocese of Dhaka, Bangladesh and the fourth centennial of the evangelization of the Bengalese territory, programmed for November 9 and 10, 2012.

• August 31
  Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., archbishop emeritus of Milan, Italy, died today in his sleep at 3:45 p.m., from Parkinson's disease, at the Aloisianum in Gallarate. A mass is being held at the church of the Aloisianum today at 8:30 pm. The cardinal celebrated his last mass on August 30 in morning. He requested that on his tomb be inscribed the words of Psalm 119: ''Lampada ai miei passi la tua Parola, luce al mio cammino''. Upon learning the news of the death of Cardinal Martini, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the repose of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan. The body of the cardinal will lie in state from Saturday September 1 at noon in the metropolitan cathedral of Milan. The funeral mass, presided over by Cardinal Scola, will take place in that cathedral on Monday September 3 at 4 p.m. Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal Vatican basilica and vicar of the pope for Vatican City, will represent Pope Benedict XVI at the funeral. Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti will attend the funeral. The members of the College of Cardinals are now 206. The cardinal electors are 118; 56 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 62 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 88, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• August 27
  Additional biographical information has been included in the entries of Cardinals Ascanio Filomarino (1641); Jean-Baptist de Belloy (1803); Costantino Patrizi Naro (1834); Joseph-Hippolyte Guibert, O.M.I. (1873); Miguel Payá y Rico (1877); John Henry Newman, Orat. (1879); Gaetano Bisleti (1911); Edmund Dalbor (1919); Giovanni Bonzano, P.I.M.E. (1922); Enrique Reig y Casanova (1922); Luigi Capotosti (1926); Jean-Marie-Rodrigue Villeneuve, O.M.I. (1933); Jan de Jong (1946); Konrad von Preysing (1946); Maurice Feltin (1953); José María Bueno y Monreal (1958); Francesco Bracci (1958); Andrè Jullien, P.S.S. (1958); Francesco Morano (1959); Joseph-Charles Lefèbvre (1960); Giuseppe Antonio Ferretto (1961); Maurice Roy (1965); Paul Zoungrana, M. Afr. (1965); Benno Walter Gut, O.S.B. (1967); Stepán Trochta, S.D.B. (1969); Vicente Enrique y Tarancón (1969); Narciso Jubany Arnau (1973); Sergio Pignedoli, (1973); Juan Carlos Aramburu (1976); László Lékai (1976); Ernesto Corripio Ahumada (1979); Louis-Albert Vachon (1985); Alfons Maria Stickler, S.D.B. (1985); José Tomás Sánchez (1991); Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua (1991); Guido del Mestri (1991); Ignace Moussa I Daoud (2001); Thomas Christopher Collins (2012); Dominik Jaroslav Duka, O.P. (2012); Prosper Grech, O.S.A. (2012); and Quasi-cardinal Angelo Francesco Ramazzotti (1861), kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• August 25
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Raúl Eduardo Vela Chiriboga, archbishop emeritus of Quito, Ecuador, special papal envoy to the celebration of the 475º anniversary of the first diocese of Perú and South America, the current archdiocese of Cuzco, programmed for October 24 to 28, 2012.

• August 24
  Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop emeritus of Westminster, England, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 118, 56 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 62 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 89, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 70 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• August 23
  The Press Office of the Holy See published the telegram of condolence sent by Pope Benedict XVI to Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-Chung of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on the death of Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, S.J., bishop emeritus of that diocese.

• August 22
  Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi, S.J., bishop emeritus of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, died at 6:42 p.m., of multiple organ failure, in Cardinal Tien Hospital in New Taipei. He had been admitted to the hospital on August 20 suffering from pneumonia and took a sudden turn for the worse Wednesday evening. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006 and given six months to live. He was the first cardinal to serve in Taiwan. Upon learning of the death of Cardinal Shan, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the eternal repose of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-Chung of Kaohsiung. President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Sean Chen also extended their condolences to the bishops of Taiwan. The members of the College of Cardinals are now 207. The cardinal electors are 119; 57 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 62 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 88, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• August 20
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Ignazio Nasalli (1827); Antonio María Cascajares y Azara (1895); Giuseppe Prisco (1896); Agostino Richelmy (1899); Francesco Saverio della Volpe (1899); Desiré Mercier (1907); Hector-Irénée Sévin (1914); Giovanni Cagliero, S.D.B., (1915); Alessio Ascalesi (1916); Juan Soldevilla y Romero (1919); Augusto Silj (1919); Niccolò Marini (1919); Juan Bautista Benlloch y Vivó (1921); Giovanni Bonzano, P.I.M.E. (1922); Arthur-Stanislas-Xavier Touchet (1922); Giovanni Battista Nasalli Rocca di Corneliano (1923); Giuseppe Gamba (1926); Francesco Marmaggi (1935); Domenico Jorio (1935); Giuseppe Bruno (1946); Francesco Borgongini Duca (1953); and Gaetano Biffi (1985).

• August 18
  La Prensa.com.ni from Managua, Nicaragua, reported that Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo, S.D.B., archbishop emeritus of Managua, in a communique to the official radio station "Ya", said that he is in good health and thanked the Nicaraguan people for their prayers. The cardinal added that he is in Costa Rica undergoing routine medical check ups and that he had had a minor ambulatory surgery.

• August 18
  La Prensa.com.ni from Managua, Nicaragua, reported that Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo, S.D.B., archbishop emeritus of Managua, is suffering from brain cancer and is presenting symptoms such as mental confusion, disorientation and intense headaches. He is currently staying in the residence "Villa Real", in Costa Rica, property of the president of the Nicaraguan Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), Mr. Roberto Rivas. The report also indicated that the first lady of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, is making the arrangements in case there is a fatal outcome (por si hay un desenlace fatal).

• August 14
  New catalog of cardinal electors arranged by orders and precedence.

• August 11
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Josef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, special papal envoy to the solemn jubilar celebration that will take place in Lviv, Ukraine, on September 8, 2012, on the occasion of the 600º anniversary of the archiepiscopal and metropolitan see of Lviv of the Latins.

• August 10
  Cardinal Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, archbishop emeritus of Manila, Philippines, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 119, 57 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 62 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 89, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 70 by Pope John Paul II; and 17 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• August 10
  Cardinal Prosper Grech, O.S.A., led a solemn pontifical mass at the collegiate parish church of St. Lawrence, in his native Vittoriosa, Malta, on the saint's liturgical feast day. Prior to the mass, he was greeted at the main entrance of the city and taken with a cortege to the parish church where he was named honorary canon of the collegiate chapter. At the end of the mass, the mayor presented a "Ġieħ il-Birgu" (tribute from the city of Vittoriosa or Birgu) to the cardinal. A commemorative plaque in the parish church was also unveiled at the end of the ceremony. Information kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• August 5
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Lorenzo Priuli (1596); Fedrico Cornaro, iuniore (1626); Pietro Basadonna (1673); Gianalberto Badoaro (1706); Giacinto Placido Zurla, O.S.B.Cam. (1823); Camillo Tarquini, S.J. (1873); Alfonso Capecelatro, Orat. (1885); Giovanni Tacci (1921); Luigi Sincero (1923); Gabriel-Acacius Coussa, O.S.B.M.A. (1962); Gustavo Testa (1959); Mario Nasalli Rocca di Corneliano (1969); Pietro Pavan (1985); Emmanuel Wamala (1994); Ersilio Tonini (1994); Serafim Fernandes de Araújo (1998); Jorge María Mejía (2001); Bernard Agré (2001); Antonio José González Zumárraga (2001): José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F. (2001); and Roberto Tucci, S.J. (2001).

• July 27
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of the papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, special papal envoy to the celebration of the 950th anniversary of the diocese of Sapë, Albania, programmed for September 29, 2012.

• July 27
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that yesterday morning, Thursday, July 26, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI received in audience the Commission of Cardinals appointed to conduct the administrative inquiry into the leak of confidential information: Cardinals Julián Herranz Casado, Joseph Tomko and Salvatore de Giorgi, accompanied by Father Louis Martignani, O.F.M.Cap, secretary of that commission, and also by the Examining Magistrate, Professor Piero Antonio Bonnet, along with the Promoter of Justice, Professor Nicola Picardi, of the Court of the State of Vatican City.
  
  The pope was informed of the conclusions which were reached by the Commission of Cardinals and the progress of the pending criminal proceedings. He thanked for the information and asked the Vatican judiciary to continue the work with diligence.
  
  At the meeting was also present Archbishop Angelo Becciù, substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, Monsignor Georg Gänswein, secretary to the Holy Father, Doctor Domenico Giani, commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie, and Doctor Greg Burke, advisor for communication of the Secretariat of State.

• July 26
  Cardinal James Francis Stafford, penitentiary major emeritus, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 120, 57 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 63 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 88, of which 2 were created by Pope Paul VI; 70 by Pope John Paul II; and 16 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• July 21
  The director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., in a declaration published today said that with regard to the Commission of Cardinals to investigate the theft of private papal documents, presided by Cardinal Julián Herranz Casado, and composed also of Cardinals Jozef Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi, it did present the final report of its work to the Holy Father a few days ago.

• July 21
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that by a decree of the secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B, and based on a specific Papal Mandate, the Holy See has decided to remove the right of the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú to use the words Pontifical and Catholic in its title, in accordance with canon law.

• July 20
  L'Osservatore Romano, in its daily Italian edition, anno CLII n. 166 (46.112), Friday July 20, 2012, published a funeral notice announcing the celebration of a mass on July 24, 2012, at 6 p.m., in the chapel of the Franciscan Sister Missionary of Mary, situated in via del Pellegrino, at the Vatican, on the first anniversary of the death of Cardinal Virgilio Noè, archpriest emeritus of the patriarchal Vatican basilica and vicar general emeritus of Vatican City.

• July 17
  Two hundred and seventy two links to textual and pictorial information as well as biographical data about the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistories of September 20, 1784 (XII); February 14, 1785 (XIII); December 18, 1786 (XIV); January 29, 1787 (XV); April 7, 1788 (XVI); December 15, 1788 (XVII); March 30, 1789 (XVIII); August 3, 1789 (XIX); September 26, 1791 (XX); June 18, 1792 (XXI); February 21, 1794 (XXII); and June 1, 1795 (XXIII), have been included in their entries, kindly provided by Mr. Francisco Vázquez, from Valencia, Spain.

• July 17
  The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, in its Italian edition of July 16-17, 2012, reported that to celebrate his ninety sixth birthday, Cardinal Fiorenzo Angelini, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, has traveled to Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo, where he will bring a gift: the "Citadel of Charity." On the eve of departure, Sunday, July 15, 2012, the cardinal spoke with Pope Benedict XVI in Castel Gandolfo about what he will do in the African region, torn by thirteen years of civil war: he will inaugurate the facility so strongly desired to meet the needs of a population that has been ravaged. The work was realized with the help of the Benedictine Sisters Reparatory of the Holy Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a religious congregation founded by the Servant of God Abbot Ildebrando Gregori, of which Cardinal Angelini was a spiritual son. Pope Benedict XVI blessed the first stone of the work, during his visit, on August 6, 2010, to Carseldine, in the religious house where the cardinal was on vacation. Cardinal Angelini was proud to be able to show the pope photographs documenting that within a couple of years, the initiative has been accomplished, even though there still persists a situation of conflict and the economic crisis has made it even more difficult. The meeting with the pope occurred immediately after the Angelus. The "citadel" of seven complexes: the church, the house of the religious, the health clinic and medical clinic, the primary school, the high school dedicated to Pope Benedict XVI, the building for the reception, the orphanage and the home for elderly and sick priests. Together with the cardinal, thirty six physicians from university and hospitals of the Association of Italian Catholic Doctors, nurses and physiotherapists, traveled to Africa. They all generously will alternate services in the "Citadel of Charity".

• July 13
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of February 21, 1794 (XXII).

• July 11
  The funeral of Cardinal Eugénio de Araújo Sales, archbishop emeritus of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, took place in the metropolitan cathedral of that city at 3 p.m. The mass was presided by Archbishop Orani João Tempesta, O. Cist., and concelebrated by Cardinals Jose Freire Falçao, Cláudio Hummes, O.F.M., Geraldo Majella Agnelo, Eusébio Oscar Scheid, S.C.I., Odilio Pedro Scherer, and Raymundo Damasceno de Assis. Also concelebrating were Giovanni d'Aniello, titular archbishop of Paestum, nuncio in Brazil, forty bishops and dozens of priests, many of whom had been ordained by the late cardinal. Also present in the exequies were the family of the cardinal, leaders of other religious denominations, and political, civil and military authorities. The cathedral was completely filled with faithful. The body of the late cardinal was buried in the crypt, which is a separate building on the grounds of the metropolitan cathedral. Cardinal Jaime de Barros Câmara, his predecessor, is also buried in the crypt. On Saturday July 14, 2012, at 9 a.m., Archbishop Tempesta celebrated a mass in suffrage of the soul of Cardinal Sales in the metropolitan cathedral.

• July 10
  Cardinal Eugênio de Araújo Sales, archbishop emeritus of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, died at 10:30 p.m., on Monday July 9, 2012, of a myocardial infarction, in his sleep, at Residência Episcopal de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, in the neighborhood of Sumaré, in that city. Successively, his body was embalmed at the Cemitério de Inhaúma, from where a cortège left to Centro do Rio. His body was laid out in state in the metropolitan cathedral of São Sebastião do Janeiro on Tuesday July 10, from noon. Masses will be celebrated every two hours. The funeral, presided by Archbishop Orani João Tempesta, O. Cist., of Rio de Janeiro, will take place on Wednesday July 11, at 3 p.m., as soon as Karl Romer, titular bishop of Colonnata, auxiliary emeritus of Rio de Janeiro and former secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, arrives in Brazil from Rome. The cardinal's brother, Heitor de Araújo Sales, archbishop emeritus of Natal, was in Switzerland at the time of the cardinal's death, but returned to Brazil upon learning the news. The cardinal's death came quite unexpectedly. Despite his advanced age, he suffered from no diseases and kept himself active and updated by watching TV and reading several newspapers. His body will be buried in the crypt of the cathedral. Upon learning the news of the death of Cardinal Sales, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the repose of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Tempesta. The president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, issued a statement expressing her sorrow for the passing of the cardinal. The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral, decreed three days of mourning in the state. He and the prefect of the city, Eduardo Paes, issued statements lamenting the death of the cardinal. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops of Brazil issued an official statement of condolence for the death of Cardinal Sales. He was the most senior member of the College of Cardinals, having been promoted to the cardinalate in the consistory of April 28, 1969. Since February 16, 2009, he was the cardinal protoprete, the most senior cardinal priest. At his death, Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of São Paulo, Brazil, became cardinal protoprete. After his death the number of members of the College of Cardinals is 208; 121 are electors and 87 are non-electors.

• July 8
  New bibliographic items added to the site during the months of April to June 2012.

• July 7
  On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Cardinal Giovanni Panico, which occurred on July 7, 1962, a mass, presided by Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, archbishop emeritus of Palermo; and concelebrated by Carmelo Cassati, M.S.C., archbishop emeritus of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie and Nazareth; Fernando Panico, M.S.C., bishop of Crato, Brazil; and Vito Angiuli, bishop of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca, took place on July 7, 2012, at 6:30 p.m., in the church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tricase. After the mass, a commemorative placque was unveiled in the house where the cardinal was born. On June 23, 2012, the remains of Cardinal Panico had been exhumed from the crypt and exposed in that church at 10 a.m. Later, at 6:30 p.m., a mass was presided by Bishop Angiuli, and concelebrated by Archbishop emeritus Cassati, and Bishop Panico. After the mass, the remains of Cardinal Panico were placed in an enclosure in front of the altar of S. Carlo Borromeo in the church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On July 6, 2012, in the Hall of the Throne of Palazzo Gallone, took place the symposium "Il Cardinale Giovanni Panico: uneredità che vive". After the conferences, the exhibit "Il Cardinale Giovanni Panico: le radici di unopera" was opened. On July 8, 2012, at 8 p.m., a concert will take place in Casa di Betania, in via L. Ariosto, Tricase, with the "Duo Italis in Concerto".

• July 7
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, pontifical legate for the consecration of the cathedral of the diocese of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, programmed for September 9, 2012.

• July 5
  The Vatican Press Office informed that took place in the Vatican the reunion of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organizational and Economical Problems of the Holy See, presided by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State. Participating in the reunion were Cardinals Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Federal Repblic of Germany; Antonio María Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, Spain; Polycarp Pengo, archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Francis Eugene George, O.M.I., archbishop of Chicago, United States of America; Norberto Rivera Carrera, archbishop of México, México; Wilfrid Fox Napier, O.F.M., archbishop of Durban, South Africa; Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, archbishop of Lima, Perú; Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy; Telesphore Placidus Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi, India; George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia, Agostino Vallini, vicar general of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome, John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong, Popular Republic of China; Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino, archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela, Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France, and Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of São Paulo, Brazil.
       The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See was represented by its president, Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi; its secretary, Monsignor Lucio Ángel Vallejo Balda; the accountant general, Doctor Stefano Fralleoni; and Doctor Maurizio Prato, who, on behalf of the other four International Auditors who give their free service to this Department, highlighted some aspects of the economic and financial system of the Holy See.
       The Governatorate of the State of Vatican City and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See were represented by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello and by Giuseppe Sciacca, titular bishop of Vittoriana, respectively president of the Cardinalitial Commission for the State of Vatican City and secretary general of the Governatorate of the State of Vatican City; and Cardinal Domenico Calcagno and Monsignor Luigi Mistò, respectively president and secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.
       At the invitation of the cardinal secretary of State, intervened, for matter of their competence, the director general of Vatican Radio, Father Federico Lombardi, S.J.; and Doctor Alberto Gasbarri, administrative director of the same.
       Cardinal Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, presented the consolidated financial statements of the Holy See for 2011, then those of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
       The consolidated financial statements of the Holy See for 2011 closed with a deficit of EUR 14,890,034. The most significant items of expenditure were those relative to personnel (who as of 31 December 2011 numbered 2,832) and to the communications media considered as a whole. The result was affected by the negative trend of global financial markets, which made it impossible to achieve the goals laid down in the budget.
       The administration of the Governorate is autonomous, and independent of contributions from the Holy See. Through its various offices, it supervises requirements related to the administration of the State. The consolidated financial statements for 2011 closed with a surplus of EUR 21,843,851. As of 31 December 2011, the Governorate employed a staff of 1,887. A particularly significant contribution to the result came from the Vatican Museums, which produced a revenue that passed from EUR 82,400,000 in 2010 to EUR 91,300.000, for a total of more than five million visitors. According to specialised rankings, these figures place the Vatican Museums among the most prestigious and important such institutions in the world.
       Peter's Pence - i.e., donations made by the faithful to support the Holy Father's charity - rose from USD 67,704,416.41 in 2010 to USD 69,711,722.76. Contributions made pursuant to canon 1271 of the Code of Canon Law - i.e., the economic support offered by ecclesiastical circumscriptions throughout the world to maintain the service the Roman Curia offers the universal Church - rose from USD 27,362,258.40 in 2010 to USD 32,128,675.91. Further contributions to the Holy See made by institutes of consecrated life, societies of apostolic life and foundations rose from USD 747,596.09 in 2010 to USD 1,194,217.78. Thus the overall increase with respect to 2010 was of 7.54 per cent.
       As it does every year, the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR) offered the Holy Father a significant sum to support his apostolic and charitable ministry. The amount involved for the financial year 2011 was EUR 49,000,000.
       During the meeting, according to a communique made public today, "the cardinals present made numerous comments in which they made clear their appreciation at the completeness and transparency of the information they had been given. Recognition was expressed for the commitment to the ongoing improvement of the administration of the goods and resources of the Holy See, and a call was made for prudence and limiting costs, though while maintaining jobs. Unanimous pleasure was declared at the generous support of the faithful and of ecclesiastical institutions, even more praiseworthy given the persistent economic crisis. The members of the Council also expressed their profound gratitude at the support the faithful give, often anonymously, to the universal ministry of the Holy Father, and exhorted them to continue this good work.
       Finally, under the terms of article 25 (2) of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus, Paolo Cipriani, director of the IOR, outlined the economic position of the institution he directs. This was followed by a debate during which the members of the Council were provided with the necessary clarifications.

• July 4
  The Vatican Press Office published a letter that Pope Benedict XVI wrote to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State, expressing his deep gratitude for the discreet closeness and enlightened advice offered by the cardinal, which he has found particularly helpful in recent months. The pope added that having noted with regret the widespread unjust criticism of the cardinal, he renews his personal confidence, which he had occasion to express in the letter of January 15, 2010, which contents remain unchanged for him.

• July 2
  Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation presented for reason of age by Cardinal William Joseph Levada from the posts of prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, president of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and president of the International Theological Commission. To succeed him, the pope named Gerhard Ludwig Müller, until then bishop of Regensburg, Federal Republic of Germany, elevating him at the same time to the dignity of archbishop.

• July 1
  Following mass in the parish church of Saint Hubert, Fouches, near Arlon, Belgium, a bronze tablet in honor of Cardinal Julien Ries was unveiled and blessed by the cardinal himself in the church. The text of the inscription on tablet is:
  
  Zu Éiere va Senger Eminenz
  dem Kardinol Julien Ries
  Affen a Sues, den 1. Juli 2012
  Dinner, held at the Salle Saint-Hubert, was served exactly as that of nearly sixty seven years before, when Cardinal Ries was ordained to the priesthood. Information kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• July 1
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of September 26, 1791 (XX).

• June 30
  The Press Office of the Holy See announced that Pope Benedict XVI named presidents delegate of the Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place from October 7 to 28, 2012, on the theme "The new evangelization for the transmission of Christian faith", Cardinals John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong, Popular Republic of China; Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Guadalajara, México; and Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

• June 29
  Cardinals Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany, and Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Guadalajara, México, received the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI in the papal Vatican basilica, at the beginning of the mass of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. The pope was assisted at the mass by Cardinals deacon Angelo Comastri of S. Salvatore in Lauro, archpriest of the papal Vatican basilica; and Francesco Monterisi of S. Paolo alla Regola, archpriest of the papal basilica of S. Paolo fuori le mura. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, protodeacon of S. Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine, requested the palliums for the new metropolitan archbishops.

• June 28
  The Vatican Information Service (VIS) announced that today, during a private audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Congregation to promulgate several decrees concerning miracles, martyrdoms and heroic virtues of several servants of God. Among them was Cardinal Sisto Riario Sforza, archbishop of Naples, promoted to the cardinalate by Pope Gregory XVI in 1846. He will have the title of blessed.

• June 28
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Giovanni di San Paolo Colonna, O.S.B. (1193); Niccolò Boccasini, O.P. (1298); Gentile da Montefiore, O.F.M. (1300); Pietro Filargis, O.F.M. (1405); Gabriele Rangone, O.F.M.Obs. (1477); Sisto Riario Sforza (1846); Lev Skrbensky z Hriste (1901); Oreste Giorgi (1916); Aurelio Galli (1923); Arcadio María Larraona, C.M.F. (1959); Arturo Tabera Araoz, C.M.F. (1969); Henri Schwery (1991); Marc Ouellet, P.S.S. (2003); and Angelo Scola (2003).

• June 27
  «Fidelissimus Pastor. Unblutiges Martyrium von Jozsef Kardinal Mindszenty»: the bloodless martyrdom of Cardinal József Mindszenty is the title of the exhibition which opened on June 27, 2012 in Vienna, at the Palais Porcia, and will last until August 10. Then, from the following August 20 to October 15, it will be in Veszprém, Hungary. The purpose of "Fidelissimus Pastor" is to tell, with the help of original documents, the life and the commitment of the Hungarian cardinal, first imprisoned by the Nazis and then by the Communist regime.
  
  The exhibition, sponsored by Cardinals Christoph Schönborn, O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria, and Péter Erdö, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, is the result of a a joint effort. There were in fact involved in Vienna the Embassy of Hungary in Austria, the Institute Balassi of the Collegium Hungaricum, the Hungarian Institute for historical research, and the Collegium Pazmaneum. In Veszprém, the archdiocese, the Museum of Queen Gisella, the library and the archiepiscopal archives, and the Mindszenty Foundation. Information taken from L'Osservatore Romano, edizione quotidiana, Città del Vaticano, Anno CLII, n. 148 (46.094), giovedì 28 giugno 2012, pagina 4.

• June 27
  The Vatican Information Service reported that Cardinals Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany, and Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Guadalajara, México, will be among the forty six archbishop that will receive the pallium from Pope Benedict XVI in the papal Vatican basilica on June 29, 2012, at the beginning of the mass of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Two other archbishops will not be able to attended the ceremony. Patriarch Francesco Moraglia of Venice, Italy, will be among the prelates receiving the pallium, and by a long-standing custom, as patriarch of Venice, he dresses in robes that are entirely red even though he is not a member of the College of Cardinals.

• June 26
  căs.sk said that the press office of the Slovak Bishops' Conference informed that the health of Cardinal Ján Chryzostom Korec, bishop emeritus of Nitra, Slovakia, had improved significantly and that on Tuesday afternoon, he was released from the University Hospital in Nitra on Tuesday afternoon June 26 2012 and will receive treatment at home.

• June 26
  Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation from the post of president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, upon having reached the age limit, presented by Cardinal Ennio Antonelli and named Vincenzo Paglia, until then bishop of Terni-Narni-Amelia, Italy, as his successor, for a quinquennium, elevating him at the same time to the dignity of archbishop. The new president will be apostolic administrator of the diocese until the appointment of his successor.

• June 25
  The Press Office of the Holy See announced today that Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of São Paulo, Brazil, head of the delegation of the Holy See and special papal envoy, pronounced a discourse during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), in Rio de Janeiro, on Friday June 22, 2012.

• June 24
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of August 3, 1789 (XIX).

• June 23
  Pope Benedict XVI named members of the Council of Cardinals for the the Organizational and Economical Problems of the Holy See Cardinals Polycarp Pengo, archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Telesphore Placidus Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi, India; John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong, Popular Republic of China.

• June 23
  At 10 a.m., in the Bologna Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Benedict XVI presided over a reunion of the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia.

• June 22
  In the centenary of the death of Cardinal Alfonso Capecelatro, Orat., archbishop of Capua, Italy, and librarian of the Holy Roman Church, there will be a convention on June 22 and 23, 2012, in the Superior Institute of Religious Sciences "S. Roberto Bellarmino" of Capua, entitled "Religion and culture in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Cardinal Alfonso Capecelatro in Southern Italy". The lectio magistralis, "The presence of Cardinal Alfonso Capecelatro in the historico-political history of liberal Italy", will be delivered today by Luigi Rossi, dean of the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Salerno. Tomorrow, June 23, Professor Carmine Matarazzo, who teaches theoretical philosophy at the institue, will have the lectio "Modernity and antimodernity in the thought of Alfonso Capecelatro facing the challenges of secularization.

• June 22
  Cardinal Bertone calls for free and universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, Vatican City, 22 June 2012, Vatican Information Service (VIS), news.va . Full text of the address in Italian, Press Office of the Holy See.

• June 21
  Cardinal Giovanni Cheli, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants, celebrated the seventieth anniversary of his priestly ordination with a mass, at 10:30 a.m., in the collegiate church of S. Secondo, in Asti. Concelebrating with the cardinal were Cardinals Severino Poletto, archbishop emeritus of Turin; and Jorge María Mejía, archivist and librarian emeritus of the Holy Roman Church; as well as Bishop Francesco Guido Ravinale of Asti; and priests from the diocese of Asti. Present were the local authorities of Asti. After the mass, there was a fraternal luncheon in the dining room of the seminary. Information kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• June 21
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced that on Saturday June 30, 2012, at 7 p.m., Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin, Germany, will take possession of the title of S. Giovanni Maria Vianney, Via Lentini, 6.

• June 20
  căs.sk informed, at 10:11 a.m., today, that the condition of Cardinal Ján Chrysosthom Korec, bishop emeritus of Nitra, Slovakia, has improved and the doctors took from him from the induced coma and he woke up. The Press Office of the Slovak Bishops' Conference said that the cardinal is no longer unconscious and is breathing unaided by devices. His condition is stable. Cardinal Korec expressed gratitude to the faithful for their prayers and sacrifices for his recovery.

• June 19
  Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran was confirmed for five years as president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

• June 19
  Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio was confirmed as President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts until the age of 75.

• June 19
  aktuality.sk, from Bratislava, Slovakia, indicated today, at 8:32 a.m., that Pope Benedict XVI has sent Cardinal Ján Chrysosthom Korec, bishop emeritus of Nitra, who is in the University Hospital in Nitra following surgery, his special blessing with Cardinal Jozef Tomko. The Press Office of the Episcopal Conference of Slovakia informed that the cardinal, who after surgery is in an induced coma, is gradually awakening and that his medical condition is stabilized. In many places the faithful think of Cardinal Korec in prayer and priests are offering masses for him. On Wednesday June 13, the cardinal was visited by Bishop Viliam Judák of Nitra, who administered him the sacraments, including the anointing of the sick.

• June 18
  căs.sk informed, at 9:28 a.m., today, that the condition of Cardinal Ján Chrysosthom Korec, bishop emeritus of Nitra, Slovakia, has not improved and that he breathes only through a device. He is in an induced coma in a hospital in Nitra and his condition is stable. On Monday morning, a spokesman of Viliam Judák, bishop of Nitra, Miroslav Lyko, confirmed the news. The cardinal was hospitalized on Wednesday morning, his appendix ruptured. He was in severe sepsis with perforated appendicitis, severe peritonitis, and his vital signs began to fail. The doctors operated on him, but even after, his condition remained critical. As a result of the severe infection, the cardinal is connected to a device to release toxins that affect his vital signs and breathes through the device.

• June 17
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of March 30, 1789 (XVIII).

• June 15
  căs.sk reported that Cardinal Ján Chryzostom Korec, bishop emeritus of Nitra, Slovakia is in critical condition after emergency surgery due to the rupture of his appendix. When he arrived at the hospital, he was suffering from a perforated appendix and severe peritonitis. After the surgery his vital functions began to fail and he is in a coma. He is fighting for his life, but his condition is critical. He is hospitalized in a teaching hospital in Nitra. On June 14, 2012, the Deputy Director of the University Hospital of Nitra, Alena Ďurišová, informed that the condition of the cardinal was stable, but very critical. On Friday June 15, the hospital refused to elaborate on the health of the cardinal on the grounds that such information will be provided only by the office of the bishop of Nitra. Cardinal Korec entered the hospital Wednesday 13 June. According to Deputy Director Ďurišová he had a severe septic shock. Tests confirmed the perforation of the appendix and severe peritonitis. Even after the operation, his condition remained critical and the cardinal's basic vital functions began to fail.

• June 14
  Cardinal Henri Schwery, bishop emeritus of Sion, Switzerland, turned eighty years old and according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 121, 58 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 63 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 88, of which 3 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 16 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• June 13
  On Friday, June 8, 2012, at 11:30 a.m., the remains of the Servant of God Cardinal François Nguyên van Thuân were transported from Campo Verano cemetery to his deaconry, S. Maria della Scala. The ceremony, presided by Cardinal Peter Turkson Kodwo Appiah, president of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax, was attended, among others, by Cardinals Roger Etchegaray, Renato Raffaele Martino, Jorge María Mejía and Bernard Francis Law. The sister of the late cardinal was also present for the ceremony as was the Vietnamese community in Rome and Matteo Maria Zuppi, titular bishop of Villa Nova and auxiliary of Rome. Mario Toso, S.D.B., titular bishop of Bisarcio and secretary of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax, addressed those present. The information was kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta, who was present at the ceremony.

• June 12
  Pope Benedict XVI named members of the Congregation for Catholic Education Cardinals Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B., archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax; Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France; Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay, India; and Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

• June 11
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of December 15, 1788 (XVII).

• June 9
  Cardinal Leonardo Sandri was confirmed for another five years as prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches

• June 9
  Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation, upon having reached the age limit, presented by Cardinal Raffaele Farina, S.D.B., from the post of archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church. On June 26, 2012, the pope named Jean-Louis Bruguès, O.P., archbishop-bishop emeritus of Angers, France, and secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church.

• June 7
  Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño, archbishop emeritus of Guatemala, was buried at 1:15 p.m., in the chapel of Santiago Apóstol, patron saint of the archdiocese, in the metropolitan cathedral of that city. The funeral took place at 10 a.m., presided by Archbishop Óscar Julio Vian Morales, S.D.B. of Guatemala with the participation of four hundred priests and thousands of faithful. The homily was delivered by Bishop Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri of Huehuetenango. In attendance were President Otto Pérez Molina of Guatemala and the vice-president, Roxana Baldetti. Also present were Gudy Rivera, president of the Congress; former Presidents Álvaro Colom and Vinicio Cerezo; and former Vice-presidents Rafael Espada and Juan Francisco Reyes. After the funeral, the coffin of the cardinal was taken around Plaza de la Constitution. The cardinal used to take that walk very often. The streets were completely covered with sawdust and flower carpets. The coffin was carried on the shoulders of priests. During the procession, thousands of people packed the streets shouting "Long live the Cardinal of Peace."

• June 5
  Telegram of condolence of Pope Benedict XVI on the death of Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño, archbishop emeritus of Guatemala.

• June 4
  Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño, archbishop emeritus of Guatemala, Guatemala, died today at 6:50 a.m., of an intestinal perforation which provoked a blood infection, in the private hospital "Hermano Pedro", zona 11, in that city. The first mass for the repose of his soul was celebrated in the chapel of the hospital where he died. The government of Guatemala declared three days of mourning. His body will be exposed in the metropolitan cathedral of Guatemala from 6 p.m., today. The funeral mass will be presided by Óscar Julio Vian Morales, S.D.B., archbishop of Guatemala, in that cathedral, on Thursday June 9, 2012, at 10 a.m. Then, following the mass, there will be a final farewell with a procession around Plaza de la Constitución. Burial will be in the chapel of Santiago Apóstol, in the left nave of that cathedral according to his will. The late cardinal asked for donations in his memory to the children's hospital Juan Pablo II. After the death of Cardinal Quezada, the members of the College of Cardinals are 209 and the cardinal non-electors 88. Video, Rome Reports, 2012-06-04.

• June 4
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of April 7, 1788 (XVI).

• June 1
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff informed about the taking of possession that will take place in the coming days:
       Saturday June 9, 2012, at 6 p.m., Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, archbishop of Florence, Italy, will take possession of the title of S. Marcello al Corso, Piazza San Marcello, 5.
       Sunday June 10, 2012, at 11.30 a.m., Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants, will take possession of the deaconry of S. Cesareo in Palatio, Via di Porta San Sebastiano.
       Friday June 15, 2012, at 5:30 p.m., Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, will take possession of the deaconry of Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio, Via Marsala, 42.
       Sunday June 17, 2012, at 10.30 a.m., Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and president of the Governatorate of the State of Vatican City, will take possession of the deaconry of Ss. Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia, Via Carlo Alberto, 47.

• May 27
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of January 29, 1787 (XV).

• May 25
  Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the archdiocese of Lagos, Nigeria, presented by Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, in conformity to canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law, and named as new archbishop of Lagos Alfred Adewale Martins, transferring him from the see of Abeokuta, Nigeria. The cardinal will be apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until the installation of his successor.

• May 22
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of December 18, 1786 (XIV).

• May 21
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that Pope Benedict XVI had lunch with the members of the College of Cardinals at 1 p.m. in the Sala Ducale of the Apostolic Palace, as a sign of gratitude for the good wishes expressed by them in the double celebration of his 85th birthday and the seventh anniversary of his election to the Chair of Peter.

• May 17
  Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, archbishop emeritus of Prague, Czech Republic, turned eighty years old and, according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 122; 59 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 63 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 88, of which 3 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 16 by Pope Benedict XVI. Video, Rome Reports, 2012-05-17 12:24:37.

• May 14
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of February 14, 1785 (XIII).

• May 11
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced that the following cardinals will take possession of their titles or diaconates in coming weeks:
      Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht, Netherlands, will take possession of the title of S. Callisto in Piazza San Calisto 16, Rome, at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday May 17, 2012.
      Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, will take possession of the deaconry of S. Elena fuori Porta Prenestina in Via Casilina 205, Rome, at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday May 20, 2012.
      Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of the papal Liberian basilica of S. Maria Maggiore, will take possession of the deaconry of S. Ponziano in Via Nicola Festa 50, Rome, at 11.30 a.m. on Sunday May 20, 2012.
      Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, will take possession of the deaconry of the Annunciazione della Beata Vergine Maria a Via Ardeatina in Via di Grotta Perfetta 591, Rome, at 17.30 a.m. on Sunday May 27, 2012.

• May 10
  Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the archdiocese of Seoul, South Korea, presented by Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jinsuk, in conformity to canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law. The pope named Andrew Yeom Soo jung, until then titular bishop of Tibiuca, auxiliary and vicar general of that same archdiocese, as new archbishop of Seoul.

• May 9
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of September 20, 1784 (XII).

• May 7
  Cardinal Seán Brady apologises to abuse victim Brendan Boland, RTÉ News Ireland, updated: 19:36, Monday, 7 May 2012.

• May 6
  Thirty links to textual and pictorial information as well as biographical data about the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistories of December 11, 1780 (X); and December 16, 1782 (XI), have been included in their entries, kindly provided by Mr. Francisco Vázquez, from Valencia, Spain.

• May 5
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, S.D.B., bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, Popular Republic of China, special papal envoy to the celebration of the centennial of the birth of Blessed Peter ToRot, catechist and martyr of Papua New Guinea, programmed for July 7, 2012 in Rabaul.

• May 4
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of December 16, 1782 (XI).

• May 3
  ZENIT, el mundo visto desde Roma, informed that Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, archbishop of Lima and primate of Perú, was incorporated into the Peruvian Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in a ceremony held in Casona de San Marcos, in Lima.

• May 1
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entry of the cardinal created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of December 11, 1780 (X).

• April 27
  New bibliographic items added to the site during the months of January to March 2012.

• April 25
  The Vatican Press Office published the following note from the Secretariat of State:
       In the wake of recent leaks of reserved and confidential documents on television, in newspapers and in other communications media, the Holy Father has ordered the creation of a Commission of Cardinals to undertake an authoritative investigation and throw light on these episodes.
       His Holiness has determined that the said Commission of Cardinals, which will act at all levels on the strength of its pontifical mandate, shall be presided by Cardinal Julián Herranz Casado, and shall have as its members Cardinal Jozef Tomko and Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi.
       The Commission of Cardinals celebrated its first sitting on 24 April to establish the method and timetable for its activities. Video, Rome Reports, 2012-04-26 15:16:01

• April 23
  One hundred and seventy six links to textual and pictorial information as well as biographical data about the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistories of April 24, 1775 (I); May 29, 1775 (II); July 17, 1775 (III); November 13, 1775 (IV); April 15, 1776 (V); May 20, 1776 (VI); June 23, 1777 (VII); June 1, 1778 (VIII); July 12, 1779 (IX), have been included in their entries, kindly provided by Mr. Francisco Vázquez, from Valencia, Spain.

• April 22
  Cardinal John Tong Hon hopes for improved and sincere dialogue with China's new leaders by Gerard O'Connell, Vatican Insider, 04/22/2012.

• April 21
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and president of the Governatorate of the same State, special papal envoy to the celebrations of the millennium of the foundation of the Sacred Hermitage of Camaldoli, Italy, which will take place on June 19, 2012.

• April 21
  Pope Benedict XVI named member of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

• April 21
  Pope Benedict XVI named members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinals Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy; and Donald William Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, D.C., United States of America.

• April 21
  The Vatican Press Office announced that Pope Benedict XVI named members of the dicasteries and organs of the Roman Curia the following cardinals created in the consistory of February 18, 2012:
  
  1) Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinals George Alencherry, archbishop major of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars; Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; Francesco Coccopalmerio, president del Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts;
  
  2) Congregation for the Oriental Churches Cardinals George Alencherry, archbishop major of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars; Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York; Lucian Mureşan, archbishop major of Făgăras şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians; Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; Edwin Frederick O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;
  
  3) Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants;
  
  4) Congregation for the Causes of the Saints Cardinals Manuel Monteiro de Castro, penitentiary major; Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of the papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore;
  
  5) Congregation for Bishops Cardinals Manuel Monteiro de Castro, penitentiary major; Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of the papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and president of the Governatorate of the same State; Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See;
  
  6) Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Cardinals John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong; Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of the papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and president of the Governatorate of the same State; Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See;
  
  7) Congregation for the Clergy Cardinals Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht; João Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life;
  
  8) Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life Cardinals Dominik Duka, O.P., archbishop of Prague; Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See;
  
  9) Congregation for Catholic Education Cardinals Thomas Christopher Collins, archbishop of Toronto; Willem Jacobus Eijk, archbishop of Utrecht; Giuseppe Betori, archbishop of Florence; Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin; Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; João Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life; Edwin Frederick O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;
  
  10) Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature Cardinals Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts; Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See;
  
  11) Pontifical Council for the Laity Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants;
  
  12) Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity Cardinals Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin; Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts;
  
  13) Committee of Presidency of the Pontifical Council for the Family Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants;
  
  14) Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax Cardinals Dominik Duka, O.P., archbishop of Prague; Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and president of the Governatorate of the same State;
  
  15) Pontifical Council Cor Unum Cardinal Edwin Frederick O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;
  
  16) Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerants Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro, penitentiary major;
  
  17) Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Workers Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See;
  
  18) Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog Cardinal John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong;
  
  19) Pontifical Council for Culture Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, archbishop of Florence;
  
  20) Pontifical Council for Social Communications Cardinals Thomas Christopher Collins, archbishop of Toronto; Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York;
  
  21) Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York;
  
  22) Pontifical Committee for the International Eucharistic Congresses Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life.

• April 18
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of July 12, 1779 (IX).

• April 16
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff communicated the taking of possession of their title and deaconries of the following Cardinals:
  -- Saturday April 21, 2012, at 6 p.m., Prosper Grech, O.S.A., deaconry of Santa Maria Goretti, Via di Santa Maria Goretti, 29.
  -- Sunday April 22, 2012, at 11 a.m., Karl Josef Becker, S.J., deaconry of San Giuliano Martire, Via Cassia, 1036.
  -- Sunday April 22, 2012, at 11:15 a.m., Manuel Monteiro de Castro, major penitentiary, deaconry of San Domenico di Guzman, Via Vincenzo Marmorale, 25.
  -- Sunday April 22, 2012, at 11:30 a.m., John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong, Popular Republic of China, title of Regina degli Apostoli, Via Antonino Pio, 75.
  -- Thursday April 26, 2012, at 5 p.m., Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts, deaconry of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami, Clivo Argentario, 1.

• April 15
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals James Gibbons (1886); Giuseppe Guarino (1893); Domenico Svampa (1894); François-Désiré Mathieu (1899); Pietro Maffi (1907); Aleksander Kakowski (1919); Michael von Faulhaber (1921); Luigi Sincero (1923); Alessandro Verde (1925); Jusztinian György Séredi, O.S.B. (1927); Jean Verdier, P.S.S. (1929); Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani (1930); Emmanuel-Célestin Suhard (1935); Edward Aloysius Mooney (1946); Samuel Alphonse Stritch (1946); Carlos Carmelo de Vasconcellos Motta (1946); John Francis D'Alton (1953); Benjamín de Arriba y Castro (1953); John Francis O'Hara, C.S.C. (1958); Domenico Tardini (1958); Aloisius Joseph Muench (1959); William Theodore Heard (1959); Ermenegildo Florit (1965); Agnelo Rossi (1965); Antonio Samorè (1967); Justinus Darmojuwono (1967); Alfredo Vicente Scherer (1969); Timothy Manning (1973); Opilio Rossi (1976); George Basil Hume, O.S.B. (1976); Andrzej Maria Deskur (1985); Franz Hengsbach (1988); Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua (1991); Cahal Brendan Daly (1991); Vicenzo Fagiolo (1994); Darío Castrillón Hoyos (1998); Francis Eugene George, O.M.I. (1998); Francesco Colasuonno (1998), kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• April 13
  Sources close to Cardinal Antonios Naguib, patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, have said that the patriarch's health has started to improve slowly after suffering a stroke on New Year's Eve. He is still suffering from partial paralysis and has difficulty in pronunciation but is improving slowly with the help of physiotherapy. The cardinal also underwent brain surgery.

• April 11
  The body of Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Syrians and prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, who died in Rome the morning of Holy Saturday April 7, 2012, will be laid out for the blessing and farewell in the chapel of the Holy Patriarchate of Beirut on Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. A funeral mass, presided by Patriarch Ignace Youssif III Younan of Antioch of the Syrians, will be celebrated for the repose of the soul of the cardinal at 3 p.m. on Monday April 16, 2012, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Museum road, Beirut; and the condolences of officials and religious leaders will be accepted after the mass. Then, his body will be transported to the crypt of the patriarchs in the monastery in Charfeh, Daroun, for burial. Condolences will also be accepted in the patriarchal see in Damascus road, Beirut, on Tuesday and Wednesday April 17 and 18, 2012, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• April 10
  Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the exequial mass for Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Syrians and prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, at 5 p.m., in the Altar of the Cathedra of the papal Vatican basilica. Twenty other cardinals concelebrated the mass, among them Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., Giovanni Battista Re, Francis Arinze and Jozef Tomko, who approached the altar for the eucharistic prayer. Also concelebrating were Patriarch Ignace Youssif III Younan of Antioch of the Syrians; and his predecessor, Ignace Pierre VIII Abdel-Ahad; as well as several bishops, prelates and priests. With the diplomatic corps before the Holy See were Dominique Mamberti, secretary for the Relations with the States; and Monsignor Fortunatus Nwachukwu, chief of protocol of the Secretariat of State.

• April 10
  Sepulchre of Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez in the metropolitan cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

• April 10
  El Nuevo Día, newspaper from San Juan, Puerto Rico, informed that Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez, archbishop emeritus of that city, died at 3:40 a.m. in the Hospital "Auxilio Mutuo", on the 62nd anniversary of his priestly ordination. A mass with the family of the cardinal will be celebrated tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the metropolitan cathedral of San Juan by Archbishop Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M. Upon learning the news of the death of the cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the eternal repose of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop González Nieves. On Wednesday, April 11, the body of the cardinal will be taken to Lajas, where he was born, where a mass will be celebrated in the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, at 7:30 p.m., by the bishop of Mayagüez, Álvaro Corrada del Río, S.J.. On Thursday April 12, the body will be transferred to San Germán, where the cardinal was ordained priest, and a mass will be offered at 11:00 a.m. On Friday April 13, the body of the late cardinal will be in the cathedral of Ponce. On Saturday April 14 in the morning, the wake will begin in the church of Santa Teresita and will continue on Sunday at 5:00 p.m., after the masses of the day. On Monday morning, April 16, the body will be taken to the metropolitan cathedral of San Juan, in Old San Juan, where it will be exposed until 3:00 p.m.; and then the exequial mass will be presided over by Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of Sevilla, Spain. Successively, the late cardinal will be buried in that cathedral. Governor Luis Fortuño of Puerto Rico decreed five days of mourning because of the passing of the cardinal; and the mayor of San Juan, Jorge Santini, also decreed five days of mourning in the capital city. Religious leaders of Puerto Rico lamented the death of the cardinal and prayed for him and his family. After the death of Cardinal Aponte, the members of the College of Cardinals are 210 and the cardinal non-electors 88.

• April 8
  According to Dr. Robert Moynihan, in his Report Letter #8, April 8, 2012, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, one of the two cardinal deacons accompanying Pope Benedict XVI in the Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, near-fainted during the celebration, had to remain seated for a while and had to leave before the end of the ceremony. Cardinal Tauran has been suffering from Parkinson's disease for several years. The other cardinal deacon accompanying the pope was Raymond Leo Burke.

• April 8
  Tentatively it is planned that the body of Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Syrians and prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, will be taken to Beirut on Wednesday April 11, 2012, where Patriarch Ignace Youssif III Younan of Antioch of the Syrians will preside over another funeral mass. Successively, the late cardinal will be interred in the crypt of the patriarchs in Charfeh, Daroun.

• April 7
  The site of the Syrian Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch announced that Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Syrians and prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, died at 8 a.m., in Rome. Upon learning the news of the death of the cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the eternal rest of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to Patriarch Ignace Youssif III Younan of Antioch of the Syrians. The funeral will take place in the Altar of the Cathedra of the papal Vatican basilica on Tuesday April 10, 2012, at 5 p.m. After the death of Cardinal Daoud, the members of the College of Cardinals are 211 and the cardinal non-electors 88.

• April 7
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, pontifical legate to the celebration of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland, from June 10 to 17, 2012.

• April 4
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, reported today that a few days ago, by the order of the Attorney General of Hungary, officially ended the review of the show trial staged by the Mátyás Rákosi communist regime against the Servant of God Cardinal József Mindszenty, archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary, who in 1949 was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of high treason by the People's Court of Budapest, giving the cardinal the definitive legal, moral and political rehabilitation.

• April 2
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Angelo Comastri, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City, special papal envoy to the celebration of the closing of the National Eucharistic Congress of Ukraine, which will take place in Lviv on June 3, 2012, on the occasion of the sixth centennial of the establishment of the archiepiscopal and metropolitan see of Lviv of the Latins.

• April 2
  Cardinal Edward Michael Egan, archbishop emeritus of New York, United States of America, turned eighty years old and, according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 123; 60 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 63 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 89, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 16 by Pope Benedict XVI. Video, Rome Reports.

• April 1
  El Nuevo Día, newspaper from San Juan, Puerto Rico, informed that Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez, archbishop emeritus of that city, who has been interned in the Hospital "Auxilio Mutuo" since February, is debilitating further. The cardinal's doctor, Ricardo Martínez Durán, said that last night his health relapsed and that he is not as alert as he had been. The cardinal has requested that no extraordinary means to extend his life be used.

• April 1
  International Catholics Organisation of the Media (ICOM), has instituted the Cardinal Foley Award to honor the memory of Cardinal John Patrick Foley (2007), president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Social Communications and gran master emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, who passed away on December 11, 2011.

• March 31
  Coats of arms and episcopal mottos of the cardinals created in the consistory of February 18, 2012, Araldica Vaticana.

• March 29
  New photographs of Cardinals Teodolfo Mertel (1858); Lev Skrbenský z Hriste (1901); Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta (1903); Pietro Maffi (1907); Gaetano Bisleti (1911); Luigi Sincero (1923); Patrick O'Donnell (1925); Luigi Capotosti (1926); Pietro Fumasoni Biondi (1933); Luigi Maglione (1935); Carlo Cremonesi (1935); Camillo Caccia Dominioni (1935); Federico Cattani Amadori (1935); Arcadio María Larraona, C.M.F. (1959); Arturo Tabera Araoz, C.M.F. (1969); Silvio Oddi (1969); Ricardo Jamin Vidal (1985); Robert Coffy (1991); José Tomás Sánchez (1991); Juan Sandoval Íñiguez (1994); Francesco Colasuonno (1998); Anthony Olubunmi Okogie (2003); Angelo Amato, S.D.B. (2010); Fortunato Baldelli (2010); Domenico Calcagno (2012); and Giuseppe Versaldi (2012), have been included in their biographical entries and in the image galleries.

• March 23
  At the conclusion of the meeting of the Plenary Assembly of the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Community (Comece), Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of München und Freising, Germany, was elected its president for a triennium.

• March 22
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, in its edition of Thursday March 22, 2012, p. 1, reported the following: The Ambassador of Italy to the Holy See, Francesco Maria Greco, offered on behalf of the Government a luncheon in honor of the Italian cardinals created in the consistory of February 18, 2012. The meeting, held Wednesday, March 21, at Palazzo Borromeo, home of the embassy, was attended by Cardinals Fernando Filoni, Antonio Maria Vegliò, Giuseppe Bertello, Domenico Calcagno, Giuseppe Versaldi and Giuseppe Betori, while Francesco Coccopalmerio could not be present because he was in Africa. The new cardinals were welcomed by the ambassador and his wife, Concetta Genisi. The meeting was attended by Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti; Ministers Giuliomaria Terzi di Sant'Agata, Corrado Passera, Francesco Profumo, Lorenzo Ornaghi, Renato Balduzzi, Piero Giarda, Andrea Riccardi, and Deputy Minister Vittorio Grilli. Present were Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., secretary of State; Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, with Bishop Mariano Crociata, secretary general; and Archbishops Angelo Becciù, sostituto of the Secretariat of State; Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with the States; and Adriano Bernardini, apostolic nuncio to Italy. At the end of the meeting, President Monti was greeted by Cardinal Bertone, who expressed words of hope and encouragement. In turn, the president recalled the telephone conversation, direct and very friendly, exchanged between the study of Palazzo Chigi and the papal apartment on March 19 last; and gave the cardinals a copy of the facsimile edition of the Italian Constitution of 1948. Cardinal Filoni gave thanks on behalf of the new cardinals.

• March 21
  Pope Benedict XVI named member of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, O.F.M., archbishop of Durban, South Africa.

• March 20
  Cardinal Edwin Frederick O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, will cease as apostolic administrator of Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America, when his successor, Bishop William Edward Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut, appointed today, is installed as 16th archbishop of Baltimore, the premier see of the country, on May 16, 2012.

• March 20
  The newspaper El Nuevo Día, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, informed that the condition of Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez, archbishop emeritus of San Juan, worsened yesterday. The cardinal's physician, Dr. Ricardo Martínez Durán, indicated that the patient is receiving antibiotics to fight the renal infection he is suffering and that his condition is too delicate to undergo any procedure that would help him to eliminate the fluids retained. The director of the hospital, Dr. José Isado, said that Governor Luis Fortuño and First Lady Lucé Vela visited the cardinal to bid their final farewell.

• March 20
  Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the archdiocese of Montréal, Canada, presented by Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, in conformity with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law. The pope named new metropolitan archbishop of Montréal Christian Lépine, until then titular bishop of Zabi and auxiliary of Montréal. The cardinal will be apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until the installation of his successor.

• March 19
  Univision Noticias reported that Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez, archbishop emeritus of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is gravely ill in the Hospital "Auxilio Mutuo" in that city, where he has been interned for over a month. The news was released by the current archbishop of San Juan, Roberto Octavio González Nieves, O.F.M., who asked the faithful to pray for the cardinal.The archbishop exhorted the people of God to pray intensely for the cardinal so that he, "with spiritual strength and inner peace achieve the definitive and full union with the Father".

• March 15
  Pope Benedict XVI named grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Cardinal Edwin Frederick O'Brien, until then pro-grand master of the same order.

• March 14
  Agence de Presse Internationale Catholique (APIC) reported the Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, is interned in the Gemelli Polyclinic, Rome, under medical supervision after having suffered a stroke.

• March 14
  L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, informed that the president of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, offered a luncheon at the Quirinale Palace in honor of the Italian cardinals created in the consistory of Saturday February 18, 2012: Fernando Filoni, Antonio Maria Vegliò, Giuseppe Bertello, Francesco Coccopalmerio, Domenico Calcagno, Giuseppe Versaldi and Giuseppe Betori. Also present were the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, Donato Marra; the president's advisors Carlo Guelfi and Stefano Stefanini; the Ambassador of Italy to the Holy See, Francesco Maria Greco. The meeting, besides an opportunity of meeting personally, was was a further sign of attention of the Quirinale to the Holy See and the Church in Italy.

• March 12
  Inquirer News reported that Cardinal José Tomás Sánchez, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, was laid to rest today in the crypt under the sanctuary of the Cathedral-Shrine of the Good Shepherd, in Novaliches, Quezon City, after a brief parade, wherein his casket was placed in a carriage being pulled by a horse. The funeral was attended by thirty Filipino bishops and seventy priests.

• March 10
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria, special papal envoy to the celebration of the 450th anniversary of the formal renewal of the archbishopric of Prague, which will take place on May 12, 2012.

• March 9
  Interaksyon reported that Cardinal José Tomás Sánchez, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy and archbishop emeritus of Nueva Segovia, Philippines, died from multiple organ failure at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Medical Center in San Juan City, Metro Manila, at 4:30 a.m., Philippine time. His remains will be brought to Loyola Memorial Chapels at Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, for preparation. The wake will be held at the Good Shepherd Cathedral Shrine along Regalado Avenue, in Novaliches, Quezon City. Upon learning of the death of the cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the eternal repose of his soul and sent a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Ricardo Jamin Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu. His remains will be brought to Loyola Memorial Chapels at Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, for preparation. The cardinal will lie in state at the Dominican Daughters of the Immaculate Mother in Commonwealth, Quezon City, where the cardinal resided until his hospital confinement on Saturday March 3, 2012. The wake will be held at the Good Shepherd Cathedral Shrine along Regalado Avenue, in Novaliches, Quezon City. On Monday March 12, the funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. and will be presided over by Cardinal Vidal, who will also deliver the homily. His remains will be interred at a tomb specifically prepared for him in the crypt below the sanctuary of the Good Shepherd cathedral. In a separate circular, Antonio Tobias, bishop of Novaliches, said that the wake is only short due to the request of the late cardinal not to be embalmed. Bishop Tobias asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the late cardinal's favorite concerns: the support of vocations to the priesthood and or consecrated religious life. Contributions are being accepted at the parish office, at the Chancery of the Diocese, and at a designated table within the cathedral' premises. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte in a statement she read in Friday's news briefing said "The loss of Cardinal Sanchez will be deeply felt by the Catholic Church the world over". After his death, the members of the College of Cardinals are 212 and the cardinal non-electors 89. His Eminence José Tomás Cardinal Sánchez, video, You Tube.

• March 8
  Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño, archbishop emeritus of Guatemala, Guatemala, turned eighty years old and, according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 124; 61 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 63 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 89, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 16 by Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Quezada Toruño turns 80. Elector cardinals drops to 124, video, Rome Reports, 2012-03-10 08.

• March 7
  Cardinal Piacenza: "The Church loves freedom and modernity" by Andrea Tornielli, in English, Vatican Insider, 03/07/2012.

• March 7
  Pope Benedict XVI named members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches Cardinals Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy; Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; André Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, France; and Reinhard Marx, archbishop of München und Freising, Germany.

• March 7
  Pope Benedict XVI named secretary of the College of Cardinals Lorenzo Baldisseri, titular archbishop of Diocleziana, secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

• March 7
  Pope Benedict XVI confirmed as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference Cardinal for another quinquennium Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa.

• March 5
  Pope Benedict XVI named members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Cardinals Antonio Cañizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; and Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

• March 3
  Pope Benedict XVI named Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, special papal envoy to the opening celebrations of the pilgrimage to the "Sacra Tunica" (Holy Robe), in the fifth centenary of the first public display of the same, which will take place in the cathedral of Trier, Federal Republic of Germany, on April 13, 2012.

• March 3
  Pope Benedict XVI addressed a letter of gratitude to Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, for having preached the Spiritual exercises for him and the Roman Curia.

• March 1
  Memorial and funeral inscriptions and details have been added to the biographical entries of Cardinals Giorgio Fieschi (1439); Lorenzo Fieschi (1706); Placido Maria Tadini, O.C.D. (1835); Gaetano Alimonda (1879); Herbert Vaughan (1893); Pietro Boetto, S.J. (1935); and Arthur Hinsley (1937); as well as additional biographical information concerning Cardinal Reginald Pole (1536), kindly provided by Mr. Mark West, from London, England.

• February 28
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of June 1, 1778 (VIII).

• February 26
  In the afternoon of Saturday February 25, 2012, in the auditorium of the episcopal curia of Porto-Santa Rufina, the diocese remembered French Cardinal Eugène Tisserant, who was its last cardinal bishop from 1946 to 1966, with a funeral mass presided over by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, bishop of the title of the suburbicarian see of Porto-Santa Rufina, sub-dean of the College of Cardinals, together with the local bishop, Gino Reali; and the papal nuncio in France, Luigi Ventura, titular archbishop of Equilio. The president of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, Father Bernard Ardura, O.Praem., presented the relation "Il cardinale Eugenio Tisserant good shepherd and pastor of the diocese of Porto e Santa Rufina". The late cardinal rests in the sepulchre of the bishops in the cathedral della Storta (cathedral of Sacri Cuori di Gesù e Maria), where he was buried on February 25, 1972.

• February 25
  In its edition of February 25, 2012, Anno CLII n. 47 (45.993), page 6, L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, informed that on February 24, in the Hall della Conciliazione of the Lateran Palace, in Rome, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome, presided over the ceremony of the opening of the cause of beatification and canonization of Pope Benedict XIII. On the following day, a conference entitled "Benedict XIII Orsini between St. Dominic and St. Philip Neri, sources, history, spirituality" was held at the Angelicum University, also in Rome.

• February 24
  After the consistory of February 18, 2012, the total number of members of the College of Cardinals is 213, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 130 by Pope John Paul II; and 79 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 88, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 68 by Pope John Paul II; and 16 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal electors are 125; 62 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 63 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• February 23
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced today that on Sunday February 26, 2012, at 11 a.m., Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will take possession of the deaconry of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio, located at Largo Nostra Signora di Coromoto 2, Rome. Cardinal Fernando Filoni visits his new Roman parish, video, Rome Reports, 2012-03-10 11:00.

• February 23
  Image Gallery of the cardinals created in the consistory of February 18, 2012.

• February 21
  The Vatican Information Service (VIS) published the text of the communique released this morning by the Holy See Press Office concerning the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú.

• February 20
  At 11 a.m., in the Paul VI Hall, in the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI received in audience the cardinals created on Saturday February 18, 2012, accompanied by their families and the faithful from their dioceses who came to Rome for the consistory. The pope addressed them a discourse. Video, You Tube.

• February 19
  At 9:30 a.m., today, solemnity of the Cathedra of Saint Peter the Apostle, Pope Benedict XVI presided in the papal Vatican basilica the eucharistic concelebration with the new twenty two cardinals created in yesterday's consistory. At the beginning of the mass, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the first among the new cardinals, delivered an address expressing the gratitude to the pope for the promotion to the cardinalate in the name of all the new cardinals. The pope pronounced the homily after the proclamation of the Gospel.

• February 18
  Titles and deaconries assigned to the cardinals created in the consistory of February 18, 2012 (IV).

• February 18
  Allocution of Pope Benedict XVI during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of twenty two new cardinals and the vote for some new causes of canonization, Press Office of the Holy See. Video, You Tube.

• February 17
  The Press Office of the Holy See released the following communication concerning the day of reflection and prayer convoked by Pope Benedict XVI:
       This morning, Friday 17 February, in preparation for tomorrow's consistory, the members of the College of Cardinals and the new cardinals-elect met in the Vatican's New Synod Hall for a day of reflection and prayer called by the Holy Father.
       The Day began with the celebration of Lauds, followed by an introductory address by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals.
       The main theme of the day - "the announcement of the Gospel today, between 'missio ad gentes' and new evangelisation" - was introduced with a long talk by one of the cardinals-designate: Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York. He was followed by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, who delivered a report on the forthcoming Year of Faith, and its significance in the light of the Apostolic Letter 'Porta fidei'. He also outlined a series of initiatives for that Year, currently being studied by various dicasteries.
       The participants in the day of reflection and prayer then rose to speak. There was time for seven addresses on various themes, before the praying of the Angelus guided by the Holy Father.
       This afternoon, following the celebration of Vespers at 5 p.m., the participants will continue to make their contributions.
       Of the total of 213 members of the College of Cardinals, including the twenty-two new cardinals, 133 were present. The absentees presented their excuses for reasons of age, health or earlier appointments.

• February 16
  Vatican Insider reported that Cardinal Antonios Naguib, patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt, is seriously ill after suffering stroke and currently cannot perform his duties. Bishop Kyrillos Kamal William Samaan, O.F.M., of Assiut, has been named vicar, with full powers, to assist the cardinal patriarch in his duties, according to canon 132 of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches.

• February 16
  The Press Office of the Holy See released the following communication at the end of the meeting of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See:
  

  Consolidated budget of the Holy See and budget of the Governorate of Vatican City State for the year 2012

  The Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See met in the Vatican on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 February under the presidency of His Holiness' Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.

  The meeting was attended by the following cardinals: Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, Germany; Antonio María Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid, Spain; Norberto Rivera Carrasco, archbishop of Mexico, Mexico; Wilfrid Fox Napier O.F.M., archbishop of Durban, South Africa; Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, archbishop of Lima, Peru; Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy; George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia; Agostino Vallini, His Holiness' vicar general for the diocese of Rome; Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino, archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela; Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France, and Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See was represented by its president, secretary and accountant general, respectively: Archbishop Giuseppe Versaldi, Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, and Stefano Fralleoni.

  The Governorate of Vatican City State and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) were represented as follows: Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Commission of Cardinals for Vatican City State; Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State; Archbishop Domenico Calcagno, president of APSA, and Monsignor Luigi Misto, secretary of APSA.

  At the invitation of the Cardinal Secretary of State, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. and Alberto Gasbarri, respectively director general and administrative director of Vatican Radio, also participated in the meeting for issues concerning their sphere of competency.

  Archbishop Versaldi, having outlined the renewed role which the Prefecture for Economic Affairs, in accordance with its new Regulations, has assumed vis-a-vis the Administrations of the Holy See and the Governorate of Vatican City State, gave the floor to the accountant general. He read out the report on the consolidated budget of the Holy See for 2012, followed by the report on that of the Governorate of Vatican City State. On both occasions, his contribution was followed by further reflections and observations by Msgr. Vallejo Balda.

  As is well known, the area of consolidation concerns entities which are part of the Roman Curia, the Apostolic Camera and the "media" institutions of the Holy See, i.e.: Vatican Radio, the Vatican Printing Press - "Osservatore Romano" Publishing House, the Vatican Television Centre and the Vatican Publishing House.

  The administration of the Governorate is independent from the Holy See. Through its various offices, it supervises requirements related to the territorial administration of the State.

• February 16
  The apostolic nunciature in Lima, Perú, announced that the rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú, Dr. Marcial Rubio, will meet with the secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., on February 21, 2012, to discuss the conclusions of the visit made in December of 2011 by Cardinal Péter Erdö, archbishop of Ezstergom-Budapest, Hungary, president of the Council of European Bishops, because of the refusal to update the university's statutes according to Church directives.

• February 13
  The Holy See web site made available the Consistory Booklet for the Celebration and, on page 7, Cardinal designate Karl Joseph Becker, S.J., is listed among the new cardinals to be created during the ceremony. The Booklet for the Eucharistic Concelebration with the new Cardinals was also made available.

• February 11
  Cardinal designate Julien Ries was consecrated titular archbishop of Belcastro at the parish church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation, in Villers-Notre-Dame, by Giacinto Berloco, titular archbishop of Fidene, nuncio in Belgium, assisted by Remy Victor Vancottem, bishop of Namur, and by Guy Harpigny, bishop of Tournai. Present at the ceremony were Bourgmestre Jean-Pierre Denis; Communal Secretary Marc Duvivier; former Mayor of Ath Bruno Van Grootenbrulle, who was accompanied by his son Florent; and Historian Christian Cannuyer.

• February 10
  The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced that Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate in the papal Vatican basilica on Saturday February 18, 2012, at 10:30 a.m., an ordinary public consistory for the creation of twenty-two new cardinals during which he will impose the biretta, consign the ring and assign them their title or diaconate.
  
  At the end of the ceremony, the pope will celebrate an ordinary public consistory for the canonization of the following Blesseds: Jacques Berthieu, French martyr and priest of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits); Pedro Calungsod, Filipino lay catechist and martyr; Giovanni Battista Piamarta, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth and of the Congregation of the Humble Sister Servants of the Lord; María del Monte Carmelo, Spanish foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching; Maria Anna Cope, German religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Syracuse, United States of America; Kateri Tekakwitha, Indian-American laywoman; and Anna Schaffer, German laywoman.
  
  That same afternoon, from 4:30 to 6:30 in various rooms of the Apostolic Palace, the new cardinals will receive all those who wish to pay them a courtesy visit. A list of these locations follows:
  Atrium of the Paul VI Hall: Cardinals Joao Braz de Aviz, Edwin Frederick O'Brien, George Alencherry, Lucian Mureşşan, Julien Ries and Prosper Grech, O.S.A.
  Paul VI Hall: Cardinals Francesco Coccopalmerio, Thomas Christopher Collins, Dominik Jaroslav Duka, O.P., Willem Jacobus Eijk, Giuseppe Betori, Timothy Michael Dolan, Rainer Maria Woelki and John Tong Hon.
  Sala Regia of the Apostolic Palace: Cardinals Fernando Filoni, Manuel Monteiro de Castro and Giuseppe Bertello.
  Galleria Lapidaria of the Apostolic Palace: Cardinals Santos Abril y Castelló and Antonio Maria Vegliò.
  Sala Ducale of the Apostolic Palace: Cardinals Domenico Calcagno and Giuseppe Versaldi.
  
  Also in the papal Vatican basilica, at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday February 19, Solemnity of the Cathedra of St. Peter, the pope will preside a concelebrated mass with the new cardinals.
  
  Note. In spite of yesterday's announcements in domradio.de and Vatican Radio indicating that Cardinal designate Karl Joseph Becker, S.J., was going to participate in the consistory, he is not mentioned in the list of new cardinals receiving courtesy visits after the ceremony.

• February 9
  domradio.de reported today that Cardinal designate Karl Joseph Becker, S.J., now will take part in the consistory February 18, 2012. Information kindly provided by Mr. Lambert Stamer, from Gießen, Germany. The Lithuanian language section of Vatican Radio also confirmed the news, indicating that the cardinal designate said that he now feels strong enough and promises to come to the consistory; as did the German language section. Information kindly provided by Mr. Charles N. Bransom, Jr., director and editor of Revue des Ordinations Épiscopales, and creator of the site Apostolic Succession & Episcopal Lineages in the Roman Catholic Church.

• February 8
  Cardinal designate Prosper Grech, O.S.A, was consecrated titular archbishop of San Leone at 6 p.m., in St. John's co-cathedral in Valletta, by Paul Cremona, O.P., archbishop of Malta, assisted by Cardinal-elect Giuseppe Versaldi, archbishop-bishop emeritus of Alessandria, president of the prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, and by Mario Grech, bishop of Gozo. Present at the ceremony were President George Abela of Malta; the prime minister, Lawrence Gonzi; the leader of the opposition, Joseph Muscat; and a large congregation which included many Augustinian priests led by their Superior General Father Robert F. Prevost, O.S.A. Information kindly provided by Mr. Mark Zammit, from Malta.

• February 7
  Cardinal Juan Sandoval Íñiguez ceased as apostolic administrator of Guadalajara when his successor, Cardinal José Francisco Robles Ortega, took possession of the see.

• February 7
  Comments of Archbishop Charles Chaput at end of funeral Mass for Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, in English, Catholic Philly.

• February 7
  Cardinal Bevilacqua laid to rest after funeral rites, Catholic Philly.

• February 7
  Funeral Mass for Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, video, 6 ABC Action News, ABC Inc., WPVI-TV/DT Philadelphia, PA.

• February 7
  Rites preceding entombment of Cardinal Bevilacqua take place at Seminary by Lou Baldwin, in English, Catholic Philly.

• February 5
  Cardinal designate Julien Ries will receive the episcopal consecration on February 11, 2012, at the parish church of Notre-Dame de la Visitation, at Villers-Notre-Dame, from Giacinto Berloco, titular archbishop of Fidene, nuncio in Belgium, assisted by Remy Victor Vancottem, bishop of Namur, and by Guy Harpigny, bishop of Tournai. The cardinal designate was elected titular archbishop of Belcastro on January 23, 2012. Information kindly provided by Mr. Charles N. Bransom, Jr., director and editor of Revue des Ordinations Épiscopales, and creator of the site Apostolic Succession & Episcopal Lineages in the Roman Catholic Church.

• February 3
  The Press Office of the Holy See informed that in occasion of the coming consistory, Pope Benedict XVI has convoked the members of the College of Cardinals and the new cardinals elect for a day of reflection and prayer that will take place on February 17, 2012, in the new Hall of the Synod, beginning at 10 a.m. with the recitation of Lauds and in the afternoon at 5 p.m. with the recitation of Vespers. The main theme of the reunion will be "The announcement of the Gospel today, between missio ad gentes and the new evangelization" and it will be introduced by Cardinal designate Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, United States of America. There will also be a communication on the Year of the Faith presented by Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. Pope calls for meeting with all cardinals, video, Rome Reports.

  The Office also informed that Cardinal designate Father Karl Josef Becker, S.J., for reasons of health, will not be created cardinal in the course of the public ceremony of February 18 but in private form in another moment.

  Note. This announcement concerning Cardinal designate Karl Joseph Becker, S.J., is problematical. The Office needs to clarify if the cardinal will not be created and published (creato e pubblicato) in that consistory but in another one to be celebrated later or, if because of health, he will not be present in the ceremony to receive the cardinalitial insignias but will be created cardinal in the consistory of February 18, 2012. This latter instance has happened in the past more than once. One recent example was that of Cardinal Alberto Bovone, created cardinal deacon in the consistory of February 21, 1998. Although absent from the consistory because he had been ill and interned at the "Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic" for some time, he was assigned the deaconry of Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova at that consistory. Then, following the consistorial ceremony, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, personally delivered the red biretta and the cardinalitial ring to Cardinal Bovone at the university polyclinic. Cardinal Bovone died the following April 17.
       The blog Whosoever desires, published by Jesuit students preparing for the priesthood mostly in Boston College, stated that "Since some who presently live with Fr. Becker have failed to detect any notable frailty or sudden deterioration in his health, the announcement has given rise to perplexity. The mention of a conferral 'privately at another time' leaves open the possibility that Fr. Becker will receive the red hat eventually, but the phrase may also serve as a euphemism for an indefinite deferral. This blogger, for his part, will refrain from speculation on this reversal of Fr. Becker's fortunes."

• February 3
  Catholic News Service (CNS) informed that Cardinal designate Julien Ries will be consecrated bishop on February 11, 2012.

  CNS also informed that Cardinal designate Karl Josef Becker, S.J., has asked to be exempted from receiving the episcopal consecration.

• February 2
  The archdiocese of Philadelphia announced the funeral arrangements for Cardinal Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua, archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia: Following a private viewing at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M.Cap., of Philadelphia will receive the body at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on Monday, February 6, 2012 at approximately 5:30 p.m. A public viewing will take place at the cathedral basilica from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. There will also be a public viewing on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Solemn Funeral Mass for Cardinal Bevilacqua will begin at 2:00 p.m. followed by the Rite of Committal in the cathedral crypt (located below the main altar). The celebrant for the funeral mass will be Archbishop Chaput and the homilist will be Monsignor Louis D'Addezio.

• February 1
  Cardinal Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua, archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia, United States of America, died in his sleep at 9:15 p.m., on January 31, 2012, in his residence on the grounds of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, in Lower Merion, in that archdiocese. Upon learning the news of his death, Pope Benedict XVI sent a telegram of condolence to Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M.Cap., of Philadelphia. The late cardinal is survived by his sister Madeline Langan of Bayville, New York, and his brother Frank Bevilacqua of West Simsbury, Connecticut. Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali, archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia and successor of Cardinal Bevilacqua in that see, issued a statement on the death of the cardinal. Bishop David Allen Zubik of Pittsburgh, former see of Cardinal Bevilacqua, also issued a statement on his death. Funeral arrangements for the cardinal are pending. After the death of Cardinal Bevilacqua, the total number of members of the College of Cardinals is 191. The cardinal non-electors are 84, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 68 by Pope John Paul II; and 12 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal electors are 107; 62 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 45 by Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Bevilacqua, former head of Philadelphia Archdiocese, dies at 88, video, Rome Reports.

• January 30
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of June 23, 1777 (VII).

• January 26
  The Vatican Press Office announced in the Calendar of Celebrations presided by Pope Benedict XVI published today, that on Saturday February 18, 2012, at 10:30 a.m., will take place in the papal Vatican basilica an Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of the new cardinals and the vote on a number of causes of canonization. And that on Sunday February 19, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., Solemnity of the Chair of St. Peter, also in the papal Vatican basilica, will take place the Holy Mass with the new cardinals.

• January 23
  The archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto Rico, asked the faithful to pray for the health of Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez, archbishop emeritus of San Juan, yesterday during Sunday masses. The cardinal is in delicate condition in a local hospital. Promoted to the cardinalate in 1973, he is the second most senior member of the College of Cardinals after Cardinal Eugênio de Araújo Sales, promoted in 1969, who is currently the cardinal protoprete.

• January 22
  The archdiocese of Malta announced that Cardinal-designate Prosper Grech, O.S.A, has been named titular archbishop of San Leone on January 21, 2012. At the same time, the archdiocese published the program of his episcopal consecration: February 6, Arrival in Malta; February 7, at 11.30 a.m., Press conference at the Archbishop's Curia, in Floriana; at 7:00 p.m, Vigil of prayer in preparation for the Episcopal Ordination in the Church of St. Augustine, Valletta; February 8, at 6:00 p.m. Episcopal Ordination in the Co-Cathedral of St. John, Valletta; February 9, at 7:15 p.m., he will lead the mass of the eve of the feast of the Shipwreck of St. Paul, in the Church of St. Paul, Valletta; February 10, he leaves Malta for Rome. Information kindly provided by Mr. Mark Zammit, from Malta.

• January 22
  Coat of arms of Cardinal-designate Prosper Grech, O.S.A., timesofmalta.com. Information kindly provided by Mr. Charles N. Bransom, Jr., director and editor of Revue des Ordinations Épiscopales, and creator of the site Apostolic Succession & Episcopal Lineages in the Roman Catholic Church.

• January 18
  New bibliographic items added to the site during the months of October to December 2011.

• January 17
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of the cardinals created by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the consistory of May 20, 1776 (VI).

• January 14
  The Archdiocese of Malta has just officially announced that Cardinal-elect Prosper Grech, O.S.A., will receive the episcopal consecration on February 8, 2012, at St. John's co-cathedral in Valletta, from Cardinal-elect Giuseppe Versaldi, archbishop-bishop emeritus of Alessandria, president of the prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, assisted by Paul Cremona, O.P., archbishop of Malta, and by Mario Grech, bishop of Gozo. Information kindly provided by Mr. Mark Zammit, from Malta.

• January 13
  Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, S.D.B., bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, China, turned eighty years old and, according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 107; 62 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 45 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 85, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 12 by Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Zen of Hong Kong turns 80, elector cardinals drops to 107, video, Rome Reports.

• January 10
  Portraits of the Cardinals Vicar of Rome (1870-2008), Gli Scritti, Centro Culturale, kindly provided by Mr. Francisco Vázquez, from Valencia, Spain.

• January 8
  L'Osservatore Romano, CLII n. 6 (45.952), Saturday-Sunday January 7-8 , 2012, p. 8, informed about some innovations in the rite for the creation of new cardinals. The cardinalitial rings will be bestowed at the same time as the red birettas and the titles. The concelebrated mass of the pope and the new cardinals on the following day remains, and it is there that the address of homage and gratitude to the pope is given by the first cardinal created in the consistory in the name of the other new cardinals.

• January 6
  Letter of Father Robert Prevost, O.S.A., prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, on the announcement of the promotion to the cardinalate of Father Prosper Grech, O.S.A.

• January 6
  The Vatican Press Office informed that during the recitation of the Angelus, at noon today, Pope Benedict XVI announced that on February 18, 2012 he will celebrate a consistory for the creation of twenty two cardinals. Eighteen of those cardinals will be electors and four non-electors for being older than eighty years old.

• January 6
  Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., bishop of the title of the suburbicarian see of Palestrina and prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, turned eighty years old and, according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, lost the right to participate in the conclave. The cardinal electors are now 108; 62 have been created by Pope John Paul II; and 46 by Pope Benedict XVI. The cardinal non-electors are 84, of which 4 were created by Pope Paul VI; 69 by Pope John Paul II; and 11 by Pope Benedict XVI.

• January 5
  Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation for age limit presented by Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli from the charge of penitentiary major and has named to succeed him Manuel Monteiro de Castro, titular archbishop of Benevento, until then secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and secretary of the College of Cardinals.

• January 4
  L'Osservatore Romano, CLII, n. 3 (45.949), Wednesday January 4, 2012, p. 7, announced that on the thirtieth day of the death of Cardinal John Patrick Foley, grand master emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, a mass for his eternal repose will be celebrated on January 11, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., in the church of Santa Maria in Traspontina, in via della Conciliazione. The rite will be presided by Claudio Maria Celli, titular archbishop of Civitanova, his successor as head of that dicastery.

• January 3
  Additional information has been included in the biographical entries of Cardinals Giacomo Lanfredini (1734); Denis Dougherty (1921); Elia dalla Costa (1933); Francis Joseph Brennan (1967); Silvio Oddi (1969); Giovanni Benelli (1977); John Patrick Foley (2007); Agustin Garcia-Gasco Vicente (2007); and Raymond Leo Burke (2010), kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta.

• On January 1, 2012, the members of the College of Cardinals are 192; 109 are electors and 83 are non-electors, having lost their right to participate in the conclave when they turned 80 years old, according to the regulation in the seventh paragraph of the introduction of the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis. During this year, thirteen cardinals will turn 80. They are: José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., January 6; Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, S.D.B., January 13; Rodolfo Quezada Toruño, March 8; Edward Michael Egan, April 2; Miloslav Vlk, May 17; Henri Schwery, June 14; James Francis Stafford, July 26; Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, August 10; Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, August 24; Pedro Rubiano Sáenz, September 13; Francis Arinze, November 1; Renato Raffaele Martino, November 23; and Eusébio Oscar Scheid, S.C.I., December 8.

• From January 1 to December 31, 2011, the cardinals' site received 145,945 visits and innumerable electronic messages with comments, corrections, and additional information, both textual and pictorial. The counter records only the initial visit to the site and not the ones to other sections on the same occasion. The site now contains the biographical entries of the 4,262 cardinals, quasi-cardinals and pseudocardinals identified between 492 and 2010.

©1998-2018 Salvador Miranda.