In the magnificent Basilica of St. Peter, Pope Francis presides over the Consistory for the creation of 21 cardinals: the invitation is to not be dazzled by the allure of prestige, the seduction of power and appearance, but to base life on the true and only “pillar” which is Jesus. To animate their service, Francis recommends that they always embrace “the adventure of the street, the joy of meeting others, and care for the most vulnerable.” The eldest, Acerbi, prays for peace.
Antonella Palermo – Vatican City
It is the tenth Consistory of Pope Francis’ pontificate. In the solemnity and warmth of the Advent season that fills the Vatican Basilica, crowded with 5,500 faithful, 21 cardinals are created. From the beginning of the rite, the word “unity” is recurrent. It is found in the homily as well as in the introductory words of homage and gratitude spoken by the oldest ever to receive the cardinalate, former apostolic nuncio Angelo Acerbi, 99 years old, who recalls the need to “walk together,” as expressed in the recent synod, as the path to pursue. He echoes the common desire for peace in a world disfigured by inequalities, wars, and poverty, adding that the Encyclical Dilexit nos is a “special inspiration for the pastoral work that each of the new cardinals is called to carry out in their own sphere.” In the homily, the Pope once again emphasizes one of the pillars of his teaching: not to chase after the top positions, but to cultivate humility and fraternity.
Do Not Be Dazzled by the Allure of Prestige
Our heart is a “jumble,” the Pope recalls citing Manzoni in The Betrothed. He refers to the passage in chapter 10 of the Gospel of Mark, highlighting the disciples’ attitude, not immune to lapses, fragilities, disorientations, infidelities, and misunderstandings. While Jesus is on a difficult and uphill path that will lead Him to Calvary, Francis reminds them that they think of the Messiah as a victorious conqueror on a smooth downhill road. It is one of the great misunderstandings of following Christ, which one must “humbly acknowledge.”
It can also happen to us: that our heart loses its way, being dazzled by the allure of prestige, the seduction of power, by an enthusiasm too human for our Lord. That’s why it’s important to look within, humbly place ourselves before God and honestly before ourselves, and ask: where is my heart going? In which direction is it moving? Am I perhaps on the wrong path?
READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE HOMILY
Returning to the Heart, with Jesus as the Central Pillar
It is the “return to the heart” recommended by St. Augustine, also quoted by the Pope. That return to what is essential, profound, truly necessary. Because often the lines are blurred, considering fundamental what is not. With a fitting metaphor, the pontiff refers to the image of the “pillar”: the support, the center of gravity on which to entrust one’s life must remain Christ.
Today, especially to you, dear Brothers receiving the cardinalate, I would like to say: be careful to walk the path of Jesus. What does this mean? Walking the path of Jesus means above all returning to Him and putting Him at the center of everything. In spiritual life as in pastoral life, we risk sometimes focusing on the peripheries, forgetting the essential.
Walking the Streets, Embracing Encounters with Others
The Pope continues to outline the ways to imitate Jesus, staying on His path: healing the wounds of man, lightening the burdens of his heart, removing the boulders of sin, and breaking the chains of slavery. The cardinalate, insists the Successor of Peter, is not isolation but a continuous immersion in the lives of the people, in their struggles and wounds, in their disillusionments. The same Mazzolari, whom the Pope remembers as “a great figure of the Italian clergy,” spoke of the need to walk the streets, an action that is free and unfiltered: this is still needed today, says Francis. “Let us not forget that being tired ruins hearts, and stagnant water is the first to spoil,” adds the Pope spontaneously.
The adventure of the street, the joy of meeting others, the care for the most vulnerable: this should animate your service as cardinals.
Seeking Unity, Not Top Positions
In the group of disciples, “the worm of competition destroys unity,” the Pope emphasizes again. The cardinals are invited not to fall into this temptation but to break down the walls of enmity, animated by that ardor in the search for unity that was so dear to Pope Paul VI. This is the spirit that makes the difference, he concludes, in a world marked by “corrosive competition,” in a society dominated by the obsession with appearance and the pursuit of top positions.
Therefore, as I look at you, coming from different backgrounds and cultures, representing the universality of the Church, the Lord calls you to be witnesses of fraternity, artisans of communion, and builders of unity. This is your mission. This is your mission.
Luminous Servants to Build the Church
The newly appointed cardinals parade for the imposition of the cardinal’s biretta, the first being the oldest, Acerbi. They also receive the ring, the zucchetto, and the bulla with the assignment of the title, and each swears fidelity and obedience to the Pope and his successors as the Pope shows tenderness and spiritual fatherhood. Familiarity and embraces of mutual benevolence among the cardinals. The sung Lord’s Prayer and the prayer expressed by the Pope follow, “so that these your servants, constantly building your Church and founded in the integrity of faith, may shine brightly in purity of mind.” The ritual concludes with entrusting the entire assembly to Mary, on the eve of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. With the creation of the new 21 cardinals, whose geographical origin introduces five new countries (Algeria, Australia, Ecuador, Iran, Serbia), the College of Cardinals is composed of 253 cardinals, of which 140 are electors and 113 non-electors.
