On the morning of September 30th, in St. Peter’s Square, 19 bishops and 2 priests were created cardinals of the Catholic Church by Pope Francis. Among them was the former Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine and bishop of Chiclayo, the current Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Monsignor Robert Francis Prevost, OSA.
Cardinal Prevost received the cardinal’s biretta witnessed by Father Alejandro Moral Antón and his council, Father Miguel Ángel Orcasitas, former general of the Order, Father Anthony Pizzo, Provincial of the Chicago Province – the province from which Monsignor Prevost hails – various provincials and superiors, and ultimately, a large representation of brothers and sisters from the Augustinian community, as well as his blood and diocesan family.
During his brief speech, Father Prevost, on behalf of all the cardinals, spoke of how “humility is fundamental for every disciple of Christ,” knowing that the new task entrusted by the Pope to the new cardinals is “a call to humility.” With the imminent start of the Synod of Bishops, Prevost pointed out that “being a synodal Church that knows how to listen to everyone is the path not only to personally live the faith but also to grow in true Christian fraternity,” and that “the Church is fully herself only when she truly listens, when she journeys like the New People of God in its wonderful diversity, continually rediscovering her baptismal call to contribute to the spread of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God.” Finally, the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops asked Francis to pray for the new cardinals so that they “contribute to making the door of the universal Church more ready to open, quicker to welcome, and more capable of listening to all.”
