College of Cardinals

In a ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica to create 13 new cardinals, including Washington, D.C. Archbishop Wilton Gregory, Pope Francis cautioned them to prioritize the interests of the people they serve.

Analysis: Typically, new cardinals join current cardinals in Rome for the consistory. Canon lawyers say that Pope Francis could conduct the ceremony without cardinals from other countries because of COVID-19.

Just Catholic: The good news is 15 new cardinals seem to be on the Roman horizon. The bad news is they are all men. And the fact of the matter is, if you are not at the table, you are not part of the discussion.

NCR Connections: Cardinal Timothy Dolan, like many Catholics on the right, may have confused the church's next conclave — whenever it may be — with this November's upcoming presidential election.

Pope Francis has expanded the ranks of the top members of the College of Cardinals, naming as "cardinal bishops" Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Simply Spirit: Speaking to FutureChurch, veteran Vatican journalist Robert Mickens asks progressive Catholics "to push and support the pope" — and have patience with the slow pace of reform.

Pope Francis Oct. 5 exhorted the world's Catholic cardinals to tend especially for those in need and to practice kindness with those in their care, lamenting what he called the "disloyal actions" of some clerics who only criticize their coworkers.

Distinctly Catholic: Commentators have noted that this pope has now appointed 53% of the cardinal electors. But we should be cautious about predicting certain consequences from that.