Vatican City, Aug 27, 2017 / 12:51 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis received a group of Catholic lawmakers from around the world on Sunday, telling them their work must build bridges with others and bring Catholic teaching into public life.
“As long as the contribution of the Church to the great questions of society in our time can be put into discussion,” he said, “it is vital that your commitment be constantly pervaded by her moral and social teachings, in order to build a more humane and just society.”
“The laws that you promulgate and apply ought to build bridges between different political perspectives: even when they respond to precise ends ordered to the promotion of greater care for the defenseless and the marginalized, especially the many who are constrained to leave their countries; and when they are in order to favor a correct human and natural ecology,” said the Pope, according to Vatican Radio.
The lawmakers were in Rome for a meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network. The network aims to bring together Catholic lawmakers to discuss common concerns and to share ideas about bringing their faith to their work.
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna and British parliamentarian Lord David Alton founded the network in 2010.
The Pope said the lawmakers that their gathering represented a broad spectrum of political opinion. He noted that their numbers had increased over previous years.
U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.V.) participated in the legislators’ network gathering and spoke to Vatican Media before attendees met with the Pope.
“We have an opportunity to meet here with other Catholic legislators and elected officials from other parts of the world, and to discuss common concerns – problems, opportunities – for our faith, and how to work together and support each other,” he said.
“It’s very inspiring to see how people are fighting for family values,” Rep. Mooney continued, adding “it’s just more encouraging to see faithful Catholics from every country promoting the values of the Church.”
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Cardinals follow the ceremony during the ordinary public consistory for the creation of new cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Dec. 7, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Vatican City, Apr 28, 2025 / 11:09 am (CNA).
At the upcoming papal conclave, set to begin May 7, the College of Cardinals will include several notably young members who have traveled to Rome from across the world, from Mongolia to Australia.
Among the 135 cardinals who are eligible to vote in a conclave, 15 of them are under the age of 60.
Historically, the age of cardinals participating in papal conclaves has varied. One of the youngest was Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza, who attended the 1565–1566 conclave at the age of 25.
In more recent times, during the 2013 conclave, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, was the youngest cardinal elector at 53. In the upcoming conclave, there are six cardinals the same age or younger.
Three of the youngest cardinals who will take part in the Conclave: Americo Manuel (51), from Portugal; Cardenal Mykola (45), Ukrainian Greek Catholic cardinal from Australia; and Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, (50), from Mongolia. They took a selfie yesterday in St Peter’s Basilica. pic.twitter.com/8rNa3vUWwA
The five youngest cardinals lead sees in Australia, Mongolia, Portugal, and Canada as well as a dicastery of the Roman Curia. Two of them are Eastern-rite Catholics. Three were made cardinals in the last consistory before the conclave.
Here are the five youngest cardinals who will help select the next pope:
Cardinal Mykola Bychok, 45
Born on Feb. 13, 1980, in Ternopil, Ukraine, Bychok felt the call to the priesthood at the age of 15. He joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) in 1997, inspired by their missionary zeal. His service has been extensive, including roles as a missionary in Russia, parish priest, and provincial bursar in Ukraine as well as vicar of the Ukrainian Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist in Newark, New Jersey.
Bishop Mykola Bychok, CSSR, speaks to journalists ahead of being made a cardinal on Dec. 6, 2024. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic prelate has served as eparch of Sts. Peter and Paul of Melbourne, Australia, since 2020. Credit: EWTN News
In January 2020, Pope Francis appointed him as the eparchial bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne, Australia. His episcopal consecration took place on June 7, 2020. Bychok has worked to foster community among the Ukrainian diaspora in Australia and to increase youth engagement within the Church.
On Dec. 7, 2024, Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals, making him the current world’s youngest cardinal.
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, 50
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, born on June 7, 1974, in Cuneo, Italy, has been a Consolata missionary in Mongolia since 2003. He was ordained a priest in 2001 and appointed apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar in 2020.
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo was one of the first to welcome Pope Francis to Mongolia on Sept. 1, 2023. Marengo is an Italian cardinal who has served as a missionary in Mongolia for nearly 20 years. He is the current apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Credit: Vatican Media
Pope Francis created him a cardinal on Aug. 27, 2022, making him the youngest member of the College of Cardinals at the time at age 48. He welcomed Pope Francis to Mongolia in 2023 as the first pope to ever visit the country. Marengo is fluent in Mongolian, Italian, and English.
Cardinal Américo Manuel Aguiar Alves, 51
Cardinal Américo Manuel Aguiar Alves, born on Dec. 12, 1973, is the bishop of Setúbal, Portugal. Before entering the priesthood, Aguiar had a brief political career, serving as a town councilor under the Socialist Party. He was ordained a priest at the age of 27 in 2001 and went on to serve in roles such as vicar general and communication director for the Diocese of Porto. He became the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon in 2019 and gained recognition for his leadership in organizing the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon, which drew over 1.5 million attendees.
Pope Francis made him a cardinal in late 2023.
Cardinal Américo Manuel Aguiar Alves. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 51
Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, born on Aug. 11, 1973, in Kerala, India, is a Vatican diplomat and Syro-Malabar archbishop. His diplomatic career included assignments in various countries, including Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. In July 2020, Koovakad returned to Rome to work as an official in the Secretariat of State. He was responsible for organizing Pope Francis’ international travels from 2021 to 2024.
Indian Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad of the Syro-Malabar Church, official of the Secretariat of State and organizer of papal trips, was created a cardinal by Pope Francis during the consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 7, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
The pope elevated Koovakad to cardinal on Dec. 7, 2024, and appointed him as prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in January.
Cardinal Francis Leo, 53
Cardinal Francis “Frank” Leo, born on June 30, 1971, in Montreal to Italian immigrant parents, is the current archbishop of Toronto. He was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Montreal in 1996. Leo holds a doctorate in systematic theology with a specialization in Mariology from the University of Dayton. He served as the general secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2015 to 2021 and was appointed archbishop of Toronto in 2023, an archdiocese with a population of about 2 million Catholics.
Pope Francis made Leo a cardinal in December 2024.
Cardinal Francis Leo of Toronto was created a cardinal by Pope Francis during the consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 7, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
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2 Comments
Just don’t be to committed to it or you’ll become culture warriors.
Just don’t be to committed to it or you’ll become culture warriors.
A wise advice that the Pope and his cohorts should heed. But I suppose this is another case of do as I say but I’ll do what I choose to do.