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Introduction into the Second Seven of Twenty-One New Cardinals for 2022
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For the first article on an Introduction into the Twenty-One New Cardinals, check out the link. It will provide you with background knowledge on what is a cardinal, the different types of cardinals, and an introduction into the first seven of the new cardinals.
This second article will focus on an introduction into the next seven of the new cardinals, ordered into a numbered list in a continuation of the first article.
8. Bishop Robert Walter McElroy – Bishop of San Diego (USA): Bishop Robert Walter McElroy is one of the highest educated clergy men on this list as the San Francisco, USA born 68 year old Bishop attended St. Joseph High School Seminary, Harvard University where he got a Bachelor of Arts in History (1975), Stanford University where he got a Master of Arts in American History (1976), Saint Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park where he earned a Masters in Divinity (1979), Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley where he got a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (1985), the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he got a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (1986), and then Stanford University for a second time where he got a Doctorate of Philosophy in Political Science (1989). He was ordained in 1980, and served in various roles as parochial vicar and also as secretary for the Archbishop in San Francisco. In 1995, he became the Vicar General for the Archdiocese of San Francisco until 1997, and in 1996, he became a monsignor. In 2010, Bishop Robert Walter McElroy became an auxiliary bishop of San Francisco and titular bishop of Gemellae in Byzacena. In 2015, he became the Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, in the ecclesiastical province of Los Angeles. During his time as a priest, he would become a known writer for the Jesuit magazine called America. He also authored The Search for an American Public Theology: The Contribution of John Courtney Murray and Morality and
9. Archbishop Virgílio Do Carmo Da Silva, S.D.B. – Archbishop of Dili (East Timor): Portuguese-Timor born 54 year old East Timorese Archbishop Virgílio Do Carmo Da Silva became a professed member of the Salesians of Saint John Bosco (Don Bosco) in 1990 after having gone to primary and secondary Salesian run schools in East Timor, and then went on to study philosophy and theology in Manilla, Philippines. Archbishop Virgílio Do Carmo Da Silva would become an ordained priest in 1998 after earning perpetual vows into the Salesians in 1997. From 1999-2003, he would serve as a novice master. In 2005, he received a Licentiate in Spirituality from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, and then came back to East Timor and in 2007 became a novice master once again, as well as the director of the Technical School of Nossa Senhora de Fátima in Fatumaca, East Timor in 2009, holding both of these positions until 2014. In 2015, he became the Provincial Superior for East Timor and Indonesia for the Salesians. In 2016, he became the Bishop of the Diocese of Dili, in East Timor, and in 2019, the Diocese was elevated to an archdiocese to become the Archdiocese of Dili and Archbishop Virgílio Do Carmo Da Silva became an archbishop. Archbishop Virgílio Do Carmo Da Silva will be created a Cardinal-Priest in 2022. This is a major selection by Pope Francis as outside of the sovereign entities run by the Catholic Church and Catholic Knights (Holy See and Vatican City State, plus Sovereign Knights of Malta), East Timor or Timor-Leste as it is also known is the world's most Catholic country per capita.
10. Bishop Oscar Cantoni - Bishop of Como (Italy): Italian born 71 year old Italian Bishop Oscar Cantoni was born in a former commune on the shores of Lake Como and has been in the area most of his life, even studying at the Pontificio Collegio Gallio in Como, before deciding to become a priest and studying theology at a diocesan seminary. He was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Como in 1975. He performed pastoral activity in 1982 in the Diocese, and then would also teach religion at a local technical institute. In 2000, he became a monsignor. In 2003, he became a vicar general for the Diocese. In 2005, he became a bishop, but for the Diocese of Crema, marking his first exploits away from Como, but still in the ecclesiastical province of Milan and in the Italian Administrative Region of Lombardy. He became involved at Uni-Crema while in his new diocese and would focus on Christian humanism and tradition while opening a youth mission to bring young adults and the youth back to the Church by communicating in theaters, nightclubs, and through sport. In 2010, he became Grand Prior of the Lieutenancy for Northern Italy for the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. He would move back to Como in 2016 when he became the Bishop of Como. During these years, he has often served as a key member of the Bishops' Conference of Lombardy. In 2022, the Como Bishop Oscar Cantoni will become a Cardinal-Priest.
11. Archbishop Anthony Poola - Archbishop of Hyderabad (India): The 60 year old Indian-born Archbishop Anthony Poola was born in the Diocese of Kurnool in the ecclesiastical province of Hyderabad, in a town called Poluru, however this town then was in the Diocese of Nellore, in the ecclesiastical province of Visakhapatnam. Growing up, he attended Catholic schools from elementary through to high school where he graduated from St. Mary's School in Kurnool in 1979. He studied to become a priest at a Minor Seminary in 1980 in the Diocese of Vijayawada in the Visakhapatnam Ecclesiastical Province, still in his home state of Andhra Pradesh. He also would start his undergraduate studies at Coles Memorial Junior College in Kurnool before moving unto STBC College, Kurnool, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1985. He followed this up by a one-year course at St. Paul's Seminary in Nuzvid, in the Diocese of Vijayawada. He then would attend St. Peter's Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore, in the Archdiocese of Bangalore in the nearby Karnataka State in 1986 and received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Philosophy in 1987, and then went to St. Joseph's Junior College in Kadapa in the Diocese of Cuddappah in the ecclesiastical province of Hyderabad. He returned to the seminary in Hyderabad after this, and later would become ordained as a priest in 1992 in the Diocese of Cuddapah, and back to his home state of Andhra Pradesh. During these early years, Archbishop Anthony Poola served as parish vicor, before becoming a pastor in 1994. He moved around to various parishes in these early years, five years in total, and at a lot of these, he tripled as a teacher and director of a boarding house. In 2001, he moved to Kalamazoo in the USA where he would study clinical pastoral education at the Bronson Methodist Hospital, while also serving at a local parish there in the Diocese of Kalamazoo in the ecclesiastical province of Detroit. He then would move in 2002 to Chicago to study for a Master's program in health pastoral care and took classes in theology at Loyola University Chicago. While there, he served in a parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and earned his master's degree in 2003. He would return to his now home Diocese of Kurnool in 2003 and would become the director of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging until 2004, as well as serving other roles such as Diocesan Consultor, Secretary for Education, Deputy Administrator of the Schools of the Diocese and Coordinator of the Sponsorship Program. This gained him trust and notoriety and in 2008, he was consecrated a Bishop, as the Bishop of Kurnool. He was elected the president of the Commission for Young People and the Commission for Backward Castes in the Telagu Catholic Bishops Conference in 2008, and held these until 2015, as well as holding the position of the president of the Andhra Pradesh Society of Social Services until 2020. In 2014, he was elected the general secretary, treasurer and secretary of the priestly community, the president of the Sikh Community, and the president of the Jeevan in-state Printing Press, holding all of these until 2020 for the Telugu Catholic Bishops Conference. Then, in 2021, he became Archbishop of Hyderabad, in his now home ecclesiastical province, but in the Telangana State. His knowledge of the Southeastern states and cities of India and the fact that he comes from the Dalit caste (Untouchables) and is Telugu (Dravidian) ethnicity means that he represents the most persecuted in India and can connect with others who feel this pain. He also will symbolize how no one is "untouchable" to Jesus Christ. By becoming a Prince of the Church, he will prove to the surrounding states in India that vertical mobility exists in the Catholic Church, hopefully convincing others to convert. He will become a Cardinal-Priest in 2022, the first Telugu and Dalit Cardinal ever.
12. Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa - Metropolitan Archbishop of Brasília (Brazil): The 54 year old Brazilian born Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa was brought up in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where would become a priest, first by studying philosophy at Nossa Senhora do Amor Divino Seminary in Petrópolis, and then by studying at the Higher Institute of Theology of the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro. He was ordained a priest in his home Diocese of Valença in the ecclesiastical province São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro that covers his home state. However, he would venture outside of his state from 1996-2001 when he studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and earned his Licentiate and Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology. He was a Director and Professor in the Philosophy Department at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro from 2007-2010, and served as a rector at the Paulo VI Interdiocesan Seminary and as a director at the Paulo VI Institute of Philosophy and Theology all in his home state. In 2011, Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa became an auxiliary bishop of Rio de Janeiro, and a titular bishop of Oescus. He served as a Vicar General and led the Suburban Vicariate in the Archdiocese, as well as taught at the Archdiocesan Seminary and PUC-Rio. He became the Bishop of São Carlos in the ecclesiastical province of Campinas and the State of São Paulo in 2016. In 2020, he became the Archbishop of Brasília, Brazil's capital's diocese, as well as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He also takes lead roles in the Permanent Council and the Commission for Culture and Education in the Brazil Episcopal Conference, in addition to being a key member in the Latin American Episcopal Council. He specializes in education and philosophy, and his knowledge of the three most important states/districts in Brazil makes him key to understanding Brazil's elite politics and how it presents itself to the world and in relation to Latin America, a region which he also is an expert on. He will be created a Cardinal-Priest in 2022.
13. Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Africa - Bishop of Wa (Ghana): Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr was born in a village in the Diocese of Wa, and would grow up going to the St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary. In the City of Wa, only around 5% of the population is Catholic, while most are Muslim, however in the Diocese of Wa, 41% of the people in this Diocesan territory are Catholic. Overall in Ghana, the country is very Christian at around 68%, with the plurality being Pentacostal (23%) and the Catholic Church making up about 15%. So, the Diocese of Wa provided an interesting background with regards to relations with other denominations, especially Pentacostals, and other religions, especially Islam. He would go to St. Victor Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Tamale, his ecclesiastical province, in 1979, and then would join the Society of Missionaries of Africa in 1981. He fulfilled his novitiate in 1982 in Friborg, Switzerland, before going to the Missionary Institute London to complete his theological studies until 1987. He made religious vows at St. Edward's College in London in 1987, and became a priest this year as well. He became a parish vicar in the Archdiocese of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, until 1991. Then he continued his studies from 1991-1996 in exegesis at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, and then Ignatian studies at Le Chatelard in Lyon, and earned his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture and Doctorate in Biblical Theology. From 1996-1999, he was the Societies' formator in Kahangala, Tanzania. From 1999-2004, he was director at the Toulouse, France formation house. From 2004-2010, he was the first assistant general of the Society. He became the Order's Superior in 2010, the first African-born person to hold this position, and served in this position, and as the Vice-Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies until 2016. He became the Bishop of Wa in 2016 and is a member and consultor on the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. His expertise in English and French is necessary to growing the Church in Africa, and his knowledge of other Christian Denominations and Islam allows for him to create proper planning in handling relations with various regions where Catholicism is not the majority or not in control. In 2022, he will be created a Cardinal-Priest.
14. Archbishop William Goh Seng Chye - Archbishop of Singapore (Singapore): The 64 year old Singaporean born Archbishop William Goh Seng went to Catholic Schools most of his life by going to the Montfort Secondary School, and then the interdiocesan seminary in Malaysia called the College General for philosophy, and then at the Major Seminary in Singapore for Theology in the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary. In 1985, he earned a bachelor's degree in Theology at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, and then was ordained a priest and became an assistant priest in the Archdiocese of Singapore. He then went on to earn a Licentiate and Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He would return to Singapore in 1992 and become a Resident Formator, the Initiation Year Director at the Major Seminary, and a lecturer in systematic theology, as well as a head parish priest. He served as the Dean of Studies, then procurator, and the Rector of Major Seminary, as well as the Spiritual Director of the Archdiocesan Catholic Spirituality Centre, Amplify Youth Ministry, Jesus Youth Singapore, and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Experience. He also would serve as a member of the Theological Advisory Commission for the Federation of Asia Bishops' Conference. He became the Coadjutor Archbishop in 2012 and ordained in 2013, and then became the Archbishop of Singapore in 2013. He has focused on issues of moral relativism that the growing lack of Church and religion in many people have caused, and how with moral relativism, there is no central reference point for people to look towards to provide unity. He has encouraged bringing the youth into the Church. He has also stressed the importance of the Church respecting the boundaries of civil government and for both to help each other create the best humanity. He is a member of Singapore's Presidential Council for Minority Rights since 2015. In 2022, he will become the first Singaporean-born Cardinal and will become a Cardinal-Priest.
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About the Author
Cole Kinder is a recent graduate of UCLA in political science with a focus on international relations. He has written one book, Foreign Policy in 4 Hours, Afghanistan 2021, and has written many articles on various websites such as Crisis Magazine. Cole Kinder specializes in international relations, domestic politics, religious studies (Catholicism), Slavic studies, sports, as well as geography.
