By Justine John Dyikuk
A Nigerian Bishop, Most Reverend Peter Ebere Okpaleke has been named among the 21 Cardinal designates by Pope Francis on Sunday, 29
In 2012, Bishop Okpaleke was appointed Bishop of Ahiara and consecrated in 2013, but after insistence on an Mbaise Bishop by the local clergy and laity, he was installed as the first Bishop of the newly created Ekwulobia Diocese on 29 April, 2020, only to be nominated a Cardinal, nine years later.
The Cardinal-elect, Peter Okpalaeke, will become the fifth indigenous Nigerian Catholic Bishop to be created a Cardinal after Dominic Cardinal Ekandem, Francis Cardinal Arinze, Anthony Cardinal Okogie and John Cardinal Onaiyekan.
Typical of the Church’s style of focusing on the peripheries to add to college of cardinals, the other Cardinals to-be are from France, Brazil, India, Philippines, Mongolia, Paraguay, Nigeria, Timor Oriental and Italy.
Three of those who make the list are from the Roman Curia, the Catholic Church’s central government.
They include Arthur Roche, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Lazzaro You Heung sik, Prefect for the Congregation for Clergy; and Fernando Vergez Alzaga, who is in charge of the Vatican City state.
Prelates under 80 years are, Archbishop Jean-Marc Aveline, of Marseille (France), Archbishop Peter Okpaleke, of Ekwulobia (Nigeria), Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, of Manaus (Brazil) and Archbishop Filipe Neri António Sebastião of Rosário Ferrão, of Goa e Damão (India).
In the list are, Bishop Robert Walter McElroy, of San Diego (U.S.A.), Archbishop Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, of Dili (East Timor), Bishop Oscar Cantoni, of Como (Italy), Archbishop Anthony Poola, of Hyderabad (India) and Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa of Brasília (Brazil).
Others are, Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr M. Afr, of Wa (Ghana), Archbishop William Goh Seng Chye, of Singapore (Singapore), Archbishop Adalberto Martínez Flores, of Asunción (Paraguay) and Archbishop Giorgio Marengo, Prefect of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).
Five of the Cardinal designates who are over the age of 80 are, Archbishop Jorge Enrique Jiménez Carvajal – Archbishop Emeritus of Cartagena (Colombia), Archbishop Lucas Van Looy sdb – Archbishop Emeritus of Ghent (Belgium), Archbishop Arrigo Miglio – Archbishop Emeritus of Cagliari (Italy), Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda sj. – Professor of Theology and Monsignor Fortunato Frezza, canonist at the Vatican.
Pope Francis’ eight consistory for the creation of new cardinals is slated for August 29-30, 2022 is set to reflect the new Vatican’s constitution which is effective from June 6.
While 16 of the princes will participate in the conclave to find a successor for Pope Francis successor, the others who are over 80 years of age will enjoy the office as an honorary title.
