Archbishop Ranjith to get red hat


Just a quick post after checking the Bollettino this morning (of course, the entire Catholic world has tweeted it within seconds). The names of the new Cardinals have been announced for the Consistory to be held on 20 November. There are some good people in the list - Archbishop Raymond Burke, and Archbishop Mauro Piacenza to name just two.

Just this morning, I was signing school Catholicity forms after Mass. One of the parents who came was Sri Lankan and I enjoyed telling him that there were rumours that Archbishop Ranjith might be appointed a Cardinal and that the announcement might be made today. He was very proud of his Archbishop and delighted to think that he might be a Cardinal.

Glory, praise and thanks be to God Archbishop Ranjith is indeed on the list. (Cue: Alleluia chorus.) It is a great blessing for the Church that such a humble, devout, kindly yet courageous prelate should be raised to the purple. If anyone deserves such a position in Holy Mother Church it is him. God bless Cardinal-elect Ranjith and congratulations to the Church in Sri Lanka - though I have to say that we all hope that he will return to Rome either as the head of a dicastery or (whispering quietly) an even higher office.

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