Pope announces new cardinals, including San Diego's Bishop McElroy

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis announced he will create 21 new cardinals Aug. 27, including 68-year-old Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego, California.

The pope made the announcement at the end of his "Regina Coeli" address May 29, telling the crowd in St. Peter’s Square the names of the 16 cardinals under the age of 80, who will be eligible to vote in a conclave, and the names of five elderly churchmen whose red hats are a sign of esteem and honor.

"Let us pray for the new cardinals so that, in confirming their adhesion to Christ, they may help me in my ministry as bishop of Rome for the good of the entire holy people of God," the pope said.

Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement after the announcement that Bishop McElroy would become a cardinal:

“By naming Bishop Robert McElroy as a cardinal, Pope Francis has shown his pastoral care for the Church in the United States," Archbishop Gomez said.

"I have known and have had the privilege of working with Cardinal-designate McElroy for many years," he added. "As brother bishops, we’ve worked together on many issues and initiatives in service to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as the California Catholic Conference. His strong faith and the pastoral concern for the faithful he has shown in his diocese will serve the global Church well. Please join me in praying for the continued ministry of Bishop McElroy.”

After the Aug. 27 consistory, there will be 132 cardinals eligible to enter a conclave, and the number of those over 80 will be 97, bringing the total number of cardinals to 229.

Here is the full list of the new cardinals, in the order named by the pope:

-- Archbishop Arthur Roche, 72, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

-- Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, 70, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy.

-- Archbishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, 77, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

-- Archbishop Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France, 63.

-- Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke of Ekwulobia, Nigeria, 59.

-- Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, 71.

-- Archbishop Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão of Goa, India, 69.

-- Bishop Robert Walter McElroy of San Diego, 68.

-- Archbishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva of Dili, Timor-Leste, 54.

-- Bishop Oscar Cantoni of Como, Italy, 71.

-- Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, India, 60.

-- Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa of Brasília, Brazil, 54.

-- Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr of Wa, Ghana, 62.

-- Archbishop William Goh Seng Chye of Singapore, 64.

-- Archbishop Adalberto Martínez Flores of Asunción, Paraguay, 70.

-- Bishop Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, who will be 48 June 7.

-- Retired Archbishop Jorge Jiménez Carvajal of Cartagena, Colombia, 80.

-- Retired Archbishop Lucas Van Looy of Ghent, Belgium, 80.

-- Retired Archbishop Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari, Italy, who turns 80 July 18.

-- Jesuit Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, professor of canon law, who turns 80 July 5.

-- Msgr. Fortunato Frezza, canon of St. Peter's Basilica, 80.