The celebration began with the liturgical greeting, a prayer and the proclamation of a passage from the Gospel (Mk 10:32-45). Then the Holy Father shared his speech with the Cardinals and those who were present.
The Holy Father then read the formula of creation and solemn proclamation of the names of the new Cardinals, announcing at the same time the orders of Cardinal Priests or Cardinal Deacons which he had assigned to each of them. The Rite of Creating Cardinals is preceded by the Profession of Faith by the new Cardinals, spoken aloud before the People of God, as well as the Oath of Fidelity to the Pope and to his Successors.
According to the established directives, each new Cardinal kneels before the Holy Father while the Pope places a red zucchetto and a Cardinalatial berretta on his head, places a ring on his finger and assigns him one of the Churches of Rome to signify his sharing in the Pope's duty to care for the city of Rome. The Holy Father then presents each Cardinal with the Bull of Creation as a Cardinal (a parchment upon which the formula of creation is printed) and assigns either a title or a diaconate to each. Finally, the Pope exchanges a sign of peace with each of the new Cardinals.
Among those who were created Cardinals this morning, one was not present: His Eminence, Loris Francesco Cardinal Capovilla. His Cardinalatial beretta will be presented to him in the coming days in Sotto il Monte, the place where Blessed John XXIII was born, and where his Eminence currently resides.
All other Cardinals who have been present in Rome for the Extraordinary Consistory meetings this week were also present for this morning's celebration, including His Holiness, Benedict XVI.
Greetings and words of gratitude
offered to the Holy Father by Cardinal Parolin
Holy Father,
With great emotion and trepidation, I present a devoted greeting not only on my own behalf but in the name of the other Bishops who today Your Holiness will add to the College of Cardinals.
We greet with equal affection and veneration, the Pope-emeritus, His Holiness Benedict XVI, who we are happy to see is present with us today.
I would like to summarize and express the many thoughts and sentiments that are in our hearts and minds with two words. The first is thank you.
Thank you, Holy Father, for the great confidence you have placed in us! This confidence will allow us to respond with faithfulness, generosity and perseverance to the call that is demonstrated by the vestments we wear and expressed in the words of the exhortation which accompanies the imposition of the berretta, to be ready to act with fortitude even to the point of shedding blood for the sake of the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and tranquility among the People of God and for the freedom and spread of the Holy Roman Church.
If, from the beginning of our vocational journey and thanks to the good example of so many brothers and sisters, who have accompanied us through the various stages of our lives, we have received the grace of understanding that we are disciples of Jesus embarked on an adventure of holiness and love, an adventure that is measured by the mere fact that it cannot be measured and requires even the gift of our lives - as has been the case and as the case is for many Christians throughout the world - today, in a certain sense, we accept this invitation in a public and solemn way.
Cardinals are called to a mission and an ecclesial service which is characterized by responsibility and which requires an ever greater willingness to act according to the example of the Son of God, who came among us as one who serves (cf. Lk 22:25-27) and to follow his example of humble and total gift of self given to his spouse, the Church, on the cross. On this wood - Pope Benedict said - the grain of wheat was sown by the Father in the field of the world, and died in order to become ripened fruit. We must therefore be rooted ever more firmly in Christ so that we can say with Saint Paul, 'it is no longer me who lives, but Christ who lives in me' (Gal 2:20) (Homily for the Public Ordinary Consistory, November 20, 2010).
Your Holiness also expressed this truth in the beautiful and affectionate letter which was sent to each of us following the publication of our nominations, sentiments for which we are profoundly grateful. In it, you reminded us that the Cardinalate does not signify a promotion, an honour nor a decoration: it is simply a service that demands a broader vision and a bigger heart. And, although it seems a paradox, this ability to look further and love more universally with greater intensity can be acquired only by following the way of the Lord: the way of lowliness and of humility, taking the form of a servant (cf. Phil 2:5-8). Therefore, I ask you, please, to receive this appointment with a simple and humble heart.
The second word is here I am. The pages of the bible are filled with these words, since they resound on the lips of all those who have been called by God and who place themselves at his disposition in order to carry out the plan of salvation and peace. We too will speak these words today. We want to do so with profound sincerity and conviction, with the faith of Abraham our father in faith (Rom 14:11) and of Mary, the humble servant of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:48), with the humility of those who rely on the grace of God and the prayer of the Church more than on their own weak wills and fragile strengths.
Therefore here we are, Holy Father, to take up the task of all that being included among the College of Cardinals signifies and requires, that is to be His special collaborators, united more closely to the Church of Rome and to Him who presides in charity, witnesses to the unity and the universality of the Church, continuing with renewed enthusiasm the task of carrying out the specific mission entrusted to us, in the Roman Curia or in the various Episcopal Sees.
Here we are, Holy Father, ready to walk, to build and to confess together, as You yourself asked us to do during the first days of your pontificate, with the courage to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the cross of Jesus; to edify the Church with the blood of the Lord which was shed on the cross; and to confess the only glory: Christ Crucified. In this way, the Church will go forward (Homily for Mass with the Cardinals, March 14, 2013).
Here we are, Holy Father, ready to undertake and to continue with You, and under your guidance, the journey of pastoral and missionary conversion, which cannot leave things as they are, discovering in every region of the earth, a permanent state of mission (EG, 25), following the guidelines of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council.
We assure you of our prayer and we entrust our intentions to Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of the Apostles. May She, along with Saint Joseph, Blessed John XXIII and all the Saints intercede for you, Holy Father, for all of us here present, for the Church and for the whole world!
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