Following the decision by Pope Benedict XVI to create 23 new cardinals next month, among them Archbishop Seán Brady of Armagh and Archbishop John Foley, formerly President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Cardinal Keith O'Brien has written to congratulate both men. The text of Cardinal O'Brien's congratulatory messages are shown below, both messages were sent from Hanoi, Vietnam, where Cardinal O'Brien is currently on a visit. Cardinal O'Brien will travel to Rome at the end of November to participate in the Consistory at which the new cardinals will be created.

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Peter Kearney
Director
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Note to Editors:

The Consistory will take place on 24 November 2007, the full list of the new cardinals is shown below

18 October 2007


Most Reverend Seán Brady DCL DD
Archbishop of Armagh
Ara Coeli
ARMAGH
BT61 7QY

Dear Seán

This message is coming to you through the wonders of modern technology from Vietnam, where I am at a conference, on my way to China, to wish you sincere congratulations on your creation as a Cardinal.

Your appointment has given very great joy, not only in Ireland, but to your many friends throughout the world, and especially in Scotland.

I personally thank God for all that you have accomplished in Ireland already, especially in working for and helping to achieve peace. Now I look forward to working with you ever more closely as a Cardinal and to being with you at the forthcoming Consistory in Rome.

With my kind regards, good wishes and renewed congratulations.

Yours sincerely in Christ


+ Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien

Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh

18 October 2007
His Excellency
Archbishop John Patrick Foley
Grand Master
Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre
of Jerusalem
00120 Citta del Vaticano
Italy


Dear John

My prayers are with you on your creation as a Cardinal.

Over your years as President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, I have greatly benefited from your sound advice, both at our meeting on the occasion of an Ad Limina visit and when I was appointed, as a Cardinal, to membership of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

As Grand Prior of the Scottish Lieutenancy of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, I look forward to working ever more closely with you, as our Grand Master of the Order, and I promise you the ongoing support of my prayers.

With my kind regards, good wishes and very sincere congratulations.

Yours sincerely in Christ



+ Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien

Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh

VATICAN CITY, OCT 17, 2007 (VIS) - Following today's general audience, the Holy Father announced the names of 23 prelates who will be created cardinals in a consistory due to be held on November 24, the eve of the Feast of Christ the King. The consistory will be the second of his pontificate.

Following the November 24 concistory, the College of Cardinals will number 202 members of whom 121, under the age of 80, will be electors.

Given below is a list of the new cardinal electors:

- Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Archbishop John Patrick Foley, pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

- Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

- Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum."

- Archbishop Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Peter's in the Vatican, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City and president of the Fabric of St. Peter's.

- Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

- Archbishop Raffaele Farina S.D.B., archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church.

- Archbishop Agustin Garcia-Gasco Vicente of Valencia, Spain.

- Archbishop Sean Baptist Brady of Armagh, Ireland.

- Archbishop Lluis Martinez Sistach of Barcelona, Spain.

- Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris, France.

- Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, Italy.

- Archbishop Theodore-Adrien Sarr of Dakar, Senegal.

- Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Bombay, India.

- Archbishop Francisco Robles Ortega of Monterrey, Mexico.

- Archbishop Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, U.S.A.

- Archbishop Odilio Pedro Scherer of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

- Archbishop John Njue of Nairobi, Kenya.

Having pronounced the names of the new cardinal electors, the Pope then indicated that he had also decided to elevate to the dignity of cardinal "three venerable prelates and two worthy priests," all over the age of 80 and hence non-electors, for their "commitment and service to the Church." Their names are:

- His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq.

- Archbishop Giovanni Coppa, apostolic nuncio.

- Archbishop Estanislao Esteban Karlic, emeritus of Parana, Argentina.

- Fr. Urbano Navarrete S.J., former rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

- Fr. Umberto Betti O.F.M., former rector of the Pontifical Lateran University.

He added: "Among these, I had also intended to confer the dignity of cardinal upon the elderly Bishop Ignacy Jez of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg, Poland, a worthy prelate who died suddenly yesterday. We offer a prayer for the repose of his soul."

"The new cardinals come from various parts of the world," said the Holy Father. "And the universality of the Church, with the multiplicity of her ministries, is clearly reflected in them. Alongside deserving prelates who work for the Holy See are pastors who dedicate their energies to direct contact with the faithful."

He went on: "There are other persons, very dear to me who, for their dedication to the service of the Church, well deserve promotion to the dignity of cardinal. In the future I hope to have the opportunity to express, also in this way, my esteem and affection to them and to their countries of origin."

Benedict entrusted the future cardinals "to the protection of Mary Most Holy asking her to help each of them in their new tasks, that they may know how to bear courageous witness in all circumstances to their love for Christ and for the Church."
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