Some church sources believe the Pope may appoint up to 12 new cardinals next month, including the Archbishop of Armagh and Catholic Primate, Dr Sean Brady. Since 1985 Pope John Paul has called a consistory, at which new cardinals are named, approximately every three years. The last was in June 1994, and currently the College of Cardinals is 17 members short of its 120-member capacity. The existing vacancies have arisen due to death, retirement or ineligibility to vote in papal elections after a cardinal reaches 80.
The former Catholic primate of Ireland, Cardinal Cahal Daly, was 80 last week. It is thought likely, therefore, that Dr Brady will be appointed to the College of Cardinals at the next consistory in Rome.
Other vacancies to be filled include one in South Africa (Cape Town or Durban), Chicago, Genoa, Lyons, Madrid, Marseilles, Mexico City, Toledo and Toronto, with the possibility of appointments to Seville, Vienna and Zagreb.
Four vacancies exist among cardinals on the Curia, to which it is expected Archbishop Medina (Congregation for the Sacraments), Archbishop Bovone (Congregation for the Causes of Saints), Archbishop Hoios (Congregation for Clergy) and Archbishop Stafford (Council for the Laity) are thought most likely to be appointed.
Four other vacancies are imminent in the College of Cardinals, one in November, two in January and another in February. Since no further vacancy is expected before the end of September 1998, the Pope may defer calling the next consistory until late February.
Eighty-six of the current 108 members of the College of Cardinals have been appointed by Pope John Paul. Twenty-two were appointed by Pope Paul VI.
