As cardinals prepare to elect a new pope, a significant shift in the Roman Catholic Churchâs demographics is evident. Under Pope Francis' 12-year pontificate, the appointment of 163 cardinals from about 80 countries has diversified the College of Cardinals, which now includes representatives from areas that had never had cardinals before. Notably, European cardinals now constitute only 39% of the electors, down from previous majorities, exemplifying a broader, global representation that aligns with Pope Francis' vision of inclusivity within the church's leadership.
Every time he appointed new cardinals, I had to run to my bookshelf and get the atlas to find out where most of these nations were, from where my new brother cardinals were coming from.
He didn't want any language, any racial background, any geographic area to be unrepresented in the life of the church. This is a legacy that's phenomenal.
As the first Latin American pope, known as the 'pope of the peripheries,' he looked beyond the traditional power center in Europe.
Of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals, only 135 are cardinal electors: Eligibility expires for those who are 80 at the time of a pope's death.
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