{"id":10744,"date":"2022-08-27T21:43:40","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T02:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legionariosdecristo.org\/?p=10744"},"modified":"2025-08-12T19:51:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T19:51:15","slug":"the-pope-francis-creates-cardinal-fernando-vergez-alzaga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/subdir.legionariosdecristo.org\/en\/blog\/2022\/08\/the-pope-francis-creates-cardinal-fernando-vergez-alzaga\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pope Francis creates Cardinal Fernando V\u00e9rgez Alzaga"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Pope<\/a> Father John Connor, LC greets Cardinal Fernando V\u00e9rgez<\/caption>\n

On the afternoon of Saturday, August 27, at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis presided over the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of 20 new cardinals. Among the list of new cardinals was Mons. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ, who accompanied the process of review and renewal of Regnum Christi, and Mons. Fernando V\u00e9rgez Alzaga, the first Legionary of Christ to be created a cardinal.<\/p>\n

The Holy Father chose the image of fire, based on the Gospel of Saint Luke (\u201cI have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!\u201d), for his reflection during the Ordinary Public Consistory. Pope Francis invited us to consider the two ways this symbol takes shape and, in light of them, to pray for the cardinals, \u201cespecially for you, who are precisely receiving this dignity and responsibility during this celebration,\u201d he affirmed.<\/p>\n

With the flame of the Spirit, “the Lord wants to communicate to us his apostolic courage<\/i>, his zeal for the salvation<\/i> of every human being, without excluding anyone,” said Pope Francis. “In the embers, this fire burns, particularly, in prayer of adoration<\/i>, when we are in silence near the Eucharist and savor the humble, discreet, hidden presence of the Lord, like a fire in embers, so that this very presence becomes food for our daily life,” added the Holy Father.<\/p>\n

After the homily, the Pope pronounced the formula of creation of the cardinals, who swore fidelity to him and his successors “until the shedding of blood.” One by one, they approached the seat to receive, kneeling, the symbols of the cardinalate: the red zucchetto, the biretta, the ring, and the papal bull with the assignment of the title or diaconate. Pope Francis conferred the title of Archbishop on Cardinal Fernando V\u00e9rgez.<\/p>\n