For O'Brien, Another Honor

7 JANUARY 2012. THE VATICAN. The announcement of a slate of 22 new cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI yesterday, including Archbishop Timothy Dolan, also includes another name familiar to those of us in the United States.

A tip of the red hat has also been given to Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, who served as the Archbishop of Baltimore until his appointment as pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on 29 August 2011. Since that appointment to the Roman station, Archbishop O'Brien has also been serving--and splitting time between the Eternal City and the U.S.--as the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Congratulations to Archbishop O'Brien! Our prayers go with you in all your service to the Church.

For Dolan, a Princely Announcement

7 JANUARY 2011. THE VATICAN. It has been announced that the Holy Father has named 22 new cardinals who will be installed in a consistory to be held on 18 February. Among the names of these new princes of the Church, one stands out to we Americans: Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York.

Congratulations Archbishop Dolan! Our prayers of support will go with you.

Of the 22 new cardinals, 4 are over the age of 80 and, thus, cannot act as electors in any upccoming conclave. This consistory will increase the total number of cardinal electors, then, to 126, 18 more than today's 108 living cardinal electors. (In total, there are today 192 living cardinals.)

A complete copy of the Vatican release on the upcoming consistory can be found here.

NOVUS: It has been correctly pointed out to me that Cardinal Zen, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, turns 80 on 13 January. So, there will be 125 cardinal electors after the upcoming consistory, not 126 as I incorrectly reported earlier.