{UAH} Retired Pope Benedict XVI to attend today's consistory

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the formal invitation sent to him

by Pope Francis to attend today's open consistory when 20 great prelates

will be elevated to the dignity of cardinal. Of course world TV cameras will

enjoy rediscovering the great old man who replaced St John Paul II on

St Peter's Throne. According to arrangements he will sit close to the new

cardinals and is expected to receive a handshake from Pope Francis before

and after the ceremony which will take place in St Peter's Basilica at 11 am ( Rome Time ).

all stocks of tickets to enter the vast Basilica have been exhausted! Therefore thousands

of pilgrims will follow the ceremony on mega screens outside the Basilica.

Very many delegations from all continents have already arrived in Rome. and the newly

appointed cardinals are all accompanied by a very high profile of dignitaries and officials

from their countries. All the newly named cardinals will attract world TV attention and

and hundreds of millions  of televiewers will form a vast international audience. for the

Roman ceremony. And the ever warmly Roman crowds are reported eager to discover a cardinal 

from Tonga Islands,Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Cape Verde, Mozambique, etc.. in addition to Sicily's 

wonderful Archbishop Francesco Montenegro, a hero for the boat people and whose nomination received

mighty cheers and ululations from the vast crowds in St Peter's Square when the Pope read his name from the 

list of the appointees.and world reaction was unanimous in congratulating His Holiness for Montenegro's elevation. 

Thousands of Sicilians and ex-boat people have flocked Rome for the occasion! Ululations will indeed shake the vast

Basilica especially when will be added on those by pilgrims from Ethiopia, Mozambique, Cape Verde and

other many Africans already in Rome for the consistory.

France's new cardinal, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, has also drawn many pilgrims from all over France

and hundreds from his native island of Corsica. And he will in addition enjoy coverage from the many French

journalists who have already arrived in Rome. 

Yesterday, Friday February 13, 2015 over 180 cardinals were busy deliberating on reports and recommendations

for the reform of the Church government ( the Curia ). The 20 new cardinals were also in the vast hall but placed

in a special corner. They exchanged on measures regarding Vatican's finances, how they would like to look at

Vatican's Secretariat of State which has hitherto been a very powerful office with a lot of influence worldwide, and how

most of the power should be transferred to the diocesan bishops all over the world in order to enable them push the

Church further and further beyond the periphery. The object is to do away with a Church strongly centred on the Vatican

and not moving far enough beyond the European sphere of influence. 

Pope Francis appears to have a complete grip on these developments and the newly appointed cardinals will be a very

great asset to him and to the whole Church, just as to the whole world!

Dr G.H. Kkolokolo  ( Paris / France )