Cardinal Collins

In Canada and many parts of the United States - the feast of the  Epiphany of our Lord is always celebrated on the Sunday after New Years (the feast of Mary - Mother of God).  In most parts of Europe - including Vatican City - Epiphany  is celebrated on the 12th day of the Christmas season - January 6th.  This morning in Rome, after the usual celebration of Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany of our Lord, Pope Benedict announced that there would be a Consistory of the College of Cardinals on February 18-19, 2012 and that there would be 22 new cardinals.  One of those 22 men is our own Archbishop of Toronto - Thomas Collins.
Archbishop Collins responded to the news: 

“I am deeply honoured that the Holy Father has called me to be a member of the College of Cardinals. I am grateful for the trust he has placed in me, and recognize this honour as a sign of his esteem for the role of Canada and of the Archdiocese of Toronto in the universal Church. I ask the people of the Archdiocese, whom I am privileged to serve as bishop, and all people in the community, to pray for me and for all who serve Our Lord through ministry in the Church."

The Archdiocese of Toronto has a great "mini-site" that talks about the duties of a Cardinal, the process of "making" a Cardinal, and the biographical detail on Cardinal - Elect Collins.  

This appointment will not change his responsibilities within the Archdiocese, and he will continue as the - now Cardinal - Archbishop of Toronto.  

I have to say that while I was not at all surprised that Archbishop Collins was named as a Cardinal, the announcement of Cardinals after this morning's Epiphany Mass was a surprise.  I had not heard any rumors about this announcement.  Maybe I was just not "connected" these past few days!

Here is the full list of the 18 new Cardinals under 80..

1. Fernando Filoni (Italian), Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
2. Manuel Monteiro de Castro (Portuguese), Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary
3. Santos Abril y Castelló (Spanish) , Archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major
4. Antonio Maria Vegliò (Italian), President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Refugees
5. Giuseppe Bertello (Italian), President of the Government of the Vatican City State
6. Francesco Coccopalmerio (Italian), President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
7. João Bráz de Aviz (Brazilian), Prefect of the Congregation for Religious
8. Edwin O’Brien (American), Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
9. Domenico Calcagno (Italian), President of the Apostolic Patrimony of the Holy See
10. Giuseppe Versaldi (Italian), President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
11. George Alencherry (Indian), Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church in India
12. Thomas Collins (Canadian), Archbishop of Toronto
13. Dominik Duka (Czech), Archbishop of Prague
14. Wim Eijk (Dutch), Archbishop of Utrecht
15. Giuseppe Bettori (Italian), Archbishop of Florence
16. Timothy Dolan (American), Archbishop of New York
17. Rainer Maria Woelki (German), Archbishop of Berlin
18. John Tong Hon (Chinese), Bishop of Hong Kong

And there are 4 "honourary - or non- electing" Cardinals:

1. Archbishop Lucian Mureşan, Major Archbishop of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (Romanian)
2. Monsignor Julien Ries (Belgian)
3. Augustinian Fr. Prosper Grech (Maltese)
4. Jesuit Fr. Karl Becker (German)

Congratulations Cardinal-Elect Collins!

Peace