On Feb. 11 Pope Benedict XVI surprised the world by an- nouncing his resignation, effective Feb. 28. It was the first papal resignation since 1415, when three men claimed to be Pope during the Great Schism of Western Christianity (see New Advent) and all three were compelled to resign as the way to end the schism; and the first free- ly chosen resignation since 1294, when Pope St. Celestine V resigned on grounds of incapacity to carry out the papal office to which he had been elected only five months ear- lier.
According to Catholic News Service (Nov. 16, 2012), 21 of the 120 cardinals under age 80 and thus eligible to take part in the conclave that will elect the new Pope in March are members of religious orders. The Salesians have the largest number of religious-elector cardinals, with four: Cardinals Tarcisio Bertone, 78, secretary of state of the Holy See; Raffaele Farina, 79, prefect emeritus of the Vatican Archives and Library; Angelo Amato, 74, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes; and Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, 70, archbishop of Tegucigalpa.
There are 3 Franciscan cardinal-electors, 2 Jesuits, and 12 others who are religious.
Cardinal Bertone professed vows as a Sale- sian in 1950 and was ordained in 1960. A canon lawyer, he has been a professor at the Salesian Pontifical University, archbishop of Vercelli and of Genoa, and secretary of the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith under then-Cardinal Ratzing- er. John Paul II made him cardinal in 2003, and Pope Benedict named him secretary of state in 2006.
Cardinal Farina professed
as a Salesian in 1949 and was or-
dained in 1958. A church historian,
he taught at and was rector of the
Salesian Pontifical University, and
served in the Roman Curia prior to
becoming prefect of the Vatican Li-
brary in 1997, then archivist of the
Vatican Secret Archives and librarian of the Vatican Library in 2007.
Pope Benedict made him cardinal
in 2007. He retired in 2012.
Cardinal Amato professed as a Salesian and 1956 and was ordained in 1967. He was professor of dogmatic theology and dean of the school of theology of the Sale- sian Pontifical University, as well as a prolific writer before succeeding then-Abp. Bertone as secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2002, under then- Cardinal Ratzinger. In 2008 he became prefect of the Congregation of Saints’ Causes. Pope Benedict made him cardinal in 2010.
Cardinal Amato professed as a Salesian and 1956 and was ordained in 1967. He was professor of dogmatic theology and dean of the school of theology of the Sale- sian Pontifical University, as well as a prolific writer before succeeding then-Abp. Bertone as secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2002, under then- Cardinal Ratzinger. In 2008 he became prefect of the Congregation of Saints’ Causes. Pope Benedict made him cardinal in 2010.
Cardinal Rodriguez pro-
fessed as a Salesian in 1961 and was
ordained in 1970. He was both a
high school teacher and a professor
of theology before becoming bishop
in 1978 and serving as general sec-
retary of the Latin American Bish-
ops Conference (CELAM) and oth-
er posts at CELAM and in his native
Honduras. In 1993 he became arch-
bishop of Tegucigalpa and in 2001
the first cardinal from his country.
He loves to play music, can pilot a
small plane, speaks seven languages,
and enjoys meeting and speaking
with young people. He has presided
over several priestly ordinations in
the U.S.
Two other Salesian cardinals are beyond the age of 80 and not eligible to take part in the conclave: Cardinals Miguel Obando Bravo, archbishop emeritus of Managua, and Joseph Zen Ze-kiun bishop emeritus of Hong Kong.
Two other Salesian cardinals are beyond the age of 80 and not eligible to take part in the conclave: Cardinals Miguel Obando Bravo, archbishop emeritus of Managua, and Joseph Zen Ze-kiun bishop emeritus of Hong Kong.
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