Pope Francis named thirteen new Catholic cardinals Sept. 1, tasking bishops from two African nations, Indonesia, and a rural town in Guatemala to be part of the church's most elite body of prelates.
In a surprise announcement at the end of his traditional Angelus prayer with crowds in St. Peter's Square, the pontiff said he would install the new cardinals during a consistory at the Vatican Oct. 5.
Beyond continuing to diversify the geographical representation of the group that will one day elect his successor, the pope also gave special emphasis in his selections to efforts to help the record numbers of global migrants and refugees, elevating the official who directs the Vatican's work in that area.
Read the full article from National Catholic Reporter here.