By Watchdog reporter
Uganda will not get a new cardinal in the near future as Pope Francis makes fives people princes of the church, the most prestigious title most priests can reach, away from the papacy.
Uganda with four archbishops including Cyprian Kizito Lwanga of Kampala, Paul Kamuza Bakyenga of Mbarara, Odama John Baptist of Gulu and Emmanuel Obbo of Tororo.
However, none of these was named among the five new cardinals by Pope Francis who was here in 2015.
According to the National Catholic Register, the cardinal-designates will be elevated to the College of Cardinals at a consistory on Wednesday June 28, the vigil of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The five new recipients of the red hat are from Mali, Spain, Sweden, Laos and El Salvador.
The names of the new cardinal-designates are:
* Archbishop Jean Zerbo of Bamako, Mali.
* Archbishop Juan José Omella of Barcelona, Spain.
* Bishop Anders Arborelius, Bishop of Stockholm, Sweden.
* Archbishop Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun Apostolic Vicar of Paksé, Laos.
* Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chávez – Auxillary Bishop in the Archdiocese of San Salvador, El Salvador.
There is speculation that Pope Francis will introduce a new rule to do away with the advised 120 limit of cardinal electors, and increase their number to over 150. In fact, he has exceeded the limit by one.
Currently there are 116 cardinals eligible to vote in the next conclave, and appointing five makes the number 121.
However, Pope Francis has a chance of making more cardinals as there is an age limit to cardinals eligible to voting a pope, which number is becoming less as more cardinals such as Emmanuel Wamala have since grown beyond the elector’s age.
Uganda has had only two cardinals in its history; cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga and Emmanuel Wamala, both former archbishops of Kampala.
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