For the third time during the 17 months of his reign, Pope John XXIII last week added new members to the College of Cardinals. From 1586, when Pope Sixtus V reorganized the college, the traditional membership had been fixed at 70.
Two years ago Pope John broke through the old barrier by raising the number to 74; his latest appointments make it 85, with more red hats rumored in the offing.
Three of the new appointments are firsts, with international implications for the church—the first African Negro cardinal, the first Japanese, and the first...
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