By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

Two American prelates are among the list of 24 men who will be elevated to cardinal in a November 20 consistory.

According to the Vatican press office, Archbishop Raymond Burke, former Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and now serving as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura will be among the new red hats. He will be joined by Archbishop Donald William Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

Twenty of the new cardinals will be under the age of 80, which makes them eligible to vote in the next papal election. There are currently 102 cardinal-electors, 18 short of the necessary number of 120, with another opening expected on Nov. 15 when Cardinal Janis Pujats, the retired Archbishop of Riga, Latvia, reaches his 80th birthday.

The Pope made the announcement just after today’s General Audience.

“Cardinals have the task of helping Peter’s Successor carry out his mission as permanent and visible source and foundation of the Church’s unity of faith and communion,” he said.

The Pope has also decided to elevate to the dignity of cardinal “two prelates and two priests”, all over the age of eighty and hence non-electors, for their “generosity and dedication in the service of the Church.” This list includes Msgr. Domenico Bartolucci, director of the Sistine Chapel choir from 1956 to 1997 and Bishop Elio Sgrecci, retired president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The November 20  consistory will be the third of his pontificate. 

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