We Are Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

CNA Newsroom, Apr 28, 2025 / 11:39 am (CNA).

Ahead of the May 7 conclave, evangelization challenges, interfaith relations, and confronting the ongoing abuse crisis topped the agenda when more than 180 cardinals gathered Monday for their fifth general congregation since Pope Francis’ death.

During the meeting, approximately 20 cardinals delivered addresses on “themes of particular relevance for the future of the Church,” according to the Holy See Press Office on Monday.

Meanwhile, preparations for the coming conclave commenced at the Sistine Chapel.

The cardinals’ congregation began at 9 a.m. with prayer and saw substantive discussions on the Church’s relationship with the contemporary world and reflections on the qualities the next pontiff would need to respond effectively to these challenges.

According to the Holy See, over 100 cardinal electors participated and renewed their oath of secrecy prescribed by the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis as the May 7 conclave date approaches.

The cardinals also renewed the composition of the particular congregation assisting Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo who oversees Vatican affairs during the sede vacante period. Cardinal Reinhard Marx was confirmed in his role as coordinator of the Council for Economy, while Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle and Dominique Mamberti were selected by lot to complete the three-member panel.

Monday’s congregation concluded at 12:25 p.m. Meanwhile, Vatican staff began preparing the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s masterpieces will once again witness the selection of a successor to St. Peter.

In the meantime, the daily general congregations will continue each morning at 9 a.m., except for Thursday, May 1, and Sunday, May 4, unless the cardinals decide otherwise.

Vatican City, Apr 28, 2025 / 11:09 am (CNA).

At the upcoming papal conclave, set to begin May 7, the College of Cardinals will include several notably young members who have traveled to Rome from across the world, from Mongolia to Australia. 

Among the 135 cardinals who are eligible to vote in a conclave, 15 of them are under the age of 60. 

Historically, the age of cardinals participating in papal conclaves has varied. One of the youngest was Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza, who attended the 1565–1566 conclave at the age of 25.

In more recent times, during the 2013 conclave, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, was the youngest cardinal elector at 53. In the upcoming conclave, there are six cardinals the same age or younger. 

The five youngest cardinals lead sees in Australia, Mongolia, Portugal, and Canada as well as a dicastery of the Roman Curia. Two of them are Eastern-rite Catholics. Three were made cardinals in the last consistory before the conclave. 

Here are the five youngest cardinals who will help select the next pope:  

Cardinal Mykola Bychok, 45 

Born on Feb. 13, 1980, in Ternopil, Ukraine, Bychok felt the call to the priesthood at the age of 15. He joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) in 1997, inspired by their missionary zeal. His service has been extensive, including roles as a missionary in Russia, parish priest, and provincial bursar in Ukraine as well as vicar of the Ukrainian Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist in Newark, New Jersey.

In January 2020, Pope Francis appointed him as the eparchial bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne, Australia. His episcopal consecration took place on June 7, 2020. Bychok has worked to foster community among the Ukrainian diaspora in Australia and to increase youth engagement within the Church.

On Dec. 7, 2024, Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals, making him the current world’s youngest cardinal.

Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, 50 

Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, born on June 7, 1974, in Cuneo, Italy, has been a Consolata missionary in Mongolia since 2003. He was ordained a priest in 2001 and appointed apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar in 2020.

Pope Francis created him a cardinal on Aug. 27, 2022, making him the youngest member of the College of Cardinals at the time at age 48. He welcomed Pope Francis to Mongolia in 2023 as the first pope to ever visit the country. Marengo is fluent in Mongolian, Italian, and English. 

Cardinal Américo Manuel Aguiar Alves, 51 

Cardinal Américo Manuel Aguiar Alves, born on Dec. 12, 1973, is the bishop of Setúbal, Portugal. Before entering the priesthood, Aguiar had a brief political career, serving as a town councilor under the Socialist Party. He was ordained a priest at the age of 27 in 2001 and went on to serve in roles such as vicar general and communication director for the Diocese of Porto. He became the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon in 2019 and gained recognition for his leadership in organizing the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon, which drew over 1.5 million attendees.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in late 2023. 

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 51 

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, born on Aug. 11, 1973, in Kerala, India, is a Vatican diplomat and Syro-Malabar archbishop. His diplomatic career included assignments in various countries, including Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. In July 2020, Koovakad returned to Rome to work as an official in the Secretariat of State. He was responsible for organizing Pope Francis’ international travels from 2021 to 2024.

The pope elevated Koovakad to cardinal on Dec. 7, 2024, and appointed him as prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in January. 

Cardinal Francis Leo, 53 

Cardinal Francis “Frank” Leo, born on June 30, 1971, in Montreal to Italian immigrant parents, is the current archbishop of Toronto. He was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Montreal in 1996. Leo holds a doctorate in systematic theology with a specialization in Mariology from the University of Dayton. He served as the general secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2015 to 2021 and was appointed archbishop of Toronto in 2023, an archdiocese with a population of about 2 million Catholics.

Pope Francis made Leo a cardinal in December 2024. 

On the first day of the Jubilee of Persons with Disabilities, Archbishop Rino Fisichella presides at Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and prays that the late Pope Francis’ legacy will give us courage “not to remain silent.”

Read all

 

At Mass on the third day of the Novemdiales in suffrage for Pope Francis, the Cardinal Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome reminds the faithful, as they mourn the late Pope, that death is not the end because ‘The grain must die to bear fruit.’

Read all

 

The Catholic Diocese of Katsina has concluded its General Pastoral Assembly, which was aimed at developing a pastoral plan that caters to the needs of the relatively new diocese. The Diocese of Katsina was carved from the Diocese of Sokoto on 16 October 2023. During the assembly, the Bishop urged participants to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Read all

 

As Canadians cast their ballots in pivotal elections overshadowed by tariffs and annexation threats from the United States, the Canadian Bishops urge Catholic voters to reflect deeply on the nation’s challenges with hope and a vision for a better future.

Read all

 

Among the tributes to Pope Francis, Vatican News spoke to Monsignor Robert Vitillo, who celebrates Pope Francis' leadership in advocating and building relationships in favor of the worlds poorest and marginalized by helping others see that every single human person is a child of God meriting utmost care and respect.

Read all

 

Br Michael Schöpf SJ, International Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), reflects on Pope Francis’ legacy as a global advocate for refugees and peace.

Read all

 

The conclave to elect the 267th Pope will begin on May 7th, following the conclusion of the Novemdiales Masses to pray for the eternal repose of the late Pope Francis.

Read all

 

Members of the College of Cardinals pay homage to Pope Francis visiting his tomb at the papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, followed by praying Second Vespers together.

Read all