30 June 2011

Cardinal Numbers, updated

With the death today of Georg Maximilian Cardinal Sterzinsky, Archbishop Emeritus of Berlin, Germany, the number of Cardinal Electors drops to 114 out of 197 living.

By the end of this year, 4 Cardinals will turn 80 and lose their right to vote, leaving 110 electors.

In 2012, thirteen more Cardinals turn 80. That will leave 97 electors at the end of the year, if there is not a consistory to add more.

In 2013, an additional 10 Cardinals turn 80.

Pre Pope John Paul II Bishops, revisited

As we pass the halfway mark of 2011, its time to revisit the listing of pre-Pope John Paul II bishops. So here is a fresh list - with 4 fewer entries than the last.

So on to the question: How many active bishops were appointed to their current post before Pope John Paul II became Pope?

The answer is Twenty One ordinaries and One Three auxiliary bishop.

The ordinaries are: (Date of Appointment, Date of Birth, Name, Title)
and the Auxiliaries:
  • 20 Nov 1973, 10 Jan 1935, Bishop Pawel Socha, C.M., Auxiliary Bishop of Zielona Góra-Gorzów, Poland and Titular of Thunigaba
    (Original name of Diocese was Gorzów)
  • 12 Jul 1975, 7 Sep 1930, Bishop Roland Aboujaoudé, Auxiliary of Antiochia {Antioch} (Maronite), Lebanon and Titular of Arca in Phoenicia dei Maroniti
    (Retired 13 Aug 2011)
  • 28 Nov 1977, 25 Nov 1936, Bishop Kenneth Donald Steiner, Auxiliary of Portland in Oregon, USA and Titular of Avensa
    (Retired 25 Nov 2011)
Bishop Francis Hong Yong-ho was named by Pope Pius XII. Although he is still officially listed as "missing" it seems unlikely that he remains alive.

All of the above were named by Pope Paul VI.

You'll notice that many of them are at or near the retirement age. Before they do retire, let us take a moment to thank them for their many years of service!

(updated on 25 November 2011)