Pope names Cotabato 'intellectual giant', 18 others cardinals

MANILA, Philippines - Pope Francis announced late Sunday the names of 19 new Catholic cardinals including Filipino chuchman Orlando Quevedo, currently the archbishop of Cotabato.

"Coming from 12 countries from every part of the world, (the new cardinals) represent the deep ecclesial relationship between the Church of Rome and the other Churches throughout the world," the Roman Pontiff said in a message after the Angelus prayer.

The pope said that he will also invite the new cardinals to a  consistory to reflect on the theme of the family after they are installed on February 22. The date marks the feast of the Chair of Peter, the apostle regarded as the first pope.

"Let us pray for the new Cardinals, that vested in the virtues and the sentiments of the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd, they might be able to help more effectively the Bishop of Rome in his service to the universal Church," the Catholic leader urged the faithful.

Cardinals serve as the pope's advisors formally called to a consistory, a gathering where the prelates discuss specific issues and topics. Cardinals elect the next pope in cases of sede vacante or papal vacancy.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), meanwhile, said its members are elated to receive the news and said Quevedo's installation is the pope's way to reach out to the marginalized in Mindanao.

"A Cardinal from Mindanao is a papal tribute to the strength of the Catholic faith in that region of our country. It is a proof that the Catholic faith in Mindanao is now bearing rich fruits; Cardinal Quevedo is its living testimony," CBCP President Bishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.

Cardinal-elect Quevedo is a senior bishop praised by fellow bishops for his "mental clarity and intellectual brilliance."

"He is an archbishop who is truly passionate for the formation of basic ecclesial communities. He has been a pastor up north in Ilocos Sur and down south in Cotabato. He is an intellectual giant with a very simple lifestyle and very warm fraternal manners," Villegas said.

Villegas added that Quevedo is a "blessing for the Church."

The following is a list of 19 churchmen that Pope Francis will install as new cardinals in the Vatican ceremony.