Vincentian Archbishop, Recent NU Honoree Elevated To Cardinal
Pope Francis elevated 15 new members to the College of Cardinals on Sunday, Jan. 4, one of them a Vincentian archbishop who was honored by Niagara University in November 2013.
The Most Rev. Abune Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, C.M., archbishop of Ethiopia, will be formally installed as a cardinal during a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica on Feb. 14. He will become only the second Ethiopian bishop to be named a cardinal.
Nine of the new cardinals are from the emerging world, and the group represents 14 countries in total: five are from Europe, three each from Asia and Latin America, and two each from Africa and Oceania.
As the second group of cardinals appointed by Pope Francis, the latest choices reflect his continuing efforts to rebalance a College of Cardinals toward the developing world, and illustrate the pope’s support for prelates with pastoral experience in areas coping with violence, migration and poverty. Cardinal-designate Souraphiel, for example, has written and presented extensively on the topic of human trafficking.
“I join the community of Niagara University in congratulating Archbishop Souraphiel on being raised to the dignity of the cardinalate,” stated the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of NU. “This appointment by Pope Francis is in recognition of Cardinal-designate Souraphiel’s servant leadership to the Catholic Church of Ethiopia through his commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are incredibly proud of this faithful son of St. Vincent de Paul.”