First
Indian Cardinal. Participated in the
conclaves that elected Pope John 23
(1958) and Pope Paul VI (1963).
Educationist, Orator, Spokesman ofIndian
Catholics, Builder, Organiser, Administrator,
Preacher. President of CBCI for 18
years. Founder of St. Johns' Medical
College Bangalore and CBCI Centre
Delhi. One of the giants of Vatican
Council II. One of the delegate presidents
of 1969 Synod of Bishops. Chief Organiser
of the 38th International Eucharistic
Congress, [Bombay - 1964] in which
Pope Paul VI participated. First Indian
Bishop of North India, First Indian
Archbishop of Bombay. Born at Karachi.
Student of St. Patrick's School Karachi.
Studied at Mangalore and Kandy Seminaries.
Doctorate from Kandy. Ordained priest:
3-10-1926, made Auxiliary Bishop Bombay:
29-6-1946, Archbishop Bombay: 1-12-1950,
Cardi- nal: 29-12-1952. Received 'Padma
Vibhushan' (Indian National Honour):
1966.
Mar Joseph Cardinal
Parecattil (1-4-1912 - 20-2-1987)
First
Cardinal from Syro- Malabar Church.
Participated in the conclaves that
elected Pope John Paul I and Pope
John Paul II (1978). Builder, Organiser,
Church Historian, Liturgist, Indologist,
Spokesman of inculturation, Canon
Law expert, Preacher. Born at Kidangoor,
near Angamaly, Kochi. Son of Ittirah
and Eliswa. Joined minor seminary:
1930, Ordained priest: 24- 8-1939.
Went to Kandy for higher studies:
1941. Editor of Catholic weekly 'Sathyadeepam':
1947. Auxiliary Bishop Ernakularn:
28-10-1953. Consecrated bishop by
Card. Tisserant: 30-11-1953. Archbishop:
23-7-1956. Assumed charge: 9-1-1957.
Participated in all sessions of Vatican
Council II: (1962-1965). Made cardinal
by Pope Paul VI: 28-3-1969President
CBCI: 1970, 1973; President Kerala
Catholic Bishops' Conference: 1972,
1974. Consultor Oriental Congregation:
1963. Chairman, Pontifical Commission
for Oriental Canon Law: 25-4-1978.
Resigned as Archbishop: 30-1-1984.
Lawrence
Cardinal Trevor Picachy (7-8-1916 -
1-12-1992)
Archbishop
of Calcutta. Edu- cationist, Theologian,
Missionary, Preacher, Writer. Participated
in the conclaves that elected Pope
John Paul I and Pope John Paul II
(1978).
Born at Darjeeling: 7-8-1916, Son
of Trevor Picachy, a military doctor.
Educated at St. Joseph's College,
Northpoint, Calcutta, Joined Society
of Jesus: 1934.
Ordained Priest: 21-11-1947, Prefect
and Rector at St. Xavier's College:
1954-60. First Bishop of Jamshedpur:
1962-1969,Archbishop Calcutta: 10-8-1972,
Presi- dent CBCI: 1976-82, made Cardinal
by Pope Paul VI: 24-5- 1976. One of
the delegate presidents of Bishops'
Synod in Rome. Resigned as Archbishop:
5-4-1986.
First
Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church.
Preacher, Linguist. Known for satiric
speeches, Seminary professor, Missionary
Bishop, Apos- tolic visitor for Syro-Malabar
Catholics in Diaspora.
Born at Manimala, Kottayam, Kerala.
Son of Kuruvilla and Annanuna. Joined
Mysore diocese. Ordained priest: 19-12-
1945. Parish priest Nilgiries: 1949.
Minor Seminary Rector: 1951. Professor
at St. Peter's Seminary Bangalore:
1953. First Bishop of Ootacamund:
3-7-1955.
Appointed Archbishop of Changanacherry:
13-6-1970. As- sumed office: 15-8-1970.
Submitted report as Apostolic visitor
for Syro-Malabar Catholics in Diaspora:
5-6-1980. Vice PresidentCBCI: 1976,
1978. Archbishop Emakulam: 3-7-1985.Made
Cardinal by Pope John Paul II: 28-6-1988,
First Major Arch- bishop of Syro-Malabar
Major Archi episcopal Church: 29-1-1993.
Assumed office: 20-5-1993, Member,
Pontifical Commission for Oriental
Canon Law: 1988. Retired from office:
18-12-1996.
Simon
Cardinal Lourdusamy (5-2-1924 - )
First
Indian secretary and pre- fect of
a Pontifical Congregation. Founder
of National Biblical, Catechetical
and Liturgical Cen- tre Bangalore.
CBCI delegate to first Ordinary Assembly
of Synod of Bishops: 1967. Repre-
sented Indian bishops in Pan- Asian
Catechetical Liturgical Conference
Manila: 1967. Vis- ited 105 countries,
wrote number of books in Tamil and
English. Prefect of the congregation
for Oriental Churches, Secretary of
the Congregation for Evangelization
of People.
Born at Kallery, Archdiocese of Pondicherry:
5-2-1924. Or- dained priest: 21-12-1951.
Doctor of Canon Law, Urban Uni- versity
Rome: 1956, Editor of Tamil Catholic
Weekly Sarvaviaby, Director of Catholic
Doctors' Guild, Catholic Nurses' Guild,
Newman Association. Auxiliary Bishop
Bangalore: 2-7-1962, Consecrated:
22-8-1962. Co-adjutor Archbishop:
9-11-1964. Archbishop: 11-1-1968.
Associate Secretary of the Sacred
Congregation for Evangelisation: 2-3-1971.
Secretary, Sacred Congregation for
Evangelisation: 24-2-1973-1985. Vice
Chancellor Urban University: 24-2-1973.
Cardinal: 24-4-1985. Member of Congregations
for Evangelization, for the Cause
of Saints, Supreme Tribunal of Apostolic
Signature, Christian Unity, Non-Christians,
Oriental Canon Law, Pontifical Council
for Eucharistic Congress.
Simon
Cardinal Pimenta (1-3-1920 - )
Canonist,
Preacher, Administrator.Bom at Maroly,
Bombay. Son of Joseph Antony and Rossy
Pimenta. Graduated: 1940. Ordained priest:
21-12-1949. Doctorate in Canon Law:
1954. Chancellor of Archdiocese. Parish
priest at Papti and Colaba. Seminary
Rector: 1960. Auxiliary Bishop Bombay:
Feb. 1971. Consecmted: 5-6-1971. Co-adjutor
Archbishop: 26-2-1977. Archbishop: 11-9-1978.
Made Cardinal by Pope John Paul II:
28-6- 1988. President, Catholic Bishops
Conference of India: 1982, 1984. Retired
as archbishop: 22-1-1997.
The
Sacred College of Cardinals
The cardinals are advisers and assistants
of the pope in the government of the
Catholic Church. They are chosen by
the pope. Since the 12th century they
have constituted a college. They form
the Supreme Council of the Pontiff.
On his death they elect the successor.
In 1586, Pope Sixtus V fixed the strength
of cardinals as 70, Pope Paul VI in
1975 increased the number to 120.
The meeting of the cardinals to elect
a Pope is called conclave. Pope Paul
VI also decided that none of the cardinals
at the time of entry into the conclave,
should have passed his 80th birthday.
Non-Europeans had not been made cardinals
before the 20th century.
