Cardinal-designate Walter Brandmuller was ordained a bishop Saturday,
exactly one week before he was scheduled to be inducted into the
College of Cardinals.
The 81-year-old retired president of the Pontifical Committee for
Historical Sciences was ordained at the Church of Santa Maria
dell’Anima, the home of Rome’s German-speaking Catholic community.
The German historian was one of four churchmen over the age of 80
named cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI Oct. 20.
The octogenarians were
named to honor their contributions to the life and ministry of the
church; they cannot vote in a conclave to elect a new pope.
Two of the four over-80s were already bishops when the pope named
them cardinals: Italian Bishop Elio Sgreccia, retired president of the
Pontifical Academy for Life, 82; and Spanish Archbishop Jose Manuel
Estepa Llaurens, former military ordinary of Spain, 84.
The fourth is 93-year-old Italian Msgr. Domenico Bartolucci, retired
director of the Sistine Chapel Choir.
Since 1962 the Catholic Church has
required all cardinals to be bishops, but Cardinal-designate Bartolucci
asked Pope Benedict to exempt him from the rule, said an official at
the College of Cardinals.
Cardinals-designate Brandmuller and Bartolucci are among 11 priests
over the age of 80 who have been named cardinals since 2000.
Seven of
the 11 requested and received the exemption from episcopal ordination.
The consistory to create the new cardinals is scheduled for Saturday at the Vatican.
SIC: CNS/INT'L