College of Cardinals Expands With Hungarian Cardinal

Another Hungarian cardinal has been added to the Sacred College of Cardinals. On December 7, Pope Francis held a consistory for the creation of 21 new cardinals. Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Belgrade Laszlo Nemet is one of the new cardinals, who thus will become the Holy Father’s closest advisor. The ceremony took place in St Peter's Basilica with the participation of the College of Cardinals.

Laszlo Nemet, new cardinal, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 7, 2024 (Photo: Anadolu via AFP/Riccardo de Luca)

Pope Francis announced on October 6 that he would expand the College of Cardinals with 21 members.

Archbishop of Belgrade Ladislav (Laszlo) Nemet is one of the new cardinals.

The 68-year-old prelate thus became a cardinal elector, a member of the most elite body of the universal Catholic Church. Among the cardinals Pope Francis has elevated is 99-year-old Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, former Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary.

 Laszlo Nemet, new cardinal, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 7, 2024 (Photo: Anadolu via AFP)

On December 7, Pope Francis elevated Archbishop of Belgrade Ladislav (Laszlo) Nemet to the rank of cardinals in a solemn ceremony at the high altar of St Peter's Basilica.

In keeping with traditions, the Holy Father convened a consistory for the occasion. On December 8, the consistory and the new cardinals concelebrated mass with Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The Holy See's latest announcement says that out of the 253 cardinals, 140 are cardinal electors, who can become candidates for the Chair of St Peter at the next papal concalve, while 113 are cardinal non-electors due to their age.

An ethnic Hungarian, Laszlo Nemet was provincial of the Hungarian Province of the Verbites from 2004 to 2007. Between 2006 and 2008, he was the Secretary General of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference. On April 23, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named him bishop of Zrenjanin. He has been the President of the International Episcopal Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius since 2016. ,Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Belgrade on November 5, 2022.

This was the tenth consistory under the pontificate of Pope Francis. More than 5500 were in attendance in the Basilica, aglow with Advent spirit, for the creation of 21 new cardinals. Pope Francis exhorted the members of the College of Cardinals not to seek first places, but to be guided by a spirit of humility and fraternity. In his homily at the consistory, the Holy Father encouraged the new cardinals to walk the path of Jesus. He asked them to become builders of communion and unity, to return to Christ and to put him back at the centre of everything. The Holy Father admonished the new cardinals to abstain from worldly glory, recalling the Gospel of Mark 

when the disciples asked Christ to "grant that we may sit, one at your right hand and the other at your left, when you are in your glory".

However, this follows the logic of the world and indicates human error. "Our hearts can go astray, allowing us to be dazzled by the allure of prestige, the seduction of power," noted the Pope. This is why we need to look within, to stand before God in humility and to ask ourselves: where is my heart going? The Holy Father quoted the teaching of Saint Augustine, advising a return to the essential, to what really matters. Sometimes our plans get confused and we consider things essential that are not really necessary. Finally, he encouraged the new cardinals to follow the path of Christ by returning to Christ and making him the center of their lives.

Laszlo Nemet, new cardinal, in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on December 7, 2024 (Photo: Anadolu via AFP/Riccardo de Luca)