Red hat is not a 'prize,' Pope reminds new cardinals

January 23, 2015

In a letter to each of the prelates who will be elevated to the College of Cardinals at the February consistory, Pope Francis has remembered them that a red hat should not be seen as “a prize, or the peak of one’s career,” but rather as an invitation to service.

“Staying humble while serving is not easy,” the Pope wrote. He urged them to avoid the gala celebrations that frequently have been hosted by newly elevated cardinals. Those lavish parties, he said, can easily create an intoxicating sense of worldly power, which could separate them from the Cross of Christ.

 

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Further information:

• Pope to Cardinals-designate: Being a Cardinal is not a prize (Vatican Radio)