Cardinal McCarrick turns 80; number of cardinal-electors drops to 107

08-07-2010

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the retired Archbishop of Washington, DC, celebrates his 80th birthday today and thus becomes ineligible to vote in a papal conclave.

Born in New York, Cardinal McCarrick was ordained to the priesthood in 1958 and became an auxiliary bishop of New York in 1977. He later served as Bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey (1981- 1986) and Archbishop of Newark (1986- 2000) before becoming Archbishop of Washington. He retired from that post in 2006. He received his red hat from Pope John Paul II in 2001.

There are now 107 living members of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote in a papal election, and 5 more cardinals will reach the age of 80 by mid-October of this year. Vatican-watchers anticipate that Pope Benedict XVI will soon call a consistory to name new cardinals, bringing the number of cardinal-electors closer to the limit of 120.

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6878