Cardinals Update : Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, President Emeritus of Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’ (Germany), turned 80, ceases to be a Cardinal-elector

On Friday, 5 September 2014, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lorenzo in Piscibus, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’ (Germany), turned 80, and therefore, according to the rules written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he lost his right to vote in any future conclave. Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes was born in Kirchhundem, Germany on 5 September 1934.

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Cardinal Cordes was made Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana by Pope Benedict XVI in the 2007 Consistory of Cardinals on 24 November 2007, the second Consistory of his pontificate. Cardinal Cordes was made a Cardinal in honour of his position as the President of the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’, the branch of the Roman Curia focused on the efforts of the Holy See in the field of human and Christian development, involved in various charitable acts and humanitarian relief efforts, a position he held from 1995 to 2010. Before that, Cardinal Cordes was the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity from 1980 to 1995, and before that, the Auxiliary Bishop of Paderborn (Germany), from 1975 to 1980.

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http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardB16-2.htm#707

May God bless His Eminence Cardinal Cordes with a blessed old age and health. May he remain strong in the faith and hopefully can perhaps still continue to work great graces and good works of love and peace just as he had once done in his long service to the Church, particularly his contributions as a member of the Roman Curia in helping the actions of the Holy See and the Pope.

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The College of Cardinals now stands at 210 members in total, with 114 Cardinal-electors and 96 Cardinal non-electors. There are now a vacancy of 6 Cardinal-elector as compared to the maximum number of electors allowed in the Conclave of 120.

Next Cardinal-elector to age out (80) will be Cardinal Franc Rode, C.M. (Slovenia), the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life on 23 September 2014.

Passing of Cardinal Ricardo Maria Carles Gordo of Spain, at the age of 87

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Cardinal Ricardo Maria Carles Gordo, Cardinal Priest of S. Marie Consolatrice al Tiburtino has passed away on Tuesday, 17 December 2013 at the age of 87. He was the Archbishop of Barcelona, as an Archdiocese directly subjected to the Holy See from 1990 to 2004.

http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardJP2-6.htm#27

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Cardinal Carles Gordo was created Cardinal in 1994 by Blessed Pope John Paul II in his sixth Cardinal creation consistory on 26 November 1994. His motto was Ut Omnes Unum Sint, “That they all may be One”, part of the prayer of Jesus for His disciples before His Passion, for the unity of His Church.

We pray for Cardinal Carles Gordo, that he will rest in peace, and God will reward him for all his hard and great work as the long time servant of God as the shepherd of the faithful in Barcelona, for all the ministries and good works he had done there for the sake of God and His people. May the Lord welcome him into His embrace in heaven and give him eternal rest and happiness that he deserved.

With the passing of Cardinal Carles Gordo, the College of Cardinals now stands at 199 members, with 109 Cardinal-electors and 90 Cardinal non-electors.

There are now 11 Cardinal-elector vacancies in the College of Cardinals, 13 vacant Cardinal Titles (for Cardinal Priests) and 9 vacant Cardinal Deaconries (for Cardinal Deacons)