As of Thursday, 12 June 2014, the composition of the College of Cardinals has changed, with most of the Cardinal Deacons appointed in the 2003 Consistory by Pope St. John Paul II exercised their right to be promoted to Cardinal Priests, 5 with the same title (pro hac vice Title – meaning the Deaconries they are holding at the moment is considered to be a ‘Title’ that is corresponding to their Cardinal Priest status but only for the duration of their Cardinalate – they will revert to deaconries upon their deaths), 1 is given a new Cardinal church (S. Dorotea) and 1 remains for the moment as Cardinal Deacon (Cardinal Martino) who is now the new Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals.

There are now 213 Cardinals, which consists of 118 Cardinal-electors and 95 Cardinal non-electors (above age of 80).

There are now 9 Cardinal Bishops (including Eastern Catholic Cardinal-Patriarchs), 165 Cardinal Priests and 39 Cardinal Deacons in the College of Cardinals.

There are at the moment 0 vacant Suburbicarian See (Cardinal Bishoprics), 3 vacant Cardinal Titles (for Cardinal Priests, out of a total of 147), and 8 vacant Cardinal Deaconries (out of a total of 69).

Here are the summary of the changes :

1. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, Cardinal Deacon of S. Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine, the former Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals is promoted to Cardinal Priest of S. Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine pro hac vice Title.

2. Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, Cardinal Deacon of S. Francesco di Paola ai Monti remains as such for the moment and is the new Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, and the one to announce the name and title of the new Pope if one is elected during his time as Protodeacon.

3. Cardinal Francesco Marchisano, Cardinal Deacon of S. Lucia del Gonfalone is promoted to Cardinal Priest of S. Lucia del Gonfalone pro hac vice Title.

4. Cardinal Julian Herranz Casado, Cardinal Deacon of S. Eugenio is promoted to Cardinal Priest of S. Eugenio pro hac vice Title.

5. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, Cardinal Deacon of S. Michele Arcangelo is promoted to Cardinal Priest of S. Dorotea (new titular church of the Diocese of Rome). Cardinal Deaconry church of S. Michele Arcangelo is now vacant.

6. Cardinal Attilio Nicora, Cardinal Deacon of S. Filippo Neri in Eurosia is promoted to Cardinal Priest of S. Filippo Neri in Eurosia pro hac vice Title.

7. Cardinal Georges-Marie-Martin Cottier, O.P., Cardinal Deacon of Ss. Domenico e Sisto is promoted to Cardinal Priest of Ss. Domenico e Sisto pro hac vice Title.

Note : Cardinal Deacons are allowed to request promotion to Cardinal Priest rank after they have been in the position for at least 10 years from the date of their appointment (in this case – 21 October 2003)

Let us pray for them, and also for all the other Cardinals in their ministries and hard works of maintaining, expanding and steering the Church of God!