HONG KONG (Agencies): Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of Jakarta will be the new Asian bishop to join the College of Cardinals as he featured in the list of 10 cardinal elects announced by Pope Francis on September 1. The pope has announced an imminent consistory, where he will create a total of 13 new cardinals, with three of them over the age of 80. Cardinals above the age of 80 are not eligible to vote in a conclave to elect the pope.   
 
Cardinal John Tong, Apostolic Administrator of Hong Kong, who celebrated his 80th birthday on July 31, ended his eligibility to vote in a conclave. 
 
With the new consistory, Archbishop Hardjoatmodjo will be the new Asian face among the cardinal electors.
 
“Dear brothers and sisters,” the pope announced, “on October 5, I will hold a consistory for the creation of 10 new cardinals. Their origins express the missionary vocation of the Church, which continues to proclaim the merciful love of God to all people on earth.” 
 
The choices of the new cardinals highlight some of the pope’s signature concerns: the developing world, relations with people of other faith and advocacy for migrants. Several of them are widely considered to be key allies of this papacy and three of them are members of the Jesuit order. 
 
With the new additions to the College of Cardinals, there will be a total of 235 cardinals, who come from 90 nations. Among them 128 are below the age of 80 and can participate in a conclave. Pope Francis is setting aside another practice of having a “maximum” limit of Cardinal electors, which was set as 120, established by St. Pope Paul VI.  
 
The pope arrived seven minutes late for his traditional Angelus prayer on September 1, the fifth World Day of Prayer for Creation. He apologised to the faithful and said, he was stuck for 25 minutes in a Vatican elevator and had to be rescued by the firefighters. 
 
Pope Francis requested the faithful to pray for the new cardinals. “Let us pray for the new Cardinals, so that, confirming their adhesion to Christ, they may help me in my ministry as Bishop of Rome for the good of the whole faithful Holy People of God.”