Pope Francis made the announcement this morning at the end of his Sunday Angelus at St. Peter’s Square. The Cardinals’ new roles take effect Dec. 8 when the Holy Father will hold a consistory at the Vatican.
“I am humbled and honoured to receive this appointment from the Holy Father,” said Leo, who was installed as Archbishop of Toronto March 25, 2023. “I pray and rely on the prayers of the faithful in Toronto that I will be a worthy servant of the Lord Jesus in fulfilling my responsibilities as a member of the College of Cardinals and to continue in my primary role as shepherd of the faithful of the Archdiocese of Toronto. I entrust to the Blessed Mother Mary, myself and this new ministry of service to the Universal Church and to the Successor of St. Peter, the Pope.”
Born in Montreal to Italian immigrant parents in 1971, Leo was ordained a priest in his hometown in 1996. He served in a number of parish assignments for his first decade as a priest, before accepting the invitation to enroll in the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome and subsequently enter the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See (2006-2012), serving in different Apostolic Nunciatures across the globe. In January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Monsignor.
Upon his return to Montreal, he was named Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese of Montreal. From there, he was elevated to Auxiliary Bishop on July 16, 2022.
Cardinals are close advisors to the Pope and participate in conclaves, as voting members, to select a new Pope. Following today’s announcement, there will be 256 Cardinals, including 141 Cardinal electors (Cardinals can vote in a conclave until they reach their 80th birthday).
Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop Emeritus of Toronto, remains a Cardinal elector until January of 2027. Other Cardinal-electors from Canada include Cardinal Gérald Lacroix of the Archdiocese of Quebec and Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Retired Cardinal Marc Ouellet reached the age of 80 earlier this year.