The Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, has revealed that he will on August 27, 2022, create new 21 new cardinals amongst who is Most Revd (Dr) Peter Ebere Okpaleke of Ekwulobia Diocese.
Okpaleke, it would be recalled, was appointed as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, but was rejected by the diocese.
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Following his appointment to the see of Ekwulobia on March 5, 2020, Okpaleke was installed on April 29, 2020, as the bishop of the new Ekwulobia diocese having renounced his appointment to Ahiara in 2018.
Pope Francis will travel to Canada at the end of July, where he is expected to hold meetings with Indigenous survivors of abuse committed at church-run residential schools, the Vatican disclosed recently.
The 85-year-old is expected to travel to the cities of Edmonton, Quebec and Iqaluit, apologised last month to Indigenous delegations who visited him at the Vatican over a scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church.
Numerous investigations into the former residential schools are underway after the discovery of mass unmarked graves, with more than 4,000 children believed to be missing.
Further details on the July 24-30 visit will be published in the coming weeks, the Vatican said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that “a formal in-person apology” from the head of the Roman Catholic Church to survivors and their families would be an important step “to advance meaningful reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples in our country”.
Francis had earlier said he was keen to visit Canada, but the trip was far from certain due to a painful knee problem that has forced him to begin using a wheelchair.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that a visit to Lebanon initially planned for June was postponed earlier this month over health concerns.
