Pope names Cardinal Collins to Vatican congregations, councils

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI named Toronto's Cardinal Thomas Collins a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education, which supports and guides the work of Catholic schools, universities and seminaries, as well as naming him a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

The announcement was made April 21 at the Vatican as the Pope gave cardinals created in February their assignments as members of other Vatican congregations and councils.

U.S. Cardinal Edwin F. O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, which supports the pastoral and educational work of Church in the Holy Land, was named to the congregations for Eastern Churches and for Catholic Education, as well as to the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, which promotes and coordinates Catholic charitable giving.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who was tapped by the Pope to lead the College of Cardinals in a daylong discussion of the new evangelization Feb. 17, was named a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, as well as being named a member of the Congregation for Eastern Churches and of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Creating new cardinals Feb. 18, Pope Benedict said they were called to "co-operate closely with him in governing the universal church."

In supporting the Pope's universal ministry, he said, "the new cardinals will be called to consider and evaluate the events, the problems and the pastoral criteria which concern the mission of the entire Church."