Standing in communion alongside brother bishops from Argentina, Ecuador, Iran, Serbia and a rich assemblage of other nations, Toronto's Archbishop Francis Leo was elevated to the College of Cardinals at St. Peter������Ƶapp Basilica today.

In the presence of cardinals, bishops, priests, laity, colleagues, friends and family, Cardinal-elect Leo pledged a Dec. 6 welcome reception and dinner for the Canadian delegation to live up to the vows he will take at the Papal Consistory on Dec. 7. 

Ontario������Ƶapp Catholic bishops await learning which dicastery assignments Pope Francis will confer to new Cardinal Toronto Francis Leo with great anticipation.

In October, when he was invited to join the College of Cardinals, Cardinal-elect Francis Leo said he would discern how this elevation could help him become an even better servant for the Archdiocese of Toronto and beyond.

According to Vincent Veerasuntharam's tabulations, 100 delegates departed from Toronto Pearson Airport, and an additional 75 emissaries lifted off from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport to witness Cardinal Francis Leo being welcomed into the College of Cardinals at the Vatican.

Only new Cardinal Francis Leo knows what he experienced when hearing the news announced Oct. 6 at the conclusion of Pope Francis’ Sunday Angelus that he would be elevated to the College of Cardinals, but if it was anything like his predecessor������Ƶapp experience in 2012, it is something he won’t forget anytime soon.

“I was in Washington, D.C., working with the International Commission on English in the Liturgy when in my hotel room I saw a little red light flashing on the phone that turned out to be a message from the nuncio telling me that Pope Benedict would name me a cardinal the next morning,” said Cardinal Thomas Collins of that day in early 2012. “Sure enough, Pope Benedict read off the list of the new cardinals and I was one of them —  it was quite a remarkable experience.”

Cardinal Francis Leo������Ƶapp promotion within the universal Catholic hierarchy also proved to be a gift for Neil MacCarthy, the longtime director of publications and communications for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

What is the core difference between serving as a Cardinal of Toronto rather than an archbishop? The short answer: more sojourns to the Vatican.

Encore of the Register's exclusive interview with Archbishop Leo eight days after becoming Toronto's bishop.

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