Two Americans were among 15 Roman Catholic prelates named Wednesday to be cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI, his first choices for the group that will select his successor.
The Americans are Archbishop William Levada, the pope’s successor as head of the Vatican office that upholds church doctrine, and Archbishop Sean O’Malley of Boston.
Twelve of those named, including both Americans, are under the age of 80, and so will be eligible to vote for the next pope.
The selections, read by the pope after his weekly general audience, were intended “to make up the number of 120 cardinal electors, as established by Pope Paul VI,” Vatican documents quoted him as saying.
The total number of cardinals will be 193 once the 15 new nominees are confirmed in a ceremony on March 24.
The newly named cardinals also included leaders from Manila, Philippines; Krakow, Poland; Bologna, Italy; Seoul, South Korea; and Hong Kong.
O’Malley, 61, was named to head the Boston church almost three years ago, succeeding Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned after being accused of mishandling a sex-abuse scandal involving priests.
The archbishop has since negotiated an $85 million settlement with 554 people who said they were molested by priests.
Levada, 69, formerly the leader of the church in Portland, Ore., and San Francisco, succeeded the current pope as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith last year. It is considered by many to be the most influential Vatican post ever held by an American.
He, too, has been involved in the response to the priest abuse allegations, reviewing them worldwide in his Vatican post and dealing with them directly as head of the Portland Diocese.
Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput called O’Malley and Levada “both men of deep faith and great ability. They have both faced very serious pastoral challenges, and both have served the Church and God’s people with humility and integrity.”
Chaput said O’Malley, a friend since his seminary days, “has always been a model of kindness, Franciscan simplicity of life and dedication to the poor.”