INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Pakistan's Joseph Coutts among 14 cardinals appointed by PopeVatican City: Pope Francis appointed 14 new
cardinals Thursday, a diverse selection from all over the world including Iraq, Pakistan, Madagascar and Japan whom he warned to avoid the
kind of "palace intrigues" which have plagued the Vatican over the years.The appointments come as the Argentine pontiff gradually shapes a
less European college of cardinals.Before the ceremony marking their appointment, Francis warned the new batch of cardinals that they must
not get involved in "palace intrigues" within the Vatican but focus on "those who are hungry, the forgotten, the prisoner, the sick, the
the situation in the war-torn country and the plight of the dwindling Christian community.From Pakistan comes Joseph Coutts of Karachi who
promotes dialogue between Christians and Muslims.Coutts fights the abusive use of the crime of blasphemy in a country where churches are
under police protection due to threats from extremist Muslim groups.Desire Tsarahazana from Toamasina in Madagascar is the only African
also appointed Thomas Aquinas Manyo from Osaka in Japan
Among the three Latin American prelates is Archbishop Pedro Barreto of Huancayo, Peru.Barreto fights for the rights of the communities
living in the Amazon forest and has received death threats for denouncing working conditions in illegal mines.Seven European cardinals were
well as having the key role of choosing a new pope, cardinals often also hold the highest administrative offices in the church.Each new
Vatican.Speaking at the beginning of the ceremony, Sako hailed "the special attention from the Pope for the small flock of Christians in the
Middle East, in Pakistan and other countries that are going through a difficult period because of wars and sectarianism and where there are
still martyrs."One third of the Christian families in the north of the country were able to return to their land after the collapse of the
Islamic State group, often with funds raised by the church.Sako believes 400,000-500,000 Christians now living in Iraq, compared to 1.5
journalists on Wednesday.He advocates "dialogue" and challenges "a vision of a uniquely Islamic nation".Pope Francis, the first head of the
church from Latin America, is 81 and was named in 2013 after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI stood down citing advancing age.In the event
of a conclave to name a new pope, 11 of the new 14 cardinals being under 80 years of age would be eligible to take part.The new appointments
mean there are now 226 members of the college of cardinals.
