Vatican

Cardinal-designate Jose Advincula, one of the 13 new cardinals recently appointed by Pope Francis, said he believes human rights are central to the church’s mission.

Pope Francis’ appointment of a cardinal for Rwanda — a first — is seen as appreciation for the efforts of the Catholic Church to reconcile people after the country’s 1994 genocide.

When he was bishop of the Diocese of Gozo, Malta, Cardinal-designate Mario Grech “was a shepherd with a listening ear” and “a powerful and prophetic word” on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged, said an editorial in the Times of Malta.