Question 2.36

2.36 In 2010, after nine years at the Propaganda fide, you were appointed president of the Pontifical Council Cor unum. Was that the beginning of a new stage in your life?

Yes, indeed, on the morning of October 7, 2010, Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone telephoned me to tell me that Pope Benedict XVI was thinking of having me take the position of president of the Pontifical Council Cor unum. I was astonished because I had not asked for anything at all. Cardinal Dias was happy about my appointment, and at the same time I felt that he was sad to see me leave. The next day I left Rome for a trip to India that had been planned long before.

On October 20, when I finished my stay in India with a visit to Goa, Cardinal Bertone came to join me. We finally managed to speak to one another. So it was that the secretary of state told me that the Holy Father was planning a consistory to create new cardinals. Tarcisio Bertone then revealed to me that I would be raised to the cardinalatial dignity on that occasion.

I cannot say that I was proud. The confidence of Benedict XVI touched me because I had the feeling that this promotion was undeserved. Right away I thought of my parents, who would have been so happy about it! I prayed that God would help me to assume this responsibility, not as an honor, but as a weighty, difficult trial in defense of Christ. My parents would never have dreamed of such a surprising appointment. I thought also of Archbishop Tchidimbo, who would have deserved that dignity more than I.

I do not know why; God has always come to hold my hand and accompany me along more important paths. In my life, God has done everything; for my part, I just wanted to pray. I am sure that the red of my cardinalate is really the reflection of the blood of the suffering missionaries who came to the remotest parts of Africa to evangelize my village.

When I returned to Rome, Benedict XVI granted me a private audience. During that meeting, the pope made this remark, which I will never forget: “Your Excellency, I appointed you to Cor unum because I know that of all people you have the experience of suffering and of the face of poverty. You will be most capable of expressing tactfully the Church’s compassion and closeness to those who are poorest.”