What does it mean that almost half of the new cardinals will be from religious orders?

[ad_1] Pope Francis meets with the College of Cardinals on July 1, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media Rome Newsroom, Dec 6, 2024 / 16:15 pm (CNA). Out of the 21 cardinals who will be created Dec. 7 in Pope Francis’ 10th consistory at the Vatican, 10 new cardinals — almost half — are members of religious congregations or institutes. These new appointments reflect Pope Francis’ commitment to diversifying the leadership of the Catholic Church and including more voices from religious…