Earlier this week, Pope Benedict named fifteen new Cardinals, the first appointments of his tenure as Vicar of Christ in the Roman Catholic Church. A number of the appointments stand out to me.

First, the Pope has chosen to elevate Bishop O’Malley, the one tapped in the aftermath of the scandals that rocked Boston. He has done an excellent job in that post and has rebuilt and restructured the Boston Church despite a hyper-sensational media. Further, Bishop Levada, formally of San Francisco was elevated, who succeeded Cardinal Ratzinger in the Holy Office of the Doctrine of the Faith. This raise (if my memory serves me) the US delegation of Cardinals to fifteen, which seems to point to a renewed interest in the North American role inside the church.

But most striking was the elevation of Bishop Joseph Zen . Surely this was a move to reaffirm the Church in China and aimed at a repressive Communist regime which has systematically persecuted Christians. Joseph Cardinal Zen is sure to be met with resistance, but his work in the Church will ultimately aide those currently suffering under the brutality of the Chinese government.

His proclamation of Christ and enthusiastic call for change in China is exemplary and we are bound to see good fruits from this, and other, appointments by Pope Bennedict XVI.