Q: What is the significance of being a cardinal? How did they get their name?
—Andy Sims, Douglasville
A: A cardinal is a high-ranking Catholic church official who provides a variety of services to the church and The Vatican. A cardinal can be called upon to advise the pope and are sometimes called the "Princes of the Church" or "the Sacred College," according to Inside the Vatican, a Catholic news magazine. They assist with the daily administrative responsibilities of running the church, and if they also are bishops, with overseeing areas of various countries. They are selected by the pope and are called upon to elect a new pope when one dies or resigns, as in the case of Pope Benedict XVI. The word cardinal comes from "cardinalis," a Latin word meaning a gate hinge, or support, or on which something can turn. "The cardinals are the 'hinges' upon which the doors of the Church swing open and shut; they are the 'support,' the 'foundation' of the Catholic Church," the article states.
Q: Gov. Nathan Deal promised to end the Ga. 400 toll during the T-SPLOST debate last summer, regardless of its passage. It has been almost a year. What gives?
—Deanna LaPorta, Smyrna
A: The Ga. 400 toll might end by Nov. 23, Gov. Deal said last week. He had originally said the toll would end in December 2013, but State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) officials hope to stop the toll in late November. The SRTA will demolish the toll plaza next year, a project that could cost $4.5 million.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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