 Previously, only the senior cardinal dean and the senior cardinal priest had the right to the title of cardinal bishop when one of the sees assigned to a cardinal bishop became vacant.Pope John made the appointment the prerogative of the pope without reference to seniority within the College of Cardinals.While the older method had ensured that only senior clerics of advanced age held the title of cardinal bishop, Pope John's first appointment under the new rule was Ferretto, who had just turned 62.