Catholic leaders in the United States have welcomed the Pope’s decision to make Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego a cardinal. McElroy is the first American to become a cardinal without already serving as an archbishop.
“By naming Bishop Robert McElroy as a cardinal, Pope Francis has shown his pastoral care for the Church in the United States,” said Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, president of the US bishops’ conference. “I have known and have had the privilege of working with cardinal-designate McElroy for many years. As brother bishops, we’ve worked together on many issues and initiatives in service to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as the California Catholic Conference. His strong faith and the pastoral concern for the faithful he has shown in his diocese will serve the global Church well. Please join me in praying for the continued ministry of Bishop McElroy.”
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago also praised the appointment. “He is one of the most gifted bishops in the United States, and I think that his nomination today is a sign of the esteem that he has in the life of the church, which is held by the Holy Father,” Cupich told the National Catholic Reporter.
McElroy is known as one of the intellectual leaders of the US Church, with degrees from Harvard University, Stanford University and the Gregorian University in Rome. McElroy is an expert on the theology of John Courtney Murray SJ, a peritus or theological adviser at Vatican II who was influential in drafting the decree on religious liberty, Dignitatis Humanae. He has championed many of the same pastoral priorities as Pope Francis, including environmental protection and a more welcoming approach to the gay and lesbian community.
McElroy was a priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and protégé of that city’s Archbishop John Quinn, one of the leading liberal prelates during the papacy of Paul VI and John Paul II. In 2010, McElroy was named an auxiliary bishop of San Francisco and, in 2015, was named the sixth bishop of San Diego.
Los Angeles, the nation’s largest archdiocese with more than four million Catholics, is the usual home of any California Cardinal. Although the Archdiocese of San Francisco is older, Los Angeles has been led by three cardinals: James McIntyre (1948-1970), Timothy Manning (1970-1986) and Roger Mahony (1985-2011). San Diego has never been led by a cardinal.
Loading ...
