Pope Francis on Saturday named Bishop Blase Cupich of Spokane, Wash., who is closely identified with the Catholic Church’s progressive wing, to be the next archbishop of Chicago. Religion News Service notes “it is the pontiff’s most important U.S. appointment to date and one that could upend decades of conservative dominance of the American hierarchy.” From RNS:
When Spokane Bishop Blase Cupich got a call 10 days ago with the news that Pope Francis had chosen him to be the next archbishop of Chicago — the pontiff’s most important U.S. appointment to date — he was so taken aback that he couldn’t speak for a few moments.
“To say that I was surprised doesn’t come close to the word I would use,” Cupich said Saturday . …
A lot of other Catholics are trying to absorb the news as well, just as surprised that Francis picked the 65-year-old Cupich, who had been considered a long shot by many Vatican handicappers. They were also pleased, or concerned, that the pope had evidently chosen a bishop who shared his own emphasis on listening to the flock and caring for the poor.
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Bravo, Pope Francis! I’d say the appointment of Bishop Cupich, seemingly a man after Pope Francis’ own heart, as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago is quite important to the 2.2 million Roman Catholics in the archdiocese and to the church at large in the US.
June Butler
A new RC bishop of Chicago, how important is this in the scheme of things? The word about new RC bishops and the ongoing debate over the good cop bad cop approach to policing sexual activity in Roman and Anglican churches is so tiresome and clerical.The real liturgy today is all the people on the streets in New York and elsewhere on the planet, working for an awareness of climate change. Attended a United Church service this morning, and was not disappointed with the emphasis on the environment and climate.