VATICAN CITY
Crux
Pope Francis announced a consistory for the creation of new cardinals on Nov. 19, and this time around there are three Americans: Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis, and Kevin Farrell of Dallas, who was just named to head the pope’s new department on Family, Laity and Life.
After not having named any new American cardinals during his first two consistories in 2014 and 2015, Pope Francis has more than made up for it this time around, announcing a consistory for Nov. 19 and including Archbishops Blase Cupich of Chicago and Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis, as well as former Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell.
Farrell was recently named by Francis as the first-ever head of his department for Family, Laity and Life.
The choices will be seen in the United States as significantly strengthening the moderate wing of the country’s hierarchy, as all three figures have at times been at odds with more conservative elements of the Church.
Cupich, 67, was appointed by Francis to Chicago in September 2014, in what many saw as a surprise move by the pontiff. He was also appointed by the pope to be a special delegate at his Synod of Bishops on the family, where Cupich appeared to align himself with the more progressive camp on issues such as pastoral care of the LGBT community and also divorced and remarried Catholics.
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