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Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including US Bishop McElroy

CNA Staff   By CNA Staff

Then-Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego speaking at the University of San Diego's Frances G. Harpst Center for Catholic Thought and Culture Feb. 6, 2020. McElroy was appointed to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis in May 2022. (CNS photo/Ryan Blystone, courtesy University of San Diego)

Vatican City, May 29, 2022 / 05:46 am (CNA).

Pope Francis said on Sunday that he will create 21 new cardinals, including San Diego Bishop Robert Walter McElroy, at a consistory on Aug. 27.

The 85-year-old pope made the announcement from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square after reciting the Regina Coeli prayer on May 29.

This is the full list:

  • Arthur Roche, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (United Kingdom).
  • Lazzaro You Heung-sik, Prefect for the Congregation for Clergy (South Korea).
  • Fernando Vergez Alzaga, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State (Spain).
  • Archbishop Jean-Marc Aveline, of Marseille (France).
  • Archbishop Peter Okpaleke, of Ekwulobia (Nigeria).
  • Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, of Manaus (Brazil).
  • Archbishop Filipe Neri António Sebastião of Rosário Ferrão, of Goa e Damão (India).
  • Bishop Robert Walter McElroy, of San Diego (United States)
  • Archbishop Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, of Dili (East Timor).
  • Bishop Oscar Cantoni, of Como (Italy).
  • Archbishop Anthony Poola, of Hyderabad (India).
  • Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa,, of Brasília (Brazil).
  • Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr M. Afr, of Wa (Ghana).
  • Archbishop William Goh Seng Chye, of Singapore (Singapore).
  • Archbishop Adalberto Martínez Flores, of Asunción (Paraguay).
  • Archbishop Giorgio Marengo, Prefect of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).

Five are over the age of 80:

  • Archbishop Jorge Enrique Jiménez Carvajal, Archbishop Emeritus of Cartagena (Colombia).
  • Archbishop Lucas Van Looy sdb, Archbishop Emeritus of Ghent (Belgium).
  • Archbishop Arrigo Miglio, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagliari (Italy).
  • Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda sj (Italy).
  • Monsignor Fortunato Frezza (Italy).

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has created 101 cardinals from 58 countries at seven consistories.

The last consistory to create new cardinals took place on Nov. 28, 2020. The new cardinals included Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington and Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the Preacher to the Papal Household since 1980.

Immediately following the 2020 consistory, Pope Francis had appointed 73 of the members of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote a future conclave. Benedict XVI had named 39 of the cardinal electors and John Paul II had appointed 16.

Ahead of the upcoming consistory, there are currently 117 cardinal electors, 67 (52%) of whom have been appointed by Pope Francis.


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39 Comments

  1. Most of them are heterodox leftists more interested in turning the Church into a secular NGO. Pathetic.

  2. Francis visits one more assault on the People of God. As if they need one more reason to turn from him and turn to Him. No matter how much more Francis justifies himself, many more will refuse to listen. We simply won’t hear any more. If he’s thinking of pulling out his megaphone, we suggest he fugghitaboutit. We’ve already tuned to the gospel channel which isn’t his.

  3. McElroy, the man best known for kicking sand on doctrines that offend modern sensibilities (and pelvises!), is now a cardinal. It’s been fairly clear for the past six years or so that Bergoglio is stacking the next conclave with men of this caliber. No surprises here, sadly.

  4. Um, McElroy? Right… Typical..a great archbishop in LA & other good, faithful candidates… But this guy… Really?

    • Is that so? Can you tell me why you consider Card Roche to be pro-homosexual? Or the Indians, South Americans and Africans in the list to be what you label them to be?

  5. Sure looks like he is “stacking the deck”. Church will have a hard time recovering from this blatant power grab.

  6. It is difficult to say who is the worst pick in this rogue’s gallery of dissidents, leftists, and homophile protectors of pederasts. But my money is on McElroy as absolutely the WORST American prelate whose name is not Cupich.

  7. Typical Francis.

    Ignore San Francisco and the orthodox. Promote the heterodox.

    McElroy…really?

    How much longer, Lord?

  8. Outrageous that he names the most pro-choice bishop in the US a cardinal.
    What a slap in the face for faithful Catholics.

  9. It says something that such milquetoast liberal prelates like Gomez and Dolan, let alone Chaput and Cordileone, are unacceptable to Francis. Ted McCarrick remains the most influential and powerful Catholic in America.

  10. From the Papacy of Paul VI, the steady and faithful helmsman of the Barque of Saint Peter, to the election and brief papacy of the “smiling” John Paul I; from the astounding, dramatic and world altering papal period of the orthodox, secure and crystal clear, faithful teacher of the faith, John Paul II (the Great); from the timid, but courageous yet unjustly maligned, theological guru and faithful papal teacher Pope Benedict XVI (future Doctor of the Church) to the present state of utter papal and eclesial confusion…. HOW IN GOD’S NAME DID WE GET HERE??????

    • I believe that the confusion is concocted. The Holy Spirit, I believe, is always in charge of our Lord’s Church. Jesus assured us of that, and I do trust him.

      • You might want to rethink that. The confusion is not concocted, you are simply trying to defend the indefensible. Although it’s a sweeping generalization, it’s safe to say that the Holy Spirit is probably not involved in appointing progressives to positions of authority in the church.

        • Mal is right. If the confusion isn’t self-inflicted, it can be a stubborn unwillingness to read Pope Francis and other church documents and think for oneself. The Holy Spirit is always with the Body. One ideology or another has nothing to do with it

  11. The Catholic Church in America that McCarrick helped build with its support of active homosexuality is still with us. The Spirit of McCarrick alive!

  12. I was astonished to see McElroy’s elevation but shouldn’t have been. Proof that it really does pay to be a worthless servile flatterer. So glad that for logistical reasons (new installation, Covid) neither of my children had their Confirmation from him. I’m not sure it would even be valid.

  13. Diluting the teachings of the Catholic Church certainly seems to be Francis’ goal. He has been preparing worldwide Catholics for this since his election, and making cardinals of like-minded men instead of those who would stand firm on the foundation of Christ is the means to that end. It’s too bad that he didn’t make good on his promise of a short pontificate. He has created a crisis for the Catholic Church on his own, and seems hell-bent on undermining Her. He tests the Holy Spirit.

  14. If this is true that the Pope passed over Bishop Cordileone over his suspension of Holy Eucharist for Pelosi and chose a Bishop who supports Pro-Abortion “catholics” receiving of the Eucharist then what as the faithful are we to believe any longer? Truth is truth, Belief in the tenets of our faith are Truth, there is no grey area, there is no “walking a fine line”. Sin is sin, we are all sinners but if I have mortal sin on my soul I cannot and should not receive the Eucharist and if I pronounce my Mortal Sin, support it in word and/or action publicly I should not receive and be suspended from receiving. Where are our Cardinals our Bishops our Priests that took vows to shepherd the flock and teach them Truth. Sadly there is schism coming to our Church, it is from those who are not faithful to Church teaching and instead is simply secular, political and evil. What are we to do? Where are we to go if the successor to Peter plays games and favors that which is not good but supports evil?

    • It’s seriously doubtful that San Francisco excommunication had any influence at all on naming this batch of cardinals, which was probably in the works for weeks, if not months. American politics is interesting to some Americans. Likely not to the Holy Father or most any others in Rome.

      I also don’t understand the bellyaching about Pope Francis “packing” the College of Cardinals. Nobody seemed to complain about it heading into the 1990s. It’s a feature of the office. There are no Republican Senators in Rome to clog the drain of moving governance along. Thank goodness.

      • So what if it has been going ‘along for months’?

        The difference in the ‘90’s was not having a Pope who refuses to clarify his own encyclicals and exhortations.

        As a Democrat, you have a constant data stream – including a three year corrupt and fraudulent effort to bring down a sitting president from the top politicians in your Party – with your Democrats ‘clogging the drain of moving governance along’.

        • fake news, sir. I am a political independent and always have been. I can also read Vatican documents and find nothing “confusing” in the Holy Father’s writings. As for so-what, it kind of torpedoes the notion that naming one guy to the College is somehow an insult to other bishops, be they two, four-thousand, or some number in between.

  15. There are books written years ago that have suggested this would happen in the Church, from Clowns of God to the Final Conclave. All along with the heresy taking place in the Church in Germany, in places of So. America and certainly in the USA with Cardinals and Bishops like Cupich, Gregory, McElroy and others and then we have those prelates in power like Dolan who prefer to smile and “brush off” his brethren’s wrong teaching. Wonder why the Church is losing faithful, look no further than those who prefer to teach wrongly; wonder why some diocese and parishes are thriving look no further than their Holy Bishops and Priests who follow Christ!

    • David, if this is the long predicted turning point of loss of faith, apostasy we know Christ remains with us, within the faithful of the Mystical Body, as you’re aware. Were that worse case scenario to occur we’ll be strengthened by Our Lord to endure. A moment to come ever closer to Christ and to give him greater glory by our steadfast witness.
      As it seems now with the Synod on Synodality, its leadership, these questionable appointments et al we’re not, at least those who are swept along – headed for a good place. Except those of us blessed with a living faith. We should, as our mission offer prayer, what we can for the many who are beguiled.

  16. The most evident mark of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clerics who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds. –St. John Eudes

5 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

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  4. Is Pontiff About to Step Down? Pope Issues Unheard-of Orders as Unusual Meetings Erupt in Vatican | Down Right News
  5. Is Pontiff About to Step Down? Pope Issues Unheard-of Orders as Unusual Meetings Erupt in Vatican – Cybernistas

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