There is an interesting take from a Catholic news outlet in Chicago about Pope Leo’s offering Cardinal Cupich a part-time government job at the Vatican City-State. You can watch the Facebook video HERE.
Often, problematic prelates are kicked upstairs to a Roman job so their diocese or archdiocese can be given a new bishop or archbishop. Just think of Bishop Zanchetta!!!!!
With the recent appointment of Cardinal Cupich to a part time Vatican City-State governing job of helping to run the city-state (it seems to me that qualified lay men or women could do this) many are saying that Pope Leo is elevating Cardinal Cupich and sending a kind of rebuke to the American bishops who publicly challenged the Cardinal about giving pro-killing of unborn children, Senator Durbin, a diocesan award for his immigration policies which are more in line with Catholic teaching.
Others, though, believe Pope Leo is punishing Cardinal Cupich for his divisive maneuvering personally with Pope Francis and opposing the more moderate American bishops. As cardinal under Pope Francis, Cardinal Cupich has been a divisive figure in the USCCB.
The recent controversy concerning Senator Durbin was created by Cardinal Cupich, who did not consult with his brother bishops in his own Province, nor with the President Archbishop Broglio of the USCCB or its pro-life chair and committee.
The controversy led to Pope Leo being dragged into the fray by a question concerning it all from an EWTN reporter who asked a very valid question. Unfortunately Pope Leo’s off-the-cuff response was a bit less than adequate.
Within hours of the interview, to help save the Pope’s face, the Cardinal’s face and Senator Durbin’s face, the good Senator agreed to withdraw from receiving the Catholic honor from Cardinal Cupich.
MAKE NO MISTAKE! THIS WHOLE MESS IS OF CARDINAL CUPICH’S MAKINGS AND NO ONE ELSE’S!
I doubt that Pope Leo was pleased by it all!
11 comments:
Cupich has been a disaster for Chicago - an authoritarian liberal Democrat masquerading as a Catholic priest. He is intensely disliked. Cardinal George was a great guy, Chicago born, and extremely charitable and tolerant.
Well the award of an additional appointment to the prestigious role of governing Vatican City can hardly be a rebuke, nor is it a kick upstairs as he remains ++Chicago.
I say it’s a slap down to his fellow bishops who threw him under a bus.
Ex church milliant reporting isn’t interesting,!
Father, the ideology of Cardinals Cupich,Tobin and McElroy ; the heirs of Cardinal McCarrick has done a great deal of damage to the Church in the. U.S. Giving Cardinal Cupich a seat at the top will not lessen his undesirable influence.
Amont, not sure. Cardinal Law after the scandals in Boston ended up at the Vatican. The Church in Chicago has shrunk considerably since Cupich took over. Don't buy into the nonsense that's because Catholics have left the City. The neighborhood around St. Adalbert's is loaded with Catholic Hispanics. They simply chose to no longer support that parish. That is why it closed. The Cardinal was asked to make that a home for the TLM, but he denied that request. Contra narrative!
For what it's worth, I rather agree with your take on this, Father.
Pope Leo strikes me as a supremely charitable, faithful, and undramatic man. He would not be the type to enjoy humiliating anyone, nor taking pleasure in hurting anyone, particularly a fellow cleric.
To effectively remove a cardinal/bishop/priest who is misleading the souls in his care to a position in which he can be carefully monitored and in which he cannot lead the faithful astray - while at the same time perhaps affirming the teaching of the Church in the cardinal/bishop/priest in question, strikes me as precisely the first step a faithful, thoughtful man like our good Pope Leo would take.
I will continue to trust in Pope Leo's leadership and judgment, and in the assurance that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church, whether it is the Church in Chicago or elsewhere.
Peace to all here!
You make a valid point. But with the removal of Cardinal Law, Bishop Lennon - a good, faithful bishop who eventually became my own bishop a few years later - was put in charge of the mess in Boston and worked hard to right the endless wrongs that had been done. After Bishop Lennon was moved to Cleveland, one of his first actions was to assign a committee of faithful lay and clergy of the Diocese of Cleveland to clear out every unfaithful influence from the seminary - and we are now reaping the benefits of this. Additionally, Cardinal O'Malley - a faithful servant of the Church who was coincidentally raised in the Cleveland Diocese - was appointed to lead the Boston Archdiocese, and led with faithfulness and humility, from what I can see.
Susan,
Cupich isn’t been removed. He remains ++ Chicago but in addition now serves on the board governing Vatican City. Leo has given Cupich additional responsibilities which can only be interpreted as a sign of trust in his abilities and judgment.
If anything his appointment is a signal of Leo’s disapproval of those bishops publicly attacking him and the lack of collegiality within the USCCB.
Never, ever has a prelate who has submitted his resignation been assigned to a puff position before that resignation is accepted to give him some continuing role after it is accepted.
Nick
Cardinals often serve on curia dicasteries or vatican entities part-time in addition to their diocesan/ other role. There are seven members of the Vatican City board plus it has a prefect so unlikely Cupich will transfer to Rome unless Leo gives him a specific new role there.
What is interesting is that out of the seven Cardinal serving on the Vatican City board, Cupich is the only one not based in Rome.
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