Pope Francis Proclaims 21 New Cardinals

“That simply isn’t the sample anymore with Francis; he appoints individuals from locations that by no means had cardinals earlier than, and that’s revolutionary,” the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a senior analyst for Faith Information Service who has written books concerning the Roman Catholic hierarchy, stated in a phone interview. “He seems for the person who he thinks will contribute the very best to the church and that helps his imaginative and prescient of the place the church ought to go.”

On Sunday, Francis named prelates from far-flung locations, together with the Franciscan archbishop of Manaus, Brazil, Leonardo Ulrich Steiner; Peter Ebere Okpaleke, who in 2020 turned the primary bishop of Ekwulobia, a brand new diocese in Nigeria; and Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Daman, India.

Bishop McElroy would be the first cardinal for the Diocese of San Diego and is a longtime supporter of Francis’ pastoral agenda, according to Catholic media. He has additionally expressed assist for permitting women to be deacons and for improved ministry towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals.

Francis DeBernardo, the manager director of New Methods Ministry, an advocacy group for homosexual Catholics, welcomed the appointment of Bishop McElroy, saying in an announcement, “He represents the form of prelate our church wants, one who will stretch out a hand, not a fist, to the L.G.B.T.Q. neighborhood.”

Two years ago, the pope made Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, a cardinal, elevating the primary African American to the School of Cardinals.

On Sunday, Francis additionally introduced that he would convene the entire church’s cardinals on Aug. 29 and 30 to “mirror on” the structure that he launched this year to manipulate the paperwork that runs the Roman Catholic Church.