Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago to the Vatican Congregation for Bishops.
In a statement issued yesterday afternoon by the Holy See Press Office, his nomination to the important dicastery which helps determine future Church leadership was announced.
In 1949, Blase Cupich was born in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1975, he was ordained a priest. The Midwest native studied at the College of St. Thomas in Minnesota and went to Rome’s Pontifical College of North America in Rome. In 1998, he was named bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota, and two years later, was named bishop of Spokane, Washington.
On Sept. 20, 2014, Archbishop Cupich was appointed Archbishop of Chicago by Pope Francis. He succeeded Cardinal Francis George, who had held the post since 1997. in the 2015 Ordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family, he was among the bishops Francis appointed to participate .
The Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops is entrusted with identifying and proposing to the Pope candidates who they believe to be suitable bishops for all over the world. Once they propose, the Pope reviews and decides.
Many argue that this appointment gives the American archbishop an important role in determining leadership within the Church, and especially significant influence over future episcopal appointments in the United States and many other parts of the world, with the exception of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, which are decided differently.
Many argue that this appointment gives the American archbishop an important role in determining leadership within the Church, and especially significant influence over future episcopal appointments in the United States and many other parts of the world, with the exception of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, which are decided differently.
Currently, the congregation has 26 members from many countries, of which, 20 are cardinals, five are archbishops and one is a bishop. The only other American on the congregation is Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, who was also appointed by Francis.
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On ZENIT’s Webpage:
Feature with Archbishop Cupich During Synod: https://zenit.org/articles/feature-archbishop-cupich-tells-journalists-he-sees-transformation-in-synod-hall/
On the NET:
Vatican Congregation for Bishops: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cbishops/index.htm
