The Man who could be Pope, Final Part

If an American prelate will be the next choice in the conclave, easily, Cardinal Tobin’s myriad albeit important roles in the Roman Curia makes him a favorite. Tobin is a bridge builder and much like the sitting pope, he has his ear to the ground. He puts emphasis on youth and vocations that speak well for the future of the church.

His administrative multiple appointments in the Roman Curia makes him an insider, a company man who knows the Vatican from inside out including the papal diplomatic strategies. He, however, is a principled man. He stood up against Pope Benedict, whom he owed his many previous appointments to, when the pope wanted the U.S. nuns investigated for being too liberal. He said no with an exclamation point and was subsequently reassigned back to the U.S. and out of Rome.

Pope Francis is also fond of him because Tobin, the pope implied, is a shepherd with the “smell of his sheep.” Tobin’s value, however, is that of someone who would defend the pope’s policies, especially migration from Latin America and would rally around the pope’s choice for the papacy. Besides, the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey services a million and a quarter Catholics. Tobin’s leadership will be needed there especially with regards to immigration issues from south of the border.

Of course, there are bishops of bigger archdioceses in the U.S. that the Holy Father named to the College of Cardinals but some of them have snubbed for a reason. The recent consistory where the pope named 21 new cardinals did not include an American. Mexican born Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles leads the largest diocese in the country with 5 million Catholics. His bonafides would have made him an important player in Pope Francis’ strategy.

He, however, was one of the few bishops who were at the forefront of the divisive abortion issue in the U.S. Gomez has been passed over in nine consistories under Francis. Another conservative bishop is Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco. Cordileone even made national news for denying the Eucharist to then Speaker Nancy Pelosi despite warnings from the Vatican. Both were bypassed by the pope in the last three consistories.

There are currently 10 American cardinals among the 124 eligible to vote in a conclave. Pope Francis has created six of them: Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago; Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey; Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C.; Robert McElroy of San Diego; Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life; and Robert Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

Next year, 11 more bishops will reach their retirement age of 75 and will present the pope to continue to remake the American episcopacy by awarding more red hats to American bishops. Two other bishops are in the crosshairs: Bishop Mark Seitz (Diocese of El Paso, Texas), Bishop Daniel Flores (Diocese of Brownsville, Texas), Bishop John Stowe (Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky), Archbishop Paul Etienne (Archdiocese of Seattle).

With abortion again on the ballot in the upcoming November election, bishops Gomez and Cordileone have been uncharacteristically silent. At the General Assembly of the U.S. Catholic Bishops last year, U.S. bishops again affirmed abortion as a ‘preeminent priority’ further defying Pope Francis. In 2019, Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego Diocese spoke out and quoted Pope Francis’s exhortation in Gaudete et Exultate (Rejoice and Be Glad) that “the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection” were equally sacred.

Elevated to cardinal in 2022, McElroy believes that there are three preeminent priorities in the U.S. today: abortion, environment, and immigration. Clearly, McElroy’s stock has risen for the conclave when the pope picked him among bishops from bigger dioceses. McElroy’s view mirrors that of the pope who picked the name Francis to honor St. Francis of Assisi’s commitment to the poor, to social justice, and to simple living.

Cardinal McElroy is an intellectual who belongs in the “liberal wing’ of progressives who can pull an upset for the papacy.

Judging from Pope Francis’ appointments at the higher and lower level of the American Catholic Church hierarchy, it is evident that North America will be ground zero for his papal pick and important positions in the episcopacy were carefully chosen as support systems and defenders of his vision for America. I believe that all these movements point to a secondary objective that is perhaps not obvious.

Catholicism is in decline in North America, no doubt, but I believe the pope sees that the horizon is full of hope to re engage Protestant and decadent America. His synodality push has begun the process in America and will most likely continue to evolve well into 2025 - the Jubilee Year of Hope. The presidential election will be a big turning point if Vice President Kamala Harris wins. She will fill that piece of the puzzle previously designed for President Joe Biden, a Catholic.

The pope’s Synod on Synodality will end soon and America is primed for the next moves. Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop Joseph Strickland – both ultra-conservative American critics of the pope have been neutralized and sent packing. The southern border is covered with Pope Francis’ two key appointments in Texas which covers the longest stretch of the border.

Southern California has the shortest stretch, yet it plays a significant role in the whole scheme of things. Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles has been bypassed for the cardinal selection but was given four additional auxiliary bishops last year. San Diego, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has a cardinal and two newly minted auxiliary bishops. The diocese’s three Auxiliary bishops cover San Diego and Imperial counties that border Mexico.

San Diego has always been run by a bishop which means that one of the auxiliaries can step up if Cardinal McElroy is picked by the conclave. And why not? He could be the man. During the awarding of his red hat, it was reported that the pope had a little chat with McElroy. “How’s your health,” was the icebreaker. The 67-year old cardinal reportedly joked that his heart was fine but not the knees. The pope joked back “and so are mine!” They shared a laugh.

Pope Francis wrote three encyclicals: Lumen fidei (The Light of Faith), Laudato sí (On Care for Our Common Home), and Fratelli tutti (Fraternity and Social Friendship). These encyclicals on climate change, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, peace and solidarity, the unequal distribution of wealth, corporate greed, slavery, human trafficking, among others; are closely related and are intended for the bishops and pastors of the world who defend the Catholic faith at the trenches. Pope Francis’ innovations rely heavily on them especially in the U.S. where opposition is strong among some of the more vocal bishops and cardinals. America is clearly a target.