When San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy receives his prestigious red hat at the Vatican on Saturday, he will bring to the College of Cardinals a fervent loyalty to Pope Francis that has often put him at odds with the conservative majority in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
McElroy, 68, is the only American among the 21 clerics being installed as cardinals by Francis in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica. He was chosen over numerous higher-ranking American archbishops, including two from his home state — outspoken conservative Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco and José Gomez of Los Angeles, the president of the U.S. bishops conference.
McElroy has been among the few American bishops who questioned why the conference insists on identifying abortion as its “preeminent” priority. Echoing the pope’s concerns, he has questioned why greater prominence is not given to issues such as poverty, immigration and climate change.
The Rev. James Martin, editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America, described McElroy as “one of the foremost articulators in the United States not only of Pope Francis’ vision but also the vision of the Second Vatican Council and, more basically, the vision of the Gospel.”
“He has been the special champion of people on the margins, both in society and in the church,” Martin said via email. “It’s not surprising that the Holy Father would have singled him out for this honor and that he would want the future Cardinal McElroy present in the conclave that will elect the next pope.”
Chad Pecknold, a theology professor at The Catholic University of America who has been critical of many Vatican decisions under Francis’ papacy, said McElroy “often speaks from the ideological margins” and thus would be seen, in this papacy, as an appropriate candidate to be a cardinal.
“But mostly, his elevation reminds me that more senior and substantial prelates like Archbishop Cordileone and Archbishop Gomez have, once again, been very deliberately passed over,” Pecknold said in an email.
“It will bring tremendously destructive consequences,” McElroy wrote last year. “The Eucharist is being weaponized and deployed as a tool in political warfare. This must not happen.”
Cordileone, in contrast, said earlier this year that he would no longer allow House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion because of her support for abortion rights.
Last year McElroy was among a small group of bishops signing a statement expressing support for LGBTQ youth and denouncing the bullying often directed at them.
The bishops said LGBTQ youth attempt suicide at much higher rates, are often homeless because of families who reject them and “are the target of violent acts at alarming rates.”
“We stand with you and oppose any form of violence, bullying or harassment directed at you,” the statement read. “Most of all, know that God created you, God loves you and God is on your side….”
Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk, vicar-general for the Diocese of Orange, said McElroy’s leadership skills have been impressive.
“One thing I respect about him is that while he is confident in the positions he takes, he truly is open to hearing the take of others and engaging in a dialogue with those who have different points of view,” Doktorczyk said….
The above comes from an August 23 story in the Associated Press.
Since Climatologist and Death Toll Expert McElroy speaks for those on the margins, does he speak for those who lawfully own and use firearms, those who prefer the TLM, roughnecks, those who don’t want men in women’s and girls’ restrooms and locker rooms, the faithful persecuted in China (or the Uyghurs, for that matter), those who propose nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels, those who voted for Trump, those who use correct pronouns, those for choice in education, pro-life Catholic governors like Abbott and DeSantis, police officers or conservatives?
Or, is his inclusion and tolerance exclusionary?
Well said. No one is more on the margins under this pontificate than those who prefer the TLM, the Uyghurs and the Church in China, Conservatives in the hierarchy and conservatives in general. If McElroy truly believes climate change has killed more than abortion, let him document his case carefully. Otherwise he merely sounds the ideological horn, and that is not the mark of a good leader for the Church or otherwise. It may be my paranoia, but I wonder if this melancholy elevation might portend a future dark horse candidate in the next conclave.
Traditionally, Popes are not elected if they’re from a superpower. That said, brother Biden seems to be working to reduce us to a second or third world nation. So, if he does, who knows? Actually, we know Who knows. Let us keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, while we work and pray about issues in the world and even in the Church. We know the end of the story.
Shouldn’t popes be elected for adhering to the Magisterium and Church Doctrine??
Of course, but historically some popes have been too allied with and influenced by the rulers of their native nations. That was not good for the Church. And, by “tradition,” it’s not part of our Tradition, but a prudent practice that was informally adopted after some international scandals in the past. Currently, might a Pope from the US or China (their “approved” Church) or Russia be unduly influenced by their nation and culture? It’s possible.
(We also may see some whose nationality contributes to an anti-American position as well.)
And can he tell the difference between boys and girls? Does he denounce illegal crossing of the southern border; trafficking of minors; rape; illegal drugs and the tens of thousands of drug deaths? Does he approve of 13 year old girls getting double mastectomies and minor boys getting castrated for gender dysphoria?
McElroy is far and away the most liberal church figure in the American hierarchy. Tobin and Cupich are just behind him. I really do not mean to be uncharitable, but I simple want to point out that Pope Francis is quickly proving himself to be a functional socialist. He may not want to call himself that due to the ideological problems of being associated with atheistic communism, but his writings and focus are largely directed at promoting:
1. Global warming as a human-caused problem, so that the government (and not private industry) will provide power through pure electrification. Socialists also want to remove oil producers AND natural gas producers from the market. You may think it is only to prevent global warming, but the truth is a little more sinister. It’s a well known fact that it is a massive world-wide power grab to take power away from private industry and enlarge government coffers. Refined Oil and NG markets are a trillion dollar industry and governments want a piece of the pie. Scratch that, they want the whole pie.
2. Related to point 1, Redistribution of wealth through governmental channels and programs through massive tax programs.
3. The attempt to stamp out traditional liturgy, Latin mass folks, and anything considered by the Pope to be elitist such as Opus Dei, the Order of Malta, or anything with a rank such as the destruction of the monsignor designation (except for a few of his priests at the Vatican) to consolidate Papal power and punish those whom the Pope sees as threatening the move to power consolidation. It’s just what socialists and communists do. On this note, I must weirdly applaud 85 year old Pope Francis for his Machiavellian tenacity in this regard. It is indeed impressive!
4. Related to point 3, a focus on synods and “synodality” as a means of destroying the power of local episcopacy and strengthening the reach and power of a central government, in this case, the Vatican.
5. Open borders and unfettered and unchecked immigration. A necessary ingredient in making people dependent on government handouts, meanwhile realigning world power.
Not rocket science to know why the pope elected McElroy.
Pope John Paul IV said that the government should not be the agency of charity in a country because it erodes your social fabric.
The USA is testament to this.
But with social media and crowdfunding sites have revived community for those who participate in them.
And, remember our Lord’s parable about the last judgement. (Matthew 25) It’s often misquoted, misunderstood or taken out of context.
Remember when Jesus said, “Whatever your government did for the least of these, it did for Me?”
Of course you don’t remember it because He never said that. He said, “Whatever you do …”
Remember when St. Paul said, “Petition the Roman government to care for the poor?” No, he addressed his hearers and readers in the Church to “remember the poor.”
It’s about us serving and sacrificing for those in need. There is a place for government, certainly. But, it’s always easier to give away someone else’s money and virtue signal how compassionate and caring one is.
The early Church was not communist or socialist (as you might sometimes here). People freely gave away and shared what they owned. Religious women and men today still provide the example of the evangelical counsels and give everything away.
Every Pope since the rise of socialism and communism in the 19th century through Pope Benedict has condemned those evil and destructive movements.
There’s a profound difference between one giving sacrificially out of love for God and neighbor and having his property taken at the point of a gun (as in the case of communism) or even a now more heavily-armed IRS.
The family and the Church precede the state and are more important.
No he did not say “government” but “nations”.
Matthew 25:32
John Paul II, I tried fixing dont know if it worked.
the McElroy stance only furthers abortion by creating a public perception that the Church has not made up its mind on abortion. Planned Parenthood could handily quote McElroy to sway women who are are the edge of a difficult choice between their convenience and a human life…”Cindy,I know you are Catholic and feel uneasy, but here’s what your Cardinal has taught us here at PP as we share concerns for life too”. There can be no triage between climate and life.
I respect your opinion but I disagree. If I create a thanksgiving meal, and say that turkey is the preeminent part of the meal and I neglect to mention the corn and mashed potatoes and carrots, and maybe even make people go to the pantry to get it, it creates the false impression that one only need eat the turkey to get proper nutrition. If I serve a thanksgiving meal and mention all of the above, it is still obvious that the turkey is the preeminent part of the meal but I am signaling that none of the rest of it can be neglected.
This is the “seamless garment” argument? The “turkey dinner” analogy limps. I get what you are trying to construct here, but it is a poor analogy and a common logical fallacy. We call it a turkey dinner, because without the turkey, there is no turkey dinner. We call abortion the single most important moral issue facing our generation and world because IT IS the single most important moral issue facing humanity. To state this does not mean that the speaker believes that there is only one moral issue. There are other moral issues: hunger, greed, war, global ills such as climate problems, and racism (the carrots, the corn and mashed potatoes) but killing innocent life in the womb in the primary issue from which so many other moral problems flow. There is no moral equivalency between abortion – the direct and intentional murder of a baby – with global warming. Climate problems (droughts, floods, warming, cooling, ice ages, thawing, tsunamis, etc.) have always been an issue for humanity and are not a direct attempt to kill or destroy human life.
Killing human life is the issue. The life in the womb is the same life as those outside the womb.
Those who have abortions don’t care about human life and neither do you.
It’s taken me an hour to digest your turkey analogy.
What a stupid analogy!
I always know when I’ve written something good when Peggy oh so maturely calls it stupid without any attempt to understand it or critique it.
And if I have gay married couples over to Thanksgiving dinner while professing to believe that gay unions are immoral, I’m sending a confusing message to the other guests, especially children. McElroy is confusing people about what the Church’s stance is.
No, YFC. The Cardinal’s false Catholic viewpoint is very dangerous, and could easily confuse and mislead people. It is not honest, authentic, clear Catholic teaching, it is the Cardinal’s own dishonest ideas that he is presenting to the public, passing it off falsely, as “Catholic teaching.” Someone at Planned Parenthood could easily confuse it with their Planned Parenthood beliefs. There are some Jesuits, and other Catholic clerics, for example, who state publicly, that abortion is a private matter, a woman’s own decision, and nobody is to interfere. That is the belief of Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden, exactly– and they mistakenly profess to be good practicing Catholics.
Everybody knows that the turkey is just an excuse for all the fixin’s so that is not a great analogy.
Not just abortion. It gives the impression that moral teaching is debatable, not a sure norm.
McElroy is suspect
No kidding!
Infiltration!
This is from AP?
God’s helpless preborn children are crying out to Heaven, to be rescued from Death Row in their mothers’ wombs! Has McElroy no moral conscience? What is his Red Hat for?
May God frustrate evil designs and convert all hearts as He converts mine. I give a hearing to all prelates’ words, bring them to Christ in prayer in light of the Bible, and then put into practice what God teaches. If God’s teaching come through a faithful clergyman, I will follow it. If the teaching be the words of men coming through a clergyman, then I won’t allow them to take root in me.
God taught in the old testament that the proof of the prophet speaking in God’s name was that the prophecy would come true. At the same time, he cautioned that some prophets do not speak in His name. Deut 13:2ff “If there arises in your midst a prophet or a dreamer who promises you a sign or wonder, saying, “Let us go after other gods,” whom you have not known, “and let us serve them,” and the sign or wonder foretold to you comes to pass, do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer; for the LORD, your God, is testing you to know whether you really love the LORD, your God, with all your heart and soul.”
At the same time, he warned that occasionally prophets speak rashly, not in His name. Deut 18:22: “If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but the word does not come true, it is a word the LORD did not speak. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; do not fear him.” In addition, God taught that woe be to the one who speaks falsely using God’s name and authority. Deut 18:20 “But if a prophet presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”
Fr. James Martin is a heretic
Fish swim in the sea.
Let’s get real about something that shows how dumb liberals are and how dumb the laws they enact for public safety are, and how they result in more deaths. We’re hearing a lot about children dying in hot cars on hot days after being left in the car alone. This was unheard of before 1990. Yet there were hot days before 1990. So why all the child deaths in hot cars now? It’s because liberals passed laws starting in 1990 requiring that child car seats be placed in the back row of a car, prohibiting a child’s car seat from being placed in the passenger front row seat. It’s easier to forget about having a kid in the car when the kid is asleep in the back seat. But if the kid is in the front seat, the driver will notice him. Liberals always mess things up and make things worse, and they cause deaths. Just let parents put child car seats in the front seat again, and you’ll see a dramatic drop in children dying from being left alone in a car on a hot day.
We need phones to ding and say “do you know where your children are?”
Your children must always be the very first thing on your mind, and their safety and welfare is of utmost importance! The safest place for your child’s rear-facing carseat, is in the back– away from three deadly things, in a car crash– inflating airbags, windshields, and dashboards. A rear-facing carseat absorbs some of the crash, and supports infants’ and toddlers’ heads, necks, spines, and torsos. Infants and toddlers have disproportionately large and heavy heads, which can get thrown forward in a car crash, resulting in serious head and spine injuries. California laws require that all children be safely placed in the back seat, properly restrained, until age 8. Usually, by age 13, a child can safely sit in the front seat. But the back seat is always the safest place for anyone of any age, in case of a car crash. Yes, children and pets have always died in hot cars. When I was growing up, there was no a/c yet, in cars– and no freeways, either. Life was centered more around the family home– and most families had just one car. We had a slower-moving, family-oriented society, not the fast-paced, neurotic mess that we have, today. We always need good laws, to protect children!
Wow you forget about your own children? I bet you claim to be pro-life too. And you’d rather have them endangered with going through a front windshield than have them in the front seat to use as a memory aid. Sheesh.
Usually the cases of child car deaths are when the routine is being broken.
I’m agog at the ability of so many to buy into so many conspiracy theories on almost any subject. I wonder, what if the new Cardinal really does represent what it means to be a Catholic today? What if we moderates are really too conservative for today’s church? And then, there are those to the right; where do they fit in? Asking for a friend.
What if being demur about Christ and divinely revealed truth is what it means to be Catholic today? Seems to be what it means to be a Catholic cleric these days.
Bob One– to God, the so-called “modern world” is a human earthly concoction, unimportant. Christ is Eternal, the same “yesterday, today and forever,” as the Bible says. His teachings are for all peoples, in all times, and in all ages. They are changeless, and eternal. Christ was sent by God into the dark, sinful, deluded world, to redeem it, to transform it in His holy Light, Truth, and Love. The true, honest Christian (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, etc.) professes his or her faith in Christ, and leaves the sinful world, to follow Him, even if you must still live in the sinful, dark world– you belong to Him, and not the world. You are His. That is also why Christians have always been persecuted– they belong to Christ, not the world. To be an authentic Christian is a great personal challenge! Do we truly want Heaven, Eternal Life, with God, far beyond this brief, often-difficult, human life on earth? We suffer on earth, because of sin and darkness– and what happened with Adam and Eve, long ago. We have the gift of Free Will. Our lives here on earth are brief. Christ, our Savior, is waiting for us to give our “yes” and follow Him!
To be a Christian is very hard, sometimes. You must stand up for Christ, against wrongs and sins of the world. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister, stood up against institutionalized racism. There were Christians of all types who became Abolitionists, fighting slavery, in the Civil War era. There are Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant clergy and laymen who have been in the news lately, for being persecuted and killed for their faith, in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Not sure if the ancient Coptics of Egypt are Orthodox, but they have had their churches destroyed, and worshippers persecuted and killed. In Finland, a Lutheran lady political leader, and a Lutheran bishop, were put on trial for affirming Biblical beliefs on Marriage, and denouncing gay Pride events.
Personally I think the main reason McElroy is getting the red hat over other more worthy California bishops is geography. Diocese of San Diego borders Mexico. McElroy will do his best to funnel new migrants into the US, regardless of resources available to process them. I understand Catholic Charities gets a lot of federal money based on the migrant count.
I suggest that you look up the programs offered by Catholic Charities for immigrants so that you can be factual rather than simply providing conjecture which leads to conspiracy theories which leads to a bunch of people having wrong ideas which leads to …. Check out their 990 form, go to their web site for starters.
Now McElroy should resign as cardinal and tell Pope Francis to give his red hat to a bishop of color from a poor country.
He’d never do that, of course. He’s just like a politician or a CEO.
Um there are tons of POC cardinals from poor countries.
You obey the Pope, not tell the Pope what to do with his red hat.
Does Cdl. McElroy baptize children of gay couples, like his pal, Abp. Wester– and admit “Gay Families” to his Catholic parishes and schools? What does he put down on the gay couple’s children’s Baptismal certificates, and Catholic parish and school enrollment forms, for the child’s “Mother” and “Father?” What does he put down for the names of Catholic gay couples, enrolling in a parish? “Mr. And Mrs ?” I bet none of this “baloney” is allowed, by Canon Law. And our secular laws shouldn’t allow this, either.
This is from last year.
https://timesofsandiego.com/life/2016/10/30/divorced-catholics-lgbt-embraced-at-first-in-nation-synod/
Why would any child be denied baptism? Aren’t we all made in the image and likeness of God? Do we torture kids for the sins of their parents? Why would we not educate any person who comes to us?
They tell you when you apply “this is a Catholic school. We teach the Catholic Faith.” They are private schools. No one is forced to go there.
Baptism is a specific Catholic Sacrament, which should be highly respected. Many today, have no respect at all for the Sacraments, and treat them as social events, and obligations to fulfill. if you want your child to be baptized, you and your husband or wife should be good, practicing Catholics, belong to a parish, and be regular Mass-goers. You have to make an appointment with the priest, to prepare for the Baptism, and you might have to attend a class. You should always have the intention to properly bring up your child in a good, Catholic home, and educate the child in the Catholic Faith. It is a big responsibility! You should prepare to raise your child in a good Catholic home, not a horrible– and dangerous!– “Devil’s den” of filth and sin. A good priest will instruct you, and help you properly prepare for this holy Sacrament.
You can start your own church and school if you want
No, you can’t.
God works in mysterious ways. People are fond of saying that God writes straight with crooked lines. Note that God writes straight. He doesn’t write gay. Ponder that, for therein lies the answer to your question.
The only reason that a child would be denied baptism is if the parents were refusing to raise them in the faith.
I didn’t call it a turkey dinner you did. “We” don’t call abortion the single most important moral issue, you (and many others to be honest) did. Other moral voices including several bishops and cardinals believe there are other vital moral issues that get pushed under the plate like unwanted peas when we put so much emphasis on combatting abortion and neglect the other moral issues.
And to the poster calling themselves “human life”, your insults are unnecessary and uncalled for.
The single most important moral issue is now and has always been defiance of God, disobedience of God’s law.
Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, a cardinal designate, said: “While we celebrate this decision — the culmination of prayer and decades of legislative advocacy, life-affirming events, committing time and resources to pregnancy centers, and walking with families facing an unplanned pregnancy— in many ways, our work has just begun. We must work to ensure that California law protects the rights of the unborn. And we must emphasize that being pro-life demands more than opposition to abortion. It demands we do everything we can to support families, to provide access to quality healthcare, affordable housing, good jobs and decent housing. It means making sure parents and families have access to affordable childcare, so that being a parent doesn’t force women and families to drop out of school or leave the job market. It also means reinvigorating our adoption system … support for children and families cannot stop at birth.”
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251641/how-bishops-around-the-us-have-responded-to-dobbs
ah ……. the ol’ seamless garment!
i know a prelate whom i consider
to be a seamless varmint.
Consider the source : no facts to backup such a ludicrous claim. Very sad ” leadership “