10 U.S. Cardinals Set to Influence the Next Papal Selection
( NewsNation As the deceased Pope Francis remains in state prior to his funeral on Saturday, 135 cardinals worldwide, with 10 hailing from the United States, are set to choose his replacement.
The cardinals, representing slightly more than half of the College of Cardinals, are set to participate in Francis' funeral at the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Saturday. Following their tribute to the deceased Pope, these prelates will withdraw into the Sistine Chapel to initiate the conclave—a procedure aimed at electing his successor.
Francis passed away on Monday due to heart failure after suffering a stroke. He was 88 years old.
Francis, being the first South American pontiff, has personally contributed to the diversity among the members of the College of Cardinals. According to NPR During his 12-year tenure at the Vatican, he named 108 out of the 135 cardinal electors.
Librarian Gregg Gassman, host of the "Popular History" podcast, told NPR that this assembly will be "the least European conclave in history."
Only 53 of the cardinal electors, which makes up roughly 40%, are from Europe. according to the Vatican’s official count A hundred years ago, during the papal election of 1922, Europeans constituted the entirety of the group that selected Cardinal Ambrogio Ratti, later known as Pope Pius XI.
In this instance, 23 electors come from Asia, 18 are from Africa, and 17 hail from South America, which is the birthplace of Francis.
Sixteen originate from North America, with 10 of those cardinals originating from the United States.
The cardinal participants from the U.S. in the conclave are:
Raymond Leo Burke
Burke, who is 76 years old and from Richland Center, Wisconsin, joined the priesthood in 1975. Renowned for his deep knowledge of canon law, he received an appointment as a cardinal in 2010 under Pope Benedict XVI. As a strong conservative figure, Burke has been identified as President Donald Trump’s favored choice to take over from Pope Francis.
Blase Joseph Cupich
Cupich, who is 76 years old and from Omaha, Nebraska, was ordained in 1975 for the Archdiocese of Omaha. In 2014, Pope Francis chose Cupich as the Archbishop of Chicago, and he was elevated to cardinal two years thereafter.
Daniel Nicholas DiNardo
DiNardo, who is 75 years old and from Steubenville, Ohio, became a priest in 1977. In 2007, he was appointed to the College of Cardinals, where his duties included participating in the election of Pope Francis in 2013. Currently, DiNardo holds the title of Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Timothy Michael Dolan
Dolan, aged 75 from St. Louis, was ordained in 1976. Following his advancement to become the Archbishop of Milwaukee, he became the Archbishop of New York in 2009. Since joining the College of Cardinals in 2012, Dolan has been an active participant as a cardinal elector and helped select Pope Francis in 2013.
Kevin Joseph Farrell
Farrell, who is 77 years old and hails from Dublin, Ireland, was ordained as a priest in 1978 and began ministering in the U.S. in 1983. Prior to being elevated to cardinal, he held positions such as bishop in Dallas and auxiliary bishop in Washington, D.C. In 2019, Pope Francis appointed Farrell as camerlengo of the Church, entrusting him with oversight of the financial assets and properties of the Holy See. Currently, acting as the interim administrator of the Vatican, Farrell will continue this role until a new pontiff assumes office.
Wilton Daniel Gregory
Gregory, who is 77 years old and from Chicago, has broken barriers several times since his ordination in 1973. Previously serving as an Archbishop of Atlanta, he became the first African American head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Notable for his role in addressing the clergy sexual abuse crisis within the U.S. Catholic Church, he advanced further in 2020 when he was raised to the rank of Cardinal—the first person of African-American heritage to hold this position.
James Michael Harvey
Harvey, who was 75 years old and from Milwaukee, joined the priesthood in 1975. Educated as a diplomat, he went on to serve as the prefect of the papal household for both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. He took up his role as the archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint PaulOutside-the-Walls in 2012.
Robert Walter McElroy
McElroy, who is 71 years old and from San Francisco, became a priest in 1980. Following his tenure as a parish priest for several years, he advanced to become a bishop; he was named Bishop of San Diego in 2015. In 2022, Pope Francis welcomed him into the College of Cardinals. Most recently, at the start of this year, Francis designated McElroy as the eighth Archbishop of Washington.
Robert Francis Prevost
Prevost, who is 69 years old and from Chicago, joined the clergy in 1982. During the initial phase of his service as a priest, he engaged in missionary activities in Peru. Later on, he was appointed as the bishop for the Diocese of Chiclayo. Currently recognized as the Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Chiclayo, Prevost received elevation to the rank of Cardinal in 2023.
Joseph William Tobin
Tobin, who is 72 years old and from Detroit, became an ordained priest in 1978. Following his service at churches in both Detroit and Chicago, along with holding various administrative positions, he was chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to be the Archbishop of Indianapolis in 2012. Since 2016, Tobin has been functioning as the Archbishop of Newark.
Although Farrell was born in Ireland, he has primarily served as a priest in the United States. As reported by The Associated Press Currently, Farrell acts as the Vatican’s camerlengo, or chamberlain.
According to the AP report, the camerlengo oversees the administrative and financial operations of the Holy See until a new pope is chosen.
Farrell likewise revealed Francis’s passing on Monday.
The Vatican’s guidelines restrict participation in the conclave to cardinals who are less than 80 years old; however, those over 80 may attend preliminary gatherings before the main event.
According to The Associated Press, although any confirmed Roman Catholic male is qualified to become pope, cardinals have traditionally been selected as leaders of the Church since 1378.
No pope has yet been selected from North or Central America.
After his funeral, Francis will be laid to rest in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, as reported by the Catholic News Agency, symbolizing his dedication to Mary.
The news website stated that since 1903, no pope has been interred outside the boundaries of the Vatican.
Francis will be the first pope interred at the Basilica of St. Mary Major since 1669.
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