San Diego Bishop says he stunned Pope selected him as a Cardinal

SAN DIEGO — Nonetheless elated over his appointment as Cardinal by Pope Francis over the weekend, 68-year-old Robert McElroy says he is shocked however has some perception on why he was chosen.

“I consider the pope wished to have a cardinal on the West Coast since there isn’t any cardinal now west of Houston. I am deeply honored by this appointment, and I’m significantly happy that I’m remaining right here in San Diego,” mentioned Cardinal-designate Robert McElroy.

McElroy says San Diego being a border neighborhood additionally helps as Pope Francis may be very involved about migrants and refugees. As the one U.S. cardinal chosen this 12 months in a gaggle of 21, McElroy says his main position will likely be to assist elect a brand new pope when that comes.

“The Cardinals meet every so often as a gaggle to advise the pope on varied points,” McElroy mentioned.

McElroy turned the sixth bishop in San Diego in 2015. He says he had 4 blocked arteries and had a profitable quadruple bypass surgical procedure final November. Amid declining church membership globally, one in every of McElroy’s high priorities is getting extra younger individuals concerned within the Catholic Church.

One of many issues we have now to face is handing over the religion to the following technology that’s in a vital stage for us,” McElroy mentioned.

In his selection for Cardinal, the Pope handed over a high-ranking Archbishop in San Francisco who lately excluded pro-choice politicians like President Biden and Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Holy Communion over their stances on abortion. McElroy is outspoken about inclusion of differing opinions.

“It’s harmful in my opinion to ban political leaders from receiving communion based mostly on their actions and public coverage,” McElroy mentioned.

On the subject of longtime abuse throughout the Catholic Church, McElroy says he lately hosted boards on the problem.

“Persons are very offended about the way in which this was dealt with for all these years, so to say can we alter that? We won’t change it by placing it behind us, that’s, we have to all the time keep in mind what occurred and the way we received into a really unhealthy sample. The sample consisted of reassigning clergymen after that they had performed the abuse,” McElroy mentioned.

McElroy says the church is progressing and breaking these sinful patterns and even discussing the opportunity of permitting ladies as deacons and married clergymen. However as for McElroy changing into a future Pope? 

He does not assume it’s going to ever occur.

“I do not assume that an American needs to be Pope. Within the common neighborhood, the US nonetheless has a lot energy on so many ranges economically, politically and internationally, to have the Pope be American too, appears to be a counterpoint to the witness that the church has to repeatedly be giving, so I’d oppose any American to be elected Pope, I do not assume it will occur,” McElroy mentioned.

McElroy and 20 different leaders will likely be put in as Cardinals on Aug. 27 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

WATCH San Diego Bishop chosen as Cardinal by Pope Francis speaks (Could 2022)