NYTimes | Change is rattling the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church,
as the American bishops hold their annual fall meeting here this week.
The vast majority of them were appointed by Francis’ two more
conservative predecessors, and some say they do not yet understand what
kind of change Pope Francis envisions and whether it is anything more than a change in tone.
The change is reflected not only in the bellwether Chicago appointment,
but also in Francis’ call for the church to open discussion on sticky
matters long considered settled, such as communion for the divorced and
remarried, same-sex relationships, couples who live together without
being married and even polygamists in Africa.
Some
prelates, like Bishop Cupich, are exhilarated at the pontiff’s fresh
message and the prospect of change, while others, like Cardinal George,
are warier. A few have been downright resistant, including Cardinal
Raymond Burke, an American in Rome who has publicly challenged Francis
and was removed on Saturday from his position as head of the Vatican’s
highest court.
“The
pope is saying some very challenging things for people,” Bishop Cupich
said in an interview Tuesday. “He’s not saying, this is the law and you
follow it and you get to heaven. He’s saying we have to do something
about our world today that’s suffering, people are being excluded,
neglected. We have a responsibility, and he’s calling people to task.”
Bishop
Cupich is seen as an able administrator with a pastoral approach, who
has written and spoken on social justice for the poor and
disenfranchised in tones that echo Francis. He said he had no idea how
he was selected, saying, “Maybe someday over a nice glass of Chianti
I’ll ask him.”
