Cardinal Surprises

A 5 a.m. wake-up call from a friend in Rome alerted Cardinal-designate Blase J. Cupich of Chicago to the news that Pope Francis had added his name to the list of church leaders soon to be made cardinals. The previous six archbishops of Chicago received a red hat, but Pope Francis has recently skipped over several archdioceses traditionally led by cardinals. “This pope is a pope of surprises. So I think it wasn’t something I had my heart set on,” he said. But that was not the pope’s only surprise. He named two other U.S. prelates, Joseph W. Tobin of Indianapolis and Kevin J. Farrell, former bishop of Dallas who is now prefect of the newly created Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. Choosing these three shows Pope Francis “values the experience of the church in our country,” the Chicago archbishop said. “Especially the way that we have worked to integrate immigrants into our country.” Cardinal-designate Cupich will receive his red hat along with 16 other new cardinals at a consistory in Rome on Nov. 19.