Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, was one of the 10 U.S. cardinal electors at the conclave that elected the first ever American pope. He granted this interview to America’s Vatican correspondent in Rome on Sunday, May 11, before returning tomorrow to Chicago, where plans are being developed for a public event to celebrate the election. He confirmed that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost obtained more than the 89 votes needed for election—without disclosing the exact number.
He offered several reasons why the 133 cardinals from 70 countries chose the Chicago-born cardinal, who has both American and Peruvian citizenship, over the other candidates being considered in the conclave. He said he is confident that the new pope will take up the legacy of Pope Francis and continue the reforms of the Roman Curia started by the first Latin American pope and added that he expects him to address these before engaging in much foreign travel. He also discussed how Pope Leo might relate to President Donald J. Trump, and the advantage that he has being an American pope.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
You are archbishop of Chicago, the city where the new pope was born. What has the city’s reaction been to his election as pope?
They’re very excited. I heard already from various political leaders and others in the city. My staff tell me that the churches are full this weekend; they are going to Masses, and they wanted to hear for the first time his name—Leo—in the eucharistic prayer. So it was and it’s going to continue to be very exciting. And when I go home, we’re looking for a nice celebration. All the plans aren’t finalized yet, but we’re looking for some sort of general gathering in the near future to celebrate the election of the pope.
How long have you known Robert Francis Prevost?
I’ve known him for about six years because he was appointed about six years ago to the Dicastery for Bishops, of which I’m also a member. Then we worked closely with him, but even more closely in the last two years when he became prefect. He’s a hard worker, who, in many ways, approaches the church with the same vision as Pope Francis.
What are his main qualities?
The qualities that the cardinals saw, at least I saw, that were important in determining if he would be the right person. First of all, he’s a hard worker. He’s multilingual. He understands different cultures. He’s lived on three different continents. He’s a pastor, and he has a very strong record of administration, as he had as prior general of the Augustinians.
But it was also very clear that we wanted somebody who was going to continue the work of Pope Francis. There was no interest at all in diverting attention away from that or moving in a different direction. There was a real fondness for Pope Francis that people carried into our discussions.
When he got the magic 89 votes, what did you feel?
You could see it mounting in that fourth vote. When it hit 89, everybody just applauded. We didn’t even wait. They did continue the rest of the vote [counting] later on. But at that moment of 89 when it was clear to everybody, you could just feel the excitement as the votes were being announced.
How was he reacting?
I didn’t see. I couldn’t see him from where I was. He was at the other end [of the chapel], and there were some others sitting there. Cardinal [Joseph] Tobin mentioned, as he voted, that he saw him with his head in his hands. I didn’t look his way, or the way of any of the people that were being considered, simply because I didn’t want to make them feel uncomfortable.
Was it clear at lunch time that he could be elected pope?
I think it was coming into full view that we could be done by the end of the day. How many more votes would it have taken? I don’t know. But it was very clear that we were moving in a direction that probably was unstoppable.
So he got momentum in the first three ballots that indicated he was on the way to being elected?
There was a real interest in a number of candidates, and that’s all I want to say. I think that is because we consider the bench pretty deep, because we had some good candidates.
The American church is famous for being very polarized. But the paradox is that it is from America, from where over the past 12 years most of the major attacks against Pope Francis came, that now the new pope comes. Do you think this American pope will be able to calm down all these divisions in the polarized American church?
First of all, I don’t think it was up to Pope Francis or indeed to any pope to calm people down because they’re going to take their positions regardless of what a pope does. I would not put that burden on the new pope. There’s nothing that Pope Francis did wrong, that is blameworthy in terms of the opposition. People had their own agenda, and I think that there we’re going to see whether or not they’re going to continue to be opposed to the reforms that Pope Francis started.
What I did find as I listened to the commentators of different stripes—far right and far left—is that they’re willing to give the pope some breathing space, and I’m happy about that. But I would not be surprised if they take issue with some of his decisions, especially if he doesn’t distance himself radically from Pope Francis, which I believe would not happen.
Was commitment to synodality a litmus test for a candidate to be pope?
Pope Leo made clear in his remarks that he is for a synodal church. He in fact demonstrated that with the cardinals the other day [May 10] by, after giving brief remarks, sitting there and listening for about an hour and a half to the cardinals raising issues. So that’s what the synodal church is about; it’s about teaching but also about listening. He demonstrated himself that he is for a synodal church.
What do you think about the attacks from groups that seek to undermine him by alleging that he mishandled abuse cases?
I would say this: Prior to the conclave, we heard people saying things about various candidates without any evidence at all. Everything that I’ve seen with regard to how he has dealt with such issues either here in Rome or in Peru tells me that he’s committed to an agenda that creates a safe environment for children and also promotes healing.
When confronted with cases, he’s done the regular things: He has visited the victims, he has removed the priest, he has started an investigation, he has informed the police, and he has reported to Rome. Those are the steps that are required by “Vos Estis Lux Mundi” but also by the charter that we have in the United States, which many countries have adopted. So everything that I have seen is that he has followed the correct procedures, and people who make these accusations are not presenting any evidence.
So it’s basically fake news?
I think it’s false.
How do you think Pope Leo will relate to President Trump?
I think that he’s going to treat him with respect as an elected leader of a country. He is going to do that with all of the leaders because he wants to make sure that he builds bridges. I think that he’ll speak his mind. Pope Francis spoke his mind. I think he will carry on the agenda that Pope Francis had, and the Holy See has had, for many decades. We have the oldest diplomatic corps in the world. We know how to do diplomacy, and I think he’s going to rely on the professionals in the Secretariat of State in the Vatican to guide him as he carries on those discussions.
Would you agree that it is an advantage to have a pope that speaks English and doesn’t need an interpreter?
I think the advantage is also the fact that you have an American who speaks like an American to the American people. This is an opportunity for the church to have another platform to speak about the social gospel, maybe in a way that American Catholics haven’t heard before, and that will give him a fresh opportunity to reintroduce the Gospel. I hope in a way that’s going to change some hearts and minds.
Do you think that being American, Pope Leo will be able to get all this money that is so needed in the Vatican because of the current deficit?
Let’s make sure that we understand that Americans can’t be treated like an ATM card, with which we’re going to just withdraw money. Whoever is pope is going to have to make a call for all Catholics, no matter what their income level is, around the world to join in this effort. I think he’s capable of doing that. But also there has to be transparency and accountability, and that’s going to be very important to all donors. It always has been. Let’s make sure that the whole world is engaged in this. America surely has a part to play, an important part, but I would hope that the whole world would join us.
Have you invited him to the United States? Do you think he will come to the United States and, of course, Peru?
I have not invited him. I have not had the chance to invite him yet. I would hope that if he does visit the United States, he would make Chicago his first stop. I think that he’s an individual who is going to take seriously the need to stay here in Rome to deal with some very serious issues. He will travel, but I think that he also sees the role of dealing with some of the serious issues of reform in the curia, and that will be a major priority for him before he travels.
Which of all these issues that you say he has to resolve here is of greater concern from your point of view?
It has to be the ongoing reform of the curia, which includes finances, but also includes the whole business of the personnel, the retirement fund, the pension fund and also how different offices are staffed—do we need the level of employees in the various offices?—and how the property of the Holy See is managed. We know that there really can be some improvements made on the management of the assets of the Holy See, and he’s very capable to bring in the right people to do that.
