The Story:
Breaking a long-standing tradition, U.S. bishops have chosen Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City over Cardinal Blase Cupich to serve as chairman of the Pro-Life Activities Committee. The vote was 96 to 82.
Important Because:
A cardinal has always led the committee, a signal of its high priority.
The move indicates that Catholic leaders in the United States are resistant to many of the revolutionary changes that Pope Francis is trying to implement.
This Happened:
Both candidates are strong opponents of euthanasia and abortion.
Archbishop Naumann has vowed to keep the committee on course and focused on these two matters.
Cardinal Cupich, on the other hand, is known to favor expanding the committee’s focus to areas that Pope Francis prioritizes, such as the death penalty, poverty and health care.
The Cardinal was named to the Vatican’s Congregation of Bishops after being appointed in 2014 as Archbishop of Chicago, a move intended to nurture the new generation of the church’s hierarchy.
Last year the Pope made him a Cardinal.
Catholic leaders in the U.S. have now made a clear statement that the Pro-Life Activities Committee will not veer from its original objectives of focusing on abortion and euthanasia.
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