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A Shift in U.S. Catholic Leadership: Pope Francis and a New Generation
A recent statement from three prominent U.S. Catholic archbishops – Timothy P. Broglio of Baltimore, Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia, and José H. Gomez of Los Angeles – signaled a potential divergence from the more moderate approach often associated with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This direct communication, bypassing the USCCB’s extensive drafting process, occurred shortly after a meeting between USCCB president Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City and President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance at the White House. The statement’s authors, all closely aligned with Pope Francis, appear to be establishing a distinct voice within the American Catholic Church.
The Rise of a New Alignment
The three archbishops – Broglio, Chaput, and Gomez – share a close relationship with Pope Francis. Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, who served with Archbishop Franco Prevost in the Dicastery for Bishops, and Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C., whom Prevost appointed to his current role, further solidify this alignment. Observers suggest this group represents a more progressive stance on issues like peace, immigration, climate change, and the rule of law, potentially contrasting with more conservative elements within the U.S.Church.
The appointment of Ronald Hicks as the new Archbishop of New York is seen as a key move in solidifying this trend. Hicks succeeds Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2023.