Politics
These 10 U.S. Cardinals Voting for Next Pope – Who Holds the Power?
U.S. Cardinals voting for next Pope
The College of Cardinals includes 17 members from the United States, but only 10 of them are cardinal electors, meaning they are eligible to participate in a conclave and vote for the next pope. The remaining seven are over the age of 80, which is the cutoff for voting eligibility.
Six of the 10 electors were appointed by Pope Francis and are widely known for supporting his priorities, particularly in the areas of immigration, environmental issues, and poverty. This will be the first conclave for each of them:
- Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, 76 – Born in Nebraska, he previously served as a bishop in South Dakota and as an archbishop in Spokane, Washington. His 2014 appointment to Chicago was one of Pope Francis’ early moves to reshape the U.S. Church leadership, especially to signal support for immigrants. His archdiocese includes about two million Catholics across Cook and Lake Counties.
- Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington, 71 – Formerly the bishop of San Diego, he is known for speaking out on behalf of migrants, women, and LGBTQ people within the Church and the broader U.S. He has criticized the Trump administration’s plans for widespread deportations as “incompatible with Catholic doctrine.”
- Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, 73 – Before his appointment in Newark, he led the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, where he was known to bench-press 225 pounds at the gym. As a young priest, he ministered to people with AIDS in Chicago. He has stated that he doesn’t see “a compelling theological reason why the pope couldn’t name a woman cardinal.”
- Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, 77 – The first African American cardinal, he served as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002 and played a key role in passing the Dallas Charter, which implemented a zero-tolerance policy on sexual abuse of minors. He later served as Archbishop of Atlanta and has supported LGBTQ Catholics while acting on Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical.
- Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, 77 – Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life. The Irish-American previously served as bishop of Dallas. Pope Francis also named him camerlengo—the Vatican’s acting administrator during a papal transition. He is responsible for verifying the death of a pope.
- Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, 69 – Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. Born in Chicago, he advises the pope on bishop appointments around the world. He is a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, a religious order inspired by the teachings of the fourth-century saint. Some consider him a possible, though unlikely, candidate for the papacy. (There has never been an American pope.)
The other four cardinal electors were appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis:
- Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, 75 – Archbishop Emeritus of Galveston-Houston, he led the archdiocese of 1.7 million Catholics for 19 years before Pope Francis accepted his resignation in January. He denounced the policy of separating children from their parents at the border, calling it “immoral.” He is also a past president of the U.S. bishops’ conference.
- Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, 75 – Leader of New York’s 2.5 million Catholics since 2009, he previously served as Archbishop of Milwaukee and rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Popular among center-right Catholics, he has taken strong positions on issues like abortion and opposed the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate. He offered prayers at both of President Trump’s inaugurations.
- Cardinal James M. Harvey, 75 – Archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. A Milwaukee native, he has held numerous Vatican roles, including as head of the papal household under Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The basilica he oversees is traditionally believed to be the burial site of St. Paul.
- Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, 76 – Patron of the Order of Malta and a scholar of canon law. He is a prominent conservative voice and a leading critic of Pope Francis’ agenda, especially known for his support of the Latin Mass. Pope Francis removed him from several leadership positions. In 2019, Burke said, “I’m called the enemy of the pope, which I am not.”