TRANSCRIPT
An interesting group of prelates happened to be in Chicago while, in Rome, the pope made a historic consecration to Mary’s Immaculate Heart. The prelates were in the Windy City for a conference that, apparently, was not advertised and was open to only those invited.
Church Militant’s William Mahoney looks at the conference and some key conferees in attendance.
Cdl. Blase Cupich: “We’re joined today by those who are attending a conference at Loyola University Chicago.”
Cardinal Blase Cupich offered Mass at Holy Name Cathedral, with roughly 30 prelates in attendance — including apostolic nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre. During the Mass, Pierre led the prayer of consecration in union with Pope Francis.
Others in attendance included six signers of “God Is on Your Side, a Statement From Catholic Bishops on Protecting LGBT Youth.” Those six are Newark’s cardinal Joseph Tobin, Santa Fe’s archbishop John Wester, Cheyenne’s bishop Steven Biegler, San Diego’s bishop Robert McElroy, Lexington’s bishop John Stowe and Arkansas’ bishop Anthony Taylor.
Also present were Saint Louis’ archbishop Mitchell Rozanski and Seattle’s archbishop Paul Etienne. The conference Cupich referenced occurred at Loyola University Chicago on March 25 and 26. It was sponsored by departments at three Jesuit schools — Loyola University, Boston College and Fordham University — under the theme, “Pope Francis, Vatican II and the Way Forward.”
Addresses Friday included a talk by Massimo Faggioli titled, “Opposition to Francis Rooted in Abandonment of Vatican II as a Source of Renewal,” and another by Jesuit Mark Massa titled, “The Money, Media and Networks that Oppose Pope Francis.”
On Friday, Faggioli tweeted, “interesting days today and tomorrow for the U.S. Catholic Church.” Also at the conference were Pope Francis’ synodal sister Nathalie Becquart and Loyola professor Therese Lysaught.
The conference was like a who’s who of Catholic voices who wish to sing a new Church into being.
In a Boston College article on the event, Massa explained opposition to Pope Francis is mostly opposition to Vatican II. He added, “Francis is trying to cash the check that Vatican II wrote … synodality was the big thing.”