On Sunday, May 29, Pope Francis announced he would create 21 new cardinals this year, including American Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego and several other surprise choices. 16 of the new cardinals are under 80 and will be able to vote in a conclave, meaning Pope Francis has now appointed just under two-thirds of the current cardinal-electors. As of December, that number will rise to 69 percent.

This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connel discuss some of Pope Francis’ most interesting picks for the college of cardinals. He has traditionally passed over so-called “cardinalatial sees,” big cities where the bishop has often been named a cardinal, in favor of bishops from underrepresented communities.

This idea of Francis choosing the person over the place was evident in the case of the sole American bishop who was named a cardinal-designate this weekend: Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego. Bishop McElroy, one of the leading intellectuals in the U.S. hierarchy, has been named while the bishops of two larger cities, Archbishop Gomez in Los Angeles and Archbishop Cordileone in San Francisco, were not. Gerry and Colleen discuss the message this appointment sends to the U.S. church, while dispelling speculation that Bishop McElroy was appointed in direct response to Archbishop Cordileone’s decision to bar U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion.

Then, Colleen and Gerry turn their focus to the global stage. Pope Francis named the first cardinal from the Dalit, or “untouchable,” caste in India. The hosts examine what effect this will have on India’s leadership, which sees Christianity as a threat to the caste system. Gerry also tells the story behind Cardinal-designate Peter Ebere Okpaleke, a Nigerian prelate who was once rejected by the priests of a diocese for belonging to a different ethnic group.

Links from the show:

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego

Bishop McElroy: Pope Francis and Vatican II give us a road map for the synodal process

Voting Catholic: How to vote Catholic with Bishop Robert McElroy

Bishop McElroy: When bishops increase barriers to Communion, we are not being the pastors Pope Francis called us to be.

The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave That Changed History by Gerard O’Connell

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