Archbishop Blasé Cupich is wrapping up his time in Spokane Washington and will be moving to Chicago in less than three weeks.
In an interview with NBC Chicago, Cupich says he's looking forward to his leading the Chicago Archdiocese "rich with talents and abilities."
He’s about to take on an archdiocese more than 20 times the size of his current one, but he said he knows what’s ahead—including issues with closing schools, gay marriage, and a priest sex abuse crisis.
As he wraps up his tenure, Cardinal Francis George will soon disclose more priest sex abuse files that have secret for years.
“There I think are going to be a lot of things that have happened in the B.C. era, that is Before Cupich,that people will want to revisit,” he said. “I’m very reluctant to do that.”
Cupich recently removed a retired priest accused of abuse, however, SNAP notes parishioners were not immediately told.
“If a mistake was made it was not an immediately getting out to the public media, which is a matter of course here, but we’re talking about a day or two difference,” he saud.
As more Chicago Catholic schools close, Cupich notes the financial strain.
“There really is a large footprint in the inner city not only in Catholic education but in all of our services in Catholic charities and others,” he said. “There’s a commitment there that I intend to continue.”
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Since he’s choosing to live at Holy Name’s rectory, Cupich has appointed a committee to determine the future of the Cardinal’s mansion.
He’s likely to miss the beautiful Spokane falls, and Silas, the golden Labrador who lives at his seminary home, but at the same time he’s looking forward to his new role.
As one of nine, many of his extended family from Omaha, Nebraska will be in Chicago for the installation mass. Cupich sees it as a Midwest homecoming.
