Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane Catholic Bishop Blase Cupich promoted to Chicago archbishop

Bishop Blase Cupich has led local diocese for four years

Bishop Blase Cupich, right, meets volunteer Bonni Atkinson, left, Christmas Bureau Coordinator Judy Lee, second from left, and Rabbi Michael Goldstein of Temple Beth Shalom at the Christmas Bureau on Tuesday at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center.  (Jesse Tinsley)
Staff and wire reports
Catholic Bishop of Spokane Blase Cupich will be the next archbishop of Chicago, the Associated Press is reporting. It’s a major step for the 65-year-old Cupich, who came to Spokane four years ago to rebuild a diocese struggling in the aftermath of bankruptcy. Chicago has 2.2 million Catholics – making it the third largest diocese in the country. The Spokane diocese has about 90,000 parishioners. Cupich will succeed Cardinal Francis George, according to a person with knowledge of the selection, who spoke to the Associated Press Friday on the condition of anonymity because the person wasn’t authorized to speak publicly. George, 77, has been battling cancer. The Archdiocese of Chicago has scheduled a news conference for Saturday morning. A spokeswoman for the archdiocese would not comment. Cupich did not return a phone message left Friday evening. Cupich has taken bold steps since his arrival in Spokane, including filing a major malpractice lawsuit against the diocese’s own bankruptcy lawyers. That case is bound for trial in February. He is considered a tough leader related to the Catholic Church’s response to sex abuse scandal as an early advocate for zero tolerance. When he was installed as bishop in Spokane, he spoke of the need of the church to address the disgust and anger over the clergy sex abuse scandal. Pope Francis’ choice for Chicago has been closely watched as his first major appointment in the U.S., and the clearest indication yet of the direction he will steer American church leaders. Cupich is considered a pragmatist and a moderate leader who is not among U.S. Roman Catholic bishops who have taken a harder line on hot-button topics. Francis has called the church’s focus on abortion, marriage and contraception narrow and said it was driving people away. Cupich did actively oppose same-sex marriage when it was considered and ultimately approved by Washington voters in 2012. “Redefining marriage is a step backward in the progress that has been made over the past century by the international community in protecting the rights of children,” Cupich said in an op-ed that appeared in The Spokesman-Review. Cupich has defended Francis’ views on the economy and emphasis on fighting poverty, which some Catholics and others have criticized as naive and against capitalism. “Instead of approaching life from the 30-thousand-feet level of ideas, he challenges policy makers and elected officials — indeed all of us — to experience the life of everyday and real people,” Cupich said at a conference last June on the Catholic case against libertarianism. “Much like he told religious leaders, Francis is saying that politicians and policy makers need to know the smell of the sheep.” Cupich, who was ordained a priest in 1975, came to Spokane in September 2010 after serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota for 12 years. He was warmly welcomed in Spokane by many Catholics eager for a strategist to resolve lingering bankruptcy issues. He followed retiring Bishop William Skylstad, who was regarded as a gentle leader.