Fr. James Martin, SJ / Facebook
CV NEWS FEED // Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, the first cardinal from the Diocese of San Diego, delivered a farewell address Feb. 27, as he prepares for his new role as the archbishop of Washington, D.C., which begins March 11.
During his farewell speech, Cardinal McElroy reflected on his eight years as bishop of San Diego, thanking the community for their support and expressing deep gratitude for the relationships forged during his tenure.
“It has been a great grace for me being here,” McElroy said, NBC local news reported. “Part of my heart will always be here in San Diego.”
Cardinal McElroy has served as the bishop of the Diocese of San Diego since 2015. He was elevated to cardinal in 2022.
Addressing Pope Francis’ recent health concerns, Cardinal McElroy recognized the Pope’s significant influence on the Church and noted that many people are praying for his recovery.
“Pope Francis’ message of love and compassion and care, and considering everyone equal, is especially needed in our world at this time,” he said.
In his farewell, the Cardinal also expressed concern about the state of the country, saying it’s “being turned upside down.” He also criticized several of the immigration policies of President Donald Trump’s administration, calling them “dehumanizing” and a “moral falsity,” with a particular focus on the notion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducting raids at churches or schools.
“When those places become targets of ICE raids, it makes everyone uneasy. It strikes fear in everybody’s heart, all those who are undocumented,” Cardinal McElroy said. “It acts as a deterrent to people going to church and freely worshiping or going to school.”
The Cardinal has previously voiced concerns over the Trump administration’s policies, stating that “[wide], indiscriminate, massive deportation across the country would be something that would be incompatible with Catholic doctrine,” CatholicVote reported.
“Catholic teaching says a country has a right to control its borders. That’s true in Catholic teaching, and that’s a legitimate objective to pursue, so long as it’s done with dignity for people,” McElroy said, according to NBC. “But what’s going on now is a wider cultural attack upon all those who are undocumented, those who came to this country without proper papers, many of them fleeing persecution or violence, many in terrible economic situations.”
Cardinal McElroy emphasized his pastoral role in Washington but also revealed that he had recently spoken with former President Joe Biden in a “lengthy” conversation. He declined to reveal specifics of their discussion other than that Biden inquired about the health of Pope Francis. The Cardinal said he has no current plans to meet with Trump.
