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CV NEWS FEED // As the College of Cardinals prepares to gather for the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, 10 of the electors will come from the United States — one of the largest national contingents in the voting body.
Their presence reflects the growing influence of the American Church in global Catholicism, and their backgrounds, pastoral priorities, and theological leanings may help shape the future of the papacy.
CatholicVote has prepared this guide to introduce you to the 10 US cardinals with a voice — and a vote — in one of the most consequential decisions facing the Church today.
>> Spiritually adopt a cardinal participating in the conclave <<
Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke
The 76-year-old Wisconsin native was made a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, according to the Vatican’s website. He was ordained Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1995 and was appointed Archbishop of St. Louis, Missouri, in 2003. He is also the patron emeritus of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.
The College of Cardinals Report states that Cardinal Burke is “a reliable proponent of orthodoxy and traditional Catholic piety, and a prelate with a deep concern for the salvation of souls.”
>> ‘Cardinal Burke is My Enemy’ Says Pope Francis <<
Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich
Appointed Cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016, Cardinal Cupich was ordained to the episcopate in 1998 as bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as bishop of Spokane, Washington, in 2010, and Pope Francis appointed him as Archbishop of Chicago in 2014.
The report describes Cardinal Cupich as “a close ally of Pope Francis but whose views and actions have been questioned for departing from orthodoxy and apostolic tradition.”
Cardinal Daniel Nicholas DiNardo
Born in Steubenville, Ohio, Cardinal DiNardo was ordained as a coadjutor bishop of Sioux City, Iowa, in 1997 and became the diocese’s bishop in 1998. He served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) from 2016 to 2019. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as cardinal in 2007.
The report adds that although the Cardinal “is a conservative-leaning former president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who has spoken out strongly in favor of life and for the rights of migrants and refugees,” he has faced criticism for his handling of sexual abuse allegations in his archdiocese.
Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan
The current archbishop of New York was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He became Archbishop of New York in 2009 and served as president of the USCCB from 2010 to 2013.
The report describes him as overall leaning conservative but adds that he “has been a relative moderate” as archbishop of New York. He often uses social media to catechize “in a folksy, down-to-earth way,” and his well-liked, jovial sense of humor “has led some to question whether he has the gravitas required for higher positions in the Church,” according to the report.
>> Pope John Paul II’s biographer defends Cardinal Dolan from National Catholic Reporter’s attack <<
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell
Cardinal Farrell, who was born in Ireland and appointed by Pope Francis in 2016, is currently serving as the camerlengo. He is responsible for verifying the death of Pope Francis, securing papal apartments, and managing Vatican affairs until the conclave selects the next pope.
The report calls him “a keen supporter of synodality” who supports distributing communion to people who have divorced and remarried without successfully undergoing the annulment process and “has a markedly open and normalizing approach to homosexually active people.”
Cardinal Wilton Daniel Gregory
This cardinal’s career in the Church marks several firsts: He became the youngest bishop in the United States at the age of 36 when he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago in 1983, and he became the first African American bishop on the USCCB in 2001.
Cardinal Gregory was appointed by Pope Francis in 2020, making him the first African American cardinal.
The report described him as “a progressive prelate and the Church’s first African American cardinal, known for his social justice work especially when it comes to issues of race, same-sex relations, and for his efforts to combat clerical sex abuse.”
>> Cardinal Gregory apologizes for ‘the way that we have treated our LGBTQ brothers and sisters’ <<
Cardinal James Michael Harvey
This cardinal was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He has served several roles in the Vatican, including as a diplomat for the Holy See from 1980 to 1982, prefect of the Papal Household in 1998, and archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls beginning in 2012.
The report calls Cardinal Harvey “a discreet, conservative-leaning American Vatican diplomat and former long-serving prefect of the Pontifical Household.”
Cardinal Robert Walter McElroy
Pope Francis appointed then-bishop of San Diego McElroy as a cardinal in 2022 and as archbishop of Washington, D.C., in January 2025.
The report describes Cardinal McElroy as “a scholarly, Harvard-educated progressive American prelate closely aligned to Pope Francis’ vision for the Church but who has faced scrutiny and criticism for his views on Catholic social teaching and his own handling of sexual abuse cases.”
>> Cardinal McElroy installed as archbishop of Washington, D.C., calls for hope amid division <<
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost
This prefect for the Congregation for Bishops also served as prior general of the Augustinians in Chicago, Illinois, from 2001 to 2013. Pope Francis appointed him as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, and as cardinal later that year. The Chicago native is considered one of the top most likely candidates to become the next pope.
“During his first months as prefect, Archbishop Prevost continued to remain characteristically discreet in the media, but was reportedly appreciated for his ability to listen and his mastery of issues,” the report states.
>> Survivors urge Vatican to investigate Cardinal Prevost’s handling of abuse cases <<
Cardinal Joseph William Tobin
Currently the archbishop of Newark, Pope Francis appointed him as cardinal in 2016. He served as archbishop of Indianapolis from 2012 to 2016, when he began to serve in Newark.
The report calls Cardinal Tobin “a progressive-thinking prelate who has strongly supported the cause of migrants, advocated for the LGBTQ community, and has a vision for the Church that closely aligns with that of Pope Francis.”
>> Cardinal Tobin Struggles to Respond to Latin Mass Question at Synod Press Conference <<
