Newly elevated Cardinal Cupich: Pope asks Chicagoans to pray for him

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Saturday officially elevated the archbishop of Chicago, Blase Cupich, to cardinal in a consistory ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica.

Cupich, 67, who has led the Archdiocese of Chicago for two years, was one of 17 cardinals from six continents named in the ceremony. He is the seventh cardinal to serve Chicago's archdiocese with its 2.4 million Catholics.

"Before the Mass, he called me aside and talked," Cupich said. "He wanted to see me and greet me, and I said to him I thank you very much, and he says, 'Well, I am just grateful that you're well, and please tell the people of Chicago to continue to pray for me.' And I said you can count on us."

Cupich said the church has a special role in trying to bring people together across the political spectrum. He noted that on Sunday, Masses are celebrated in 26 languages in his diocese. "People feel disenfranchised" from sharing in the common good, he said.

Popes choose cardinals - called "princes of the church" - on the basis of whether they share their approach to the church's mission in the world, and Cupich's remarks echoed those made earlier by the pope in the ceremony.

Francis warned against what he called a "virus of polarization" and hostility toward people of different nationalities, races or beliefs, using his homily to caution the new cardinals to guard against animosity creeping into the church, saying, "We are not immune from this."

"We see, for example, how quickly those among us with the status of the stranger, an immigrant, or a refugee become a threat, take on the status of an enemy," the pope said. He also lamented the tendency to "demonize" one's opponents, "so as to have a 'sacred' justification for dismissing them."

Other Americans elevated Saturday were Indianapolis Archbishop Joseph Tobin, who in January will become archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, and Archbishop Kevin Farrell, who served as bishop of Dallas before Francis appointed him to head the Vatican office for laity, family and life issues.

The cardinal unveiled his new Twitter handle shortly after his elevation, @CardinalBCupich, tweeting, "I am humbled and encouraged by this honor and responsibility bestowed by @Pontifex. Keep those prayers coming!"

Illinois civic leaders including Gov. Bruce Rauner and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined hundreds of Chicagoans in St. Peter's Basilica to witness Cupich's elevation.

Rauner said Pope Francis' decision to elevate Cupich to the College of Cardinals reflects his desire to be "part of the real world" and deal with "real current problems" facing the world today with humility. "Cardinal Cupich is a man of that philosophy, and he'll be working with us, solving problems every day in Chicago and around Illinois."

"I think it enhances his voice in the community of faith," Sen. Dick Durbin said. "He has been outspoken in so many positive ways in the time that he served as archbishop, so now this so-called elevation, promotion is going to give him even more credence."

Instead of a party celebrating his elevation Saturday evening, Cupich chose to host a reception to raise money for Catholic Extension, a group based in Chicago that raises money for poor mission dioceses across the United States.

Catholic Extension organized the Chicago pilgrimage to Italy and said Cardinal Cupich is hoping his elevation might "help some of the poorest places along the Texas-Mexico border."

Thirteen of the 17 new cardinals are under 80 years old and thus eligible to vote in a secret conclave for the next pope.

Francis has now appointed 44 of the 120 cardinals young enough to elect his successor. The others were named by the previous two pontiffs, John Paul II, whom Francis made a saint, and Benedict XVI, who retired in 2013, and generally reflect a more conservative leaning on church issues than Francis' appointments.

• The Associated Press contributed to this report.