Pope Francis on Monday appointed a new cardinal with a liberal record as head of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of San Diego, who was chosen to lead the archdiocese, has previously criticized President-elect Donald Trump’s stance on immigration and advocated admitting more immigrants, leading to some left-wing opposition within the church. He expressed support for the policy. . Cardinal McElroy will replace the retiring cardinal of the diocese and will remain in that position for the duration of President Trump’s term.

pope announced He said Monday that he had accepted the resignation of Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, the current cardinal of Washington, D.C., now 77 years old. Under canon law, the rite that governs the Catholic Church, all bishops are required to step down when they reach the age of 75, but can remain in office longer until a replacement is appointed. According to to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

The appointment contradicts President Trump’s recent selection of Brian Birch as ambassador to the Vatican. Birch is the leader of Catholic Vote, the nation’s largest Catholic advocacy group, and has been an outspoken advocate of working with Trump on pro-life and religious freedom issues.

“Our immigration system is broken,” Cardinal McElroy declared in December, along with several other California bishops, against President Trump’s plan to enact mass deportations of illegal immigrants. “‘The Lord hears the cry of the poor’ (Psalm 34:7). As shepherds of the flock of Christ, we Catholic bishops of California acknowledge the growing suffering among you, our immigrant brothers and sisters. “I have seen and heard many things,” the bishops said. I wrote. “We recognize that calls for mass deportations and raids on undocumented and immigrant families are causing real fear in many of the people we care for in our diocese. Masu.”

Cardinal McElroy also called for “radical” changes to the Catholic Church, suggesting that the law would be amended in 2023. essay Leaders should rethink the inclusion of women and “LGBT” people in church services and shift the focus to what is considered sinful. (Related article: ‘Hijacked to facilitate child murder’: Liberal pastors ‘blessing’ blue state abortion clinics)

“Unworthiness must not be a prism of accompaniment for disciples of the God of grace and mercy,” the cardinal wrote. “The exclusion of divorce, remarriage, and LGBT people from the Eucharist stems from the Church’s moral tradition that all sexual sin is a serious matter, so it is difficult for the Church to make such radical inclusion.” Some may object that they cannot accept the concept that all sexual activity outside of marriage is a very serious evil and can objectively sever the believer’s relationship with God. This means that it is an act. This opposition should be met head on.”

The Catholic Church has long upheld the belief that those in a state of sin cannot receive Holy Communion. Catholics believe this is the true presence of Jesus Christ, and it applies to those who have divorced without church approval or who have engaged in homosexual acts and have not repented. Cardinal McElroy’s paper calls for changes in Church teaching to make the Eucharist available to everyone.

The cardinal also called on the Church to reconsider its ban on the ordination of women. (Related: ‘A great sign of hope’: As Americans flock to Christianity, religious leaders are eyeing a ‘Fourth Great Awakening’)

“The proposal to ordain women to the permanent bishopric has received widespread support in the global dialogue,” Cardinal McElroy said in his essay. “While there is historical debate about how women fulfilled the quasi-priesthood role in the life of the early church, theological examination of this issue suggests that the ordination of women to the priesthood is doctrinal. Therefore, the Church tends to support the conclusion that women are not hindered by women’s permanent deacons, not only for reasons of inclusion, but also because of the vital service, talent, and perspective that female permanent deacons can offer. We should move towards recognizing him as a deacon.”

The Archdiocese of Washington is one of the most prominent dioceses in the country, and its cardinals may play a role in selecting the next pope.

All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.