CHICAGO (IL)
NBC Chicago
By Mary Ann Ahern
Pope Francis has named Archbishop Blase Cupich a cardinal, one of three Americans and 17 new cardinals in all.
Cupich has led the Chicago Archdiocese, the third largest in the United States, since September 2014. He will be the 7th Cardinal from Chicago.
The 67-year-old native of Omaha is leading the Chicago Archdiocese through a current reorganization. In July he was chosen as a member of the Congregation of Bishops, an important bishop-making panel.
Forty percent of the population is believed to be Catholic. The Chicago Archdiocese is in the midst of a radical overhaul, with the number of priests dwindling and as many as 100 churches potentially closing over the next 14 years.
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