NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The Latest on Pope Francis selecting a new leader of the Archdiocese of Newark (all times local):
12:20 p.m.
The new archbishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, is asking Catholics not to fall prey to the political polarization that has overtaken the country.
Archbishop Joseph Tobin made his first public comments Monday after being chosen to replace Archbishop John Myers, who has reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
Tobin says he was surprised when he returned to the U.S. after being away since the 1990s by what he termed the “red-state, blue-state stuff” he saw in the country.
He stressed Monday he was “not going to tell people who to vote for,” but added Catholics need to be true to themselves and their faith by helping “bring the country together.”
He said Catholics need to remember to talk to each other and listen to each other regardless of differences.
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11:15 a.m.
Archbishop Joseph Tobin is pledging to bring transparency and communication in his new role as leader of the Archdiocese of Newark.
Pope Francis on Monday tapped Tobin to replace the Newark, New Jersey, Archbishop John Myers, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in July.
Tobin, currently archbishop of Indianapolis, said at the Newark cathedral Monday he will bring transparency to the archdiocese and communicate directly with clergy and parishioners. He noted Francis’ oft-repeated plea that the church act as a “field hospital.”
He says he hopes to reach out to those who have been hurt because he believes that is part of his mission.
Tobin will be formally elevated as a cardinal on Nov. 19 at the Vatican.
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6:20 a.m.
Pope Francis is pressing his campaign to remake the U.S. church more in his likeness, tapping one of his new cardinals, Joseph Tobin, to replace the Newark archbishop criticized for mishandling sex abuse cases and spending lavishly on his retirement home.
The Vatican on Monday announced Tobin would replace Archbishop John Myers, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in July.
Tobin, currently archbishop of Indianapolis, is one of three Americans whom Francis will formally elevate as cardinal Nov. 19.
His new assignment cements evidence of Francis’ high esteem and marks a transition away from an archbishop focused on drawing hard lines about Catholic orthodoxy.
The leadership change also provides a fresh start for an archdiocese that has been battered recently by controversies over Myers’ leadership.
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