One of the challenges facing Pope Leo XIV is cleaning up corruption in the Church hierarchy. In the spotlight is Cdl. Robert McElroy, whose meteoric rise from little-known San Francisco priest to now head of the most powerful archdiocese in America is worth a deeper look. He's plagued not only with a reputation for being one of the nation's most liberal bishops, but also accused of protecting predators: the notorious Cdl. Theodore McCarrick, and Fr. Jacob Bertrand, who pled guilty to rape.

In this latest Special Report, investigative journalist Christine Niles takes a look at McElroy's past, and what it means for the Church's future.

RESOURCES
Special Report: The Devil in Rome: https://youtu.be/EeQNIHmcNYg?feature=shared

Jacob Bertrand Petition to Enter Guilty Plea: https://www.scribd.com/document/868428956/Jacob-Bertrand-Petition-to-Enter-Guilty-Plea

Prosecutor Letter to Victim: https://www.scribd.com/document/868417170/2018-05-22-Prosecutor-Letter-on-Bertrand-Plea-Agreement

George Neumayr: “Robert McElroy’s Rise to the College of Cardinals”: https://spectator.org/__trashed-4/

“Cardinal McElroy Talks Immigration in First Public Appearance Since DC Installation”: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/cardinal-mcelroy-talks-immigration-in-first-public-appearance-since-dc-installation

OUTREACH: “Cardinal McElroy, named DC archbishop, has record of support for LGBTQ Catholics”: https://outreach.faith/2025/01/cardinal-mcelroy-supporter-of-lgbtq-catholics-named-d-c-archbishop/

AMERICA: “Attacks on Father James Martin expose a cancer within the U.S. Catholic Church”: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/09/18/bishop-mcelroy-attacks-father-james-martin-expose-cancer-within-us-catholic-church

HARVARD MAGAZINE: “American Solidarity”: https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2024/05/university-people-alumni-cardinal-mcelroy#:~:text=McElroy%20co%2Dwrote%20a%20diocesan,the%20gospel%20was%20a%20lifelong

McElroy on abortion as "pre-eminent priority": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJpwAJAahHA

“U.S. bishops approve voting guide that calls abortion ‘preeminent priority’”: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256025/us-bishops-approve-voting-guide-that-calls-abortion-preeminent-priority

Bishop McElroy: “Abortion is a pre-eminent issue for Catholics. But not the only one”: https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2020/10/16/bishop-mcelroy-catholic-voters-common-abortion-election

Part 1 of 13 from "Point 7 Now" conference. EmCee'd by McElroy, it's all about the "Millennium Development Goals" (Now the Sustainable Development Goals), and McElroy was a major proponent of them: https://youtu.be/mew6BotXedI?si=HHCpYl8bICinrCox

Interview McElroy held with John T. Noonan on "A Church that Can and Cannot Change," intimating that the Church could change Her mind on moral issues, not as a matter of changing doctrine, but developing Her nuanced perspective on it: https://youtu.be/sH8DQJAdeMI?si=kTRDHin2Oy3xNN-t

Abp. Viganò 2018 Testimony: https://www.catholicbusinessjournal.com/voices/bishops-corner/testimony-by-archbishop-carlo-maria-vigano/

(Editor's note: We erroneously said Bp. Flores removed Bertrand from ministry. Flores had already passed by the time the allegations were made known to the San Diego diocese in 2014. Bertrand afterwards took a leave of absence.)

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