Blase Cupich
A pastoral-minded cardinal from the American heartland who rose to lead the influential Archdiocese of Chicago, emphasizing dialogue over doctrine.
Born 1949 (age 77)·American Catholic cardinal·Birthday: March 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Blase Cupich’s path to one of the most prominent pulpits in American Catholicism was marked by a steady, Midwestern sensibility. Born in Omaha and ordained in 1975, his early career was in parish ministry and seminary formation. His episcopal appointments in Rapid City and Spokane reflected a focus on pastoral care rather than ideological combat. Pope Francis’s surprise appointment of him to succeed Cardinal Francis George in Chicago in 2014 signaled a clear shift in tone for the U.S. Church. Cupich brought a style of open listening and emphasis on social justice, often speaking of a "culture of encounter." His leadership during the ongoing clergy abuse crisis has aimed at transparency and victim outreach, though not without criticism. As a cardinal, he has played a key role in Vatican synods and is seen as a leading American exponent of Pope Francis's vision. His tenure represents an attempt to steer a complex, historic archdiocese with a softer voice and a focus on the peripheries.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Blase was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Blase Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Blase's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Chicago in 2014, the first major U.S. appointment signaling the Pope's new direction.
- Elevated to the rank of Cardinal in 2016, becoming a cardinal elector.
- Served as the Bishop of Spokane and oversaw its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to clergy abuse lawsuits.
Did You Know?
He is of Croatian descent on his father's side.
Before becoming a bishop, he served as the rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.
He is a fan of the Chicago Cubs and has thrown out a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field.
“We have to be willing to open the doors of the Church, to get out of our sacristies, and to be with people.”
