Rachel Evans
As of April 2025, there are 17 American cardinals, 10 of whom are eligible to participate in a papal conclave and could potentially become the pope. Cardinals are senior members of the Catholic Church and are responsible for electing a new pope, but only those under 80 years of age can vote. They come from 70 countries worldwide, with 37 from the Americas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of American Catholic Cardinals | 17 |
| Number of American Catholic Cardinal Electors | 10 |
| Number of Cardinals Worldwide | 250-252 |
| Number of Cardinal Electors Worldwide | 131-135 |
| Number of Cardinals from the Americas | 37 |
| Number of Countries with Cardinal Electors | 70 |
| Number of Cardinals from Each Continent | 53 from Europe, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa, 4 from Oceania |
| Number of Cardinals Belonging to Eastern Catholic Churches | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
There are 17 US cardinals, 10 of whom are eligible to be pope
Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church. They are appointed by the pope and serve as his advisors. They are typically ordained bishops and generally hold important roles within the church, such as leading prominent archdioceses or heading dicasteries within the Roman Curia. They are also responsible for electing a new pope, although only those under 80 years of age are eligible to vote.
There are 250 cardinals worldwide, with 131 eligible to participate in a papal conclave. They come from 70 countries across 7 continents. The United States has 17 cardinals, 10 of whom are eligible to vote and could therefore be elected as the pope. These 10 cardinals are:
- Joseph William Tobin, 72, Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey
- Timothy Michael Dolan, 75, Archbishop of New York City
- Raymond Leo Burke, 76, Former Archbishop of St. Louis (Missouri), currently based in Rome
- Blase Joseph Cupich, 76, Archbishop of Chicago, Illinois
- Daniel Nicholas DiNardo, 75, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, Texas
- Kevin Joseph Farrell, 77, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life (Vatican-based, formerly served in Dallas, Texas)
- Wilton Daniel Gregory, 77, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.
- Sean Patrick O'Malley, 78, Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts
- James Michael Harvey, 76, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome
- Donald William Wuerl, 84, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, D.C.
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Cardinals are senior members of the Catholic Church
Cardinals are chosen by the pope and formally created in a consistory, and one of their foremost duties is the election of a new pope. They constitute the College of Cardinals, which is divided into three orders: cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, and cardinal deacons. The two most senior cardinal bishops, the dean and vice dean, are elected by the cardinal bishops (excluding the Eastern Catholic patriarchs) from among themselves with papal approval. Cardinal priests are typically bishops in charge of dioceses around the world, while cardinal deacons are bishops who work in the Roman Curia or the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
Cardinals from 70 countries are eligible to participate in a papal conclave to elect a new pope, and as of July 2025, there are 131 cardinal electors out of 250 cardinals worldwide. Cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave, and traditionally, cardinals have only voted for other cardinals to become pope. Geographically, the College of Cardinals is diverse, with representation from 7 continents and 94 countries.
In the United States, there are 17 cardinals, 10 of whom are eligible to vote in the conclave and could potentially become the next pope. These include Joseph William Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey; Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York City; and Wilton Daniel Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, D.C.
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Cardinals are chosen by the pope
Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church. They are chosen by the pope and formally created in a consistory. They are typically ordained bishops and generally hold important roles within the church, such as leading prominent archdioceses or heading dicasteries within the Roman Curia.
The pope has the final authority when it comes to appointing cardinals. He may make changes because he believes that there are too many cardinals in one country compared to another, or he may wish to recognize the work of a particular cleric or theologian. Popes send important signals about their values and hopes for the church when they make—or withhold—appointments. There are no strict criteria for elevation to the College of Cardinals, and the selection is entirely up to the pope, guided only by tradition.
Cardinals are usually appointed in addition to their existing roles within the Church. Most cardinals are bishops and archbishops leading dioceses and archdioceses around the world, often the most prominent diocese or archdiocese in their country. A small number are priests recognized by the pope for their service to the Church.
The College of Cardinals is divided into three orders, with formal precedence in the following sequence: Cardinal bishops, Cardinal priests, and Cardinal deacons. Cardinal bishops are chosen by the pope to be titular bishops of the suburbicarian dioceses in the vicinity of Rome, plus a few additional cardinals who have been "co-opted" as cardinal bishops, as well as patriarchs who lead one of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Cardinal priests are bishops in charge of dioceses around the world, as well as former cardinal deacons who have opted to be elevated to become cardinal priests. Cardinal deacons are bishops who work in the Roman Curia or the diplomatic service of the Holy See, and all other clergy, including priests who have been granted a dispensation not to be consecrated a bishop before becoming a cardinal.
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Cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, and cardinal deacons
Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church. They are chosen and formally created by the pope, and they typically hold the title for life. They are also the pope's advisors, and they elect a new pope when the position becomes vacant. The College of Cardinals is divided into three orders: Cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, and cardinal deacons.
Cardinal Bishops
Cardinal bishops are the highest-ranking cardinals. The two most senior cardinal bishops, the dean and vice dean, are elected by the other cardinal bishops (excluding the Eastern Catholic patriarchs) with papal approval. Cardinal bishops are chosen by the pope to be titular bishops of the seven suburbicarian dioceses in the vicinity of Rome. They also include a few additional cardinals who have been "co-opted" as cardinal bishops, as well as patriarchs who lead one of the Eastern Catholic Churches. In 1965, Pope Paul VI decreed that patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches who were named cardinals would also be cardinal bishops. In 2018, Pope Francis expanded the number of Latin Church cardinal bishops to match the expansion in the two lower orders of cardinals.
Cardinal Priests
Cardinal priests are the most numerous of the three orders of cardinals in the Catholic Church. They rank above cardinal deacons and below cardinal bishops. Those who are named cardinal priests today are generally also bishops of important dioceses throughout the world, though some hold Curial positions. In modern times, the term cardinal priest is interpreted as meaning a cardinal who is of the order of priests. Serving diocesan bishops are usually appointed as cardinal priests, while cardinals appointed to lead curial departments usually start out as cardinal deacons.
Cardinal Deacons
Cardinal deacons are bishops who work in the Roman Curia or the diplomatic service of the Holy See, and all other clergy, including priests who have been granted a dispensation not to be consecrated a bishop before becoming a cardinal. Cardinal deacons can choose to be elevated to become cardinal priests after serving ten years as cardinal deacons, with the pope's approval.
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Cardinals come from 7 continents and 94 countries (although 67 to 70 have elector cardinals)
Cardinals, the senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church, come from diverse geographical backgrounds. As of 4 July 2025, there are 250 cardinals, with representation spanning 7 continents and 94 countries. Of these, 131 are cardinal electors, hailing from 67 to 70 countries. The distribution of cardinals across the globe reflects the Catholic Church's global reach and influence.
The College of Cardinals, which they collectively constitute, plays a crucial role in the election of a new pope, a duty that falls on their shoulders when the Holy See is vacant due to the death or resignation of the previous pope. The electors, who must be under 80 years of age, are an exclusive group, with the current threshold for election being 88 votes out of 131 cardinal electors.
The composition of cardinal electors has evolved over time, with the biggest gains observed in Asia and the Pacific, which now boast a 16% share of the college, surpassing Italy. Other regions, such as Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, have also witnessed increased representation, while North America's share has slightly decreased. Italy and the United States, however, remain the top two countries with the highest number of native cardinals.
Cardinals are chosen by the pope and hold significant positions within the church, often leading prominent archdioceses or heading dicasteries within the Roman Curia. They are classified under the country in which their dioceses are located, although they may be citizens of another country. While most cardinals belong to the Latin Church, a small number are members of the Eastern Catholic Churches, contributing to the diverse nature of the College of Cardinals.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, as of April 2025, there are 17 Catholic cardinals in the US.
As of July 2025, there are 250 cardinals worldwide, 131 of whom are cardinal electors. Cardinals come from 7 continents and 94 countries.
Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church. They are appointed by the pope and serve as his advisors. They are typically ordained bishops and generally hold important roles within the church. One of their main duties is the election of a new pope.
