Pope Francis appoints a liberal California cardinal as the new head of the Catholic Church in Washington D.C. before the upcoming presidential inauguration.

On Monday, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego as the archbishop of Washington, D.C., choosing a progressive ally to lead the Catholic Church in the U.S. capital before President-elect Trump's administration takes office.

On Monday, the Vatican announced that Bishop McElroy, 70, has replaced Cardinal Gregory, 77, who is two years past the typical retirement age for bishops.

Since 2015, Francis has been closely watching McElroy and eventually appointed him bishop of San Diego. In 2022, he further elevated McElroy to the rank of cardinal.

"McElroy expressed gratitude for serving the Catholic community in Washington D.C. and for the trust His Holiness has placed in him. However, he stated that he has enjoyed the last ten years as bishop of San Diego more than any other time in his life due to the warmth, support, and rewards he has experienced."

During his first administration, McElroy frequently spoke out against Trump's immigration policies and the construction of the border wall.

In his first month as president, McElroy, a bishop at the time, spoke out in a speech to faith groups in California, urging them to become disruptors. He called for an end to the deportation of undocumented immigrants, the treatment of refugees as enemies, and the fearful portrayal of Muslim men, women, and children.

McElroy's criticism of Trump persisted. In a statement released by the Diocese of San Diego following a 2018 Trump border visit, McElroy stated, "It is a sad day for our country when we replace the majestic, hope-filled symbolism of the Statue of Liberty with an ineffective and repulsive wall that exacerbates the ethnic and cultural divisions that have long been the source of our national history," as reported by Millennial Journal.

McElroy has been among a small group of U.S. bishops who have strongly opposed the campaign to exclude Catholic politicians who support abortion from Communion, a campaign that Francis has publicly condemned by emphasizing that bishops should act as pastors rather than politicians.

The U.S. bishops' conference, which has traditionally been conservative in its leadership, has been criticized for consistently prioritizing abortion as its top concern. In contrast, the pope has emphasized the importance of addressing issues such as racism, poverty, immigration, and climate change. Additionally, the pope has shown support for LGBTQ youth and has condemned the bullying they often face, further aligning himself with these priorities.

The appointment of McElroy to Washington occurs shortly after Trump, who assumes office on January 20, nominates Brian Burch as the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

CatholicVote's president and co-founder, Burch, has criticized Francis and some of his policies on social media, and has also questioned the leadership of the Catholic Church regarding FBI investigations into several parishes.

The FBI's relationship with the Catholic Church has been criticized after the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee claimed in December 2023 that it received evidence suggesting the bureau targeted pro-life, pro-family, and supporters of the biological basis for sex and gender distinction as potential domestic terrorists.

The Catholic Church has been grappling with allegations of sexual abuse of minors for decades, and both local and federal law enforcement have been involved in investigating these claims. In 2018, the Archdiocese of Washington released the names of 28 priests who had been credibly accused of child sex abuse, following an investigation by the D.C. attorney general.

Almost 20 years have passed since the last reported incident of abuse of a minor by an archdiocesan clergy member.

Before his last meeting with President Biden, who is traveling to Italy this week, Francis made an appointment. The two are scheduled to meet on Friday.

Despite his stance on abortion, Biden received Communion from Francis during a 2021 meeting and later at a Rome church.

The area encompassed by the Archdiocese of Washington comprises the District of Columbia and five Maryland counties, namely Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles. This region has a total population of 3,050,847, with 671,187 Catholics residing within it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.