The basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was full, and the entrance processional snaked around the nave, as thousands of Catholics and hundreds of clerics from across the country arrived in fleets of buses to see the cardinal take possession of the capital see.
While episcopal installations in Washington tend to draw a full house, McElroy’s arrival was especially well attended — more than 80 bishops, archbishops, and cardinals concelebrated. Dozens more came Tuesday than the last time such an event was held, when Cardinal Wilton Gregory was installed in 2019.
The crowd was about as catholic a representation as could be imagined, with bishops visible from nearly every state between McElroy’s previous posting in California and D.C. It’s a rare event that brings together bishops from New Mexico, Washington state, Illinois, and New York — indeed the March 11 liturgy felt better attended than many sessions of USCCB plenary meetings.
And it was clear that the bishops were happy to be there, the smiles were everywhere and evidently sincere; Cardinal Timothy Dolan affectionately bear-hugged Cardinal Blase Cupich in the processional line.
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