Our next Cardinal

in an interview made available by Sandro Magister:

Q: In comparison with Europe, the United States seems to me much more religious. Is it really so? Or the desert of incredulity also advances?

A: On the surface, that’s true. Americans are generally much more inclined to religious faith than Europeans. And it’s not just superficial. Many millions of Americans do take their faith seriously and do sincerely practice their Christianity. You really can’t understand the United States outside its Christian-influenced roots.

But there’s a pragmatism to the American character, an underside of materialism and acquisitivness, that works against the Gospel. So a lot of Americans have the habit of belief without understanding its implications and without letting their faith really shape their lives.

Q: How would you describe Catholicism in the US? What would be its distinctive characteristics?

A: It’s always been an immigrant, minority faith. That accounts for both its vigor, and its over-eagerness to assimilate and fit in. American culture has a huge capacity to homogenize and digest newcomers. That’s not all bad. America is fundamentally a nation of immigrants. But it can result in a population with bleached-out beliefs.

Q: The "new evangelization" is one of Pope Benedict’s key programs. Is it valid also for the US? With what specific characteristics?

A: Denver is almost an icon for the “new evangelization.” To his credit, my predecessor in Denver, Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, saw that very early. Denver is a deeply secular environment: educated, young, modern, independent-minded, with a history of weak religious roots. It’s a new kind of mission territory, with many people who are either disinterested in religion, or who think they’re “post-Christian” without ever really encountering the Gospel. America is generally trending in that direction. Evangelizing that environment will be the task of the next generation of believers.