While having strong new Cardinals is important, as important is pruning those whose statements are at odds with Rome.  I will believe it when I see it. Of course, their attachment to the GOP is self defeating, because in victory, the Republicans will do nothing for them.  Indeed, they really cannot. Even their own goal of overturning Roe will so gut equal protection jurisdiction that it will never happen, though overturing gay marriage and legal sodomy are the fondest desire of some these bishops and their favorite organizations. They don’t see that human freedom is part of human dignity or that some of their moral positions are not as infallible as they believe. The issue is about more than cultural conflict, it is about their presumed absolute authority on sexual matters while science goes the other way.

As for Chicago gun violence, the problem is that the city bans guns but the suburbs do not. The state has to do something, and this is even less likely than action from the Hill.