Cardinal George, Archbishop-Designate Cupich ready for transition

BALTIMORE, Md. (WLS) -- A week before the change at the top of the Roman Catholic Church in Chicago, Francis Cardinal George and Archbishop-Designate Blase Cupich are in Baltimore, Maryland, this week for a gathering of America's Roman Catholic leadership.

This is the first time ever a sitting Archbishop will get to see his successor take the job. Archbishop-Designate Cupich said that his first Chicago speeches have already been written, his clothes and belongings are packed up and are being shipped to Chicago.

The religious leaders will spend four days hammering out courses of action on matters ranging from liturgy to schooling and medical care.

"We're a week out from the opening and I think it's going to be a really good opportunity," Cupich said.

The new archbishop is coming in and Cardinal George is ready to retire.

And as the cardinal's name was mentioned in the conference meeting, America's Catholic bishops rose to their feet to give him a standing ovation.

This is the group of top Catholic leaders that he previously led for four years.

"That meant a lot showed the ties of affection among the bishops at their best," Cardinal George said.

This group of catholic leaders has a lot on it plate.

Pope Francis has called on Catholic bishops to have an open discussion on how the church views and responds to family issues.

Key among them for Americans are Catholics who have divorced or re-married, or those in same-sex relationships.

"I am going to be part of the discussion I the sense the archdiocese of Chicago will have an opportunity to discuss these issues, with our people and our lay leaders," Cupich said.

These topics have already split conservative Catholics from progressives and some bishops as well.

"If you don't have some discussion, do you really have all that life and energy you want?" said Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, DC.

As for Cardinal George, he's walking with the help of crutches, not directly related to his fight against cancer, but swelling because of an infection in his leg.

"I hope to graduate to a cane in a couple of weeks," he said. "There's no huge problem there, but the great problem is of course, the cancer, and we don't know where that's going yet."

The cardinal is expected to get test results back sometime in December, but in the meantime, he has canceled yet another trip to Rome, the second time he has had to do so this year. He had hoped to meet with Pope Francis over Thanksgiving.