Pope Francis announced today that he will hold a consistory on Sept. 30 to create 21 new cardinals, 18 of them electors with the right to vote in the next conclave.

“Having reported on all the synods since 1985,” Gerard O’Connell writes, “I have come to believe that this synod could well be the most transformative event in the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council.”

The slate of delegates is emblematic of the at-times competing ideological poles of the U.S. church—and the continued effort by Francis to reorient U.S. bishops toward his vision for the church.

“I’m honored to be invited by the Holy Father to participate in the Synod,” Father James Martin said. “As a Jesuit, I’m committed to this kind of group discernment.”

Archbishop Fernández’s appointment has been met with criticisms focusing on a book he wrote about kissing, his handling of sexual abuse and comments he made expressing an openness to blessing gay and lesbian couples.

In the second part of this exclusive interview with America, Archbishop Frank Leo says Pope Francis “stunned” him by nominating him as archbishop of Toronto.