Archbishop or AARP card? When Cardinal Blase Cupich turns 75, will Pope Francis keep him on?

The clock was ticking.

And finally, at 11:36 a.m. on Nov. 19, 2016, two years after being plucked from a small diocese in Spokane to lead the Chicago Archdiocese, Archbishop Blase J. Cupich became a prince of the Roman Catholic Church. The handpicked choice of a new pope hoping to steer the church in a different and more pastoral direction, Cupich was elevated to the College of Cardinals.

Cardinal Cupich, a Nebraskan of Croatian descent, has since become a powerful presence in Pope Francis’ private circle, one of four of the pope’s personally handpicked American cardinals, a Vatican frequent flier on papal assignments.

Well. Tick Tock. The cardinal’s clock is ticking again.

Translation: In a little over two weeks, when Cardinal Cupich turns 75 on March 19, the head of the nation’s third largest archdiocesan flock will be required by the church’s canon law to submit his resignation to the pope as Chicago’s archbishop.

Whispers in the vespers have been wafting recently: Will the Pope accept Cupich’s resignation?

Although Sneed is told Cardinal Cupich has yet to officially tender his resignation, do not place a bet on the pope accepting it.

Cupich is one the pope’s key leadership people helping to select future bishops promoting his vision for a more welcoming church for those formerly excluded or often marginalized: gay, divorced, poor and migrant Catholics.

Pope Francis has not only appointed Cupich a member of the powerful Congregation for Bishops, an influential Vatican slate-making committee, but Cupich is also among 48 individuals hand-picked by the pope to attend the global synod of Catholic bishops and lay delegates discussing the future of the Catholic Church, which has some more conservative members concerned.

“The big question is whether the Pope will hold onto the resignation letter and not do anything about it, taking it out of the ‘in’ folder allowing Cardinal Cupich to continue in office as one of his key people promoting his vision of a more pastoral focus of the church as a caring shepherd of his flock,” said a Chicago clerical source.

Michael Schmidt/Sun-Times Media

Background: Cupich’s predecessor, Cardinal Francis George was the first Chicago archbishop to live long enough to hit the mandatory retirement age. When the more conservative Cardinal George turned 75 in 2012, he handed his resignation letter to Pope Benedict XVI. The equally conservative Benedict did nothing but retired himself the following year, paving the way for Pope Francis to appoint Cupich in 2014.

Foreground: In 2016, standing outside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in the rain before the investiture of Cardinal Cupich, one of Cupich’s close friend’s — Father Clete Kiley — described Pope Francis as a man who likened the church “to a field hospital where the doors are always open.”

Tiziana Fabitiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty Images

“Pope Francis wants us to go where the wounded are,” Kiley said. “The doors of the church aren’t just open to the elite. And sometimes it’s the church that needs healing.”

While Sneed was covering Cardinal Cupich’s investiture in Rome, Cupich told me: “The pope personally called me aside before the ceremony and asked me if I was happy in Chicago.

“I told him I was very happy in Chicago,” said Cupich. “And he asked me to keep alive his message of social justice and taking care of the poor.”

Sadly, Cupich also noted the tragic death of Congressman Danny Davis’ grandson, who was shot to death the night before Cupich became a cardinal.

Michael Sneed/Chicago Sun-Times

“It is a reminder of how important it is to deal with our city’s violence,” Cupich said at the time.

Pope Francis, who ails from serious lung issues, has already appointed just over two-thirds of the members of the College of Cardinals, who will elect Francis’ successor when the time comes.

Cupich, a Cubs fan who gave Pope Francis a Cubs hat and World Series baseball, joked how comedian Bill Murray exhorted him to “do something!” when the Cubs were losing a World Series game.

“I told him I was in charge of the weather and reminded him later I thought I’d done a pretty good job.”

Amen.

Click. Click…

When is a photo worth a thousand words?

The Chicago trial of the man accused of killing Police Officer Ella French and seriously injuring her partner, Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., is minus a sensational pix footnote.

A photo exclusively obtained by the Sun-Times showed members of the Chicago police crew who accompanied the body of French and the wounded Yanez to the hospital turning their collective backs on Mayor Lori Lightfoot minutes after the mayor arrived at the hospital, protesting what they saw as her lack of support for the police. It made headlines worldwide.

Sneedlings …

Going to the birds: The “rescue” of three racing pigeons kept at the country estate of England’s King Charles by PETA, the animal rights activist group, is one for the coop scoop … Saturday birthdays: Jon Bon Jovi, 62; author John Irving, 82; actor Daniel Craig, 56; Coldplay’s Chris Martin, 47; … and a belated birthday to legendary actress Joanne Woodward, actor Paul Newman’s widow, 92. Sunday birthdays: actress Jessica Biel, 42 … and a Leap Year birthday to attorney and World Business Chicago board member Wade Thomson, 48, which, I surmise, would also make all same day birthday mates officially 12 years old!