On March 11, 2025, Cardinal Robert McElroy was installed as the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., in a ceremony at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The event, marked by pomp and ecclesiastical tradition, was intended to signal a new chapter for the archdiocese. However, the installation has sparked intense debate within the Catholic Church in the United States, revealing deep divisions among the laity, clergy, and bishops. While The Pillar reports a newfound unity among U.S. bishops at the event, photographs from the ceremony clearly demonstrate that the faithful largely stayed away. This juxtaposition, combined with McElroy’s controversial track record and the protests surrounding his appointment, raises critical questions: Is this reported episcopal unity something to celebrate, or does it confirm the laity’s growing fears that the bishops are complicit in undermining Catholic teaching?