An ecclesiastical obiter

By way of an obiter dictum it occurred to me opportune to make an observation about some ecclesiastical appointments I heard about recently.  

Every once in a while a sequence of moves gives me the sense that something is "up", and I don’t mean term lengths.  A little something on the breeze, the flick of a scent or the hint of a sound, suggests something to the edge of my senses and I start paying attention in a new way to the traces and tracks I find in the dirt.

What do I mean?  Sometimes when you see a series of appointments, sometimes even high profile appointments, it might seem that the one in charge is himself getting ready for a move or, perhaps, something is going to change in his own status.  Sure, there are those men who will simply leave everyone where they are so that his successor can take care of things and won’t feel he has been saddled with problems created by 11th hour moves.  Sometimes "lateral" appointments are made so as to free the man up for some other, bigger task in the near future, which promotions can be, well, demotions.  Promoveatur ut removeatur.  Others will try to take care of their friends.  Others yet….  Well, you get the picture.  

Not to worry.  Every puzzle is easy… once you know the answer.

"But Father!  But Father!" you may be saying as you read this cryptic note, "What are you talking about?  Be plain!"

Sorry, this is an obiter dictum. 

And now, back to our regular programming….