I noted this today:
From the Bolletino:
NOMINA DI MEMBRI DELLA CONGREGAZIONE PER I VESCOVI
Il Santo Padre Benedetto XVI ha nominato Membri della Congregazione per i Vescovi l’Em.mo Card. Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Prefetto della Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti, e l’Ecc.mo Mons. Raymond Leo Burke, Arcivescovo emerito di Saint Louis, Prefetto del Supremo Tribunale della Segnatura Apostolica.
So, Archbp. Burke and Card. Cañizares are now members of the Congregation for Bishops.
Good influence!
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…and a chill falls over the press room at the National Catholic Reporter…
This is so wonderful, and so needed.
And Cardinal Re is past retirement age. I have been told that he’ll serve two more years.
So when’s Archbishop Burke going to get his red hat?
Tim Ferguson-oooo, I love your comment! [thumbs up]
I am so sad to be visiting the west coast of the US this December instead of the East. However, I imagine a few prelates there will be shaking at this news.
Congratulations to Archbishop Burke and Cardinal Canizares! This is a very positive move. I was really sad to see Archbishop Burke leave St. Louis for his post at the Apostolic Signatura, but, it sounds like he is able to keep abreast of the needs of the Catholic Church in the U.S., especially now with this appointment. The next five years are going to be especially crucial as regards episcopal appointments.
Note the following imminent retirements (those bishops 75 or older):
Bishop D’Arcy of South Bend, IN
Bishop Higi of Lafayette, LA
Bishop Skylstad of Spokane, WA
Archbishop Beltran of Oklahoma City, OK
Then note those who will reach 75 within the next year:
Cardinal Rigali of Philadelphia, PA
Bishop Boland of Savannah, GA
Bishop Smith of Trenton, NJ
Bishop Sevilla of Yakima, WA
Bishop McCormack of Manchester, NH
Bishop Adamec of Allentown, PA
Bishop Galeone of St. Augustine, FL
Bishop Zipfel of Bismark, ND
And there are many more to come who are in the 70-74 year range.
While the retirements of these bishops may or may not be immediately accepted by the Holy Father, I look forward to seeing Archbishop Burke play an especially important role in shaping the caliber of the American hierarchy.
I realize that the Congregation for Bishops oversees the selection process for bishops, but does it also monitor the activities of current diocesan bishops? I would hope so.
I also forgot to mention the five sees that are currently vacant and awaiting appointment:
Owensboro, KY
Milwaukee, WI
Ogdensburg, NY
Springfield, IL
Scranton, PA
It sounds like our two new appointees have a lot of work to do! Deo gratias!
Father do you have a list of those on the Congregation of Bishops?
Dont forget the Archdiocese of Seattle ,Archbishop Brunett is past the retirement age also.
Don’t forget that either Antigonish, NS needs a new bishop or Halifax, NS needs an auxiliary bishop. We have pne Archbishop and three dioceses.
Archbishop John Clement Favalora will be 75 in Decemeber 2010. Although I have heard he may be departing before that time.
Not that it matters a great deal, but Bishop Higi is in Indiana, unless there are 2 of them. Being from Indiana myself, I have been wondering how having 2 probable changes soon will work out.
TN,
Bishop Adamec is bishop of Johnstown-Altoona.
Don’t wish him on anyone else.
Jon, yatzer, Luis, and Salus: Thanks for the corrections!
There are a lot of interesting appointments coming in the next few years. Bishop by bishop…
Several See’s in California will be at retirement age in the next few years, including Los Angeles. Good to see these good holy men on the congregation. Pray we get a good one in Fresno.
Great News!!
Cardinal Rigali is going to be 75? I can scarcely believe that. When I met him once face to face he gave me the impression of a vigorous man in his late fifties.
I’m not so sure mandatory retirement is a good idea for either either the church or the world.
I hope all the good bishops aren’t taken by the time ours hands in his resignation (999 days and counting starting tomorrow). It’s Matthew Clark of Rochester, NY. He has been in office over 30 years and has decimated the diocese. Save us a good bishop, please.
Or simply refer to the following page:
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/s75.html
Salus writes: “Father do you have a list of those on the Congregation of Bishops?”
Whispers in the Loggia mentions that in addition to Abp Burke, the 30 members of Congregation of Bishops includes Cdls Bernard Law, Francis Stafford, Justin Rigali and William Levada from the U.S.
In the next few years there could be a clean sweep in California.
Cardinal Mahony turned 73 on Feb. 27, and five other of the state’s bishops will turn 71 or older this year.
On June 14, San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer will celebrate his 73rd birthday, and on Nov. 15, Bishop Tod Brown of the Diocese of Orange will be 73 years old.
Bishops who will turn 72 this year include Fresno Bishop John Steinbock, whose birthday is July 16, and Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh, who was born Oct. 2, 1937. San Diego Bishop Robert Brom turns 71 on Sept. 13.