The Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Antonio Card. Cañizares Llovera, has been transferred to Spain at the new Archbishop of Valencia.
He will fill the vacancy left with the transfer of Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra to Madrid.
Thus, rumors that have been going around have been confirmed.
What we don’t know yet is who will replace Card. Cañizares Llovera at CDW. Cañizares Llovera was known to be in line with the vision of Benedict XVI. At one point his nickname was “Ratzingerino”. His term at CDW was a bit of a mixed bag. I suspect that his successor won’t be so closely aligned with Benedict. But who knows? Francis could surprise us all. I would not weep to see Card. Burke go to Divine Worship, though I wouldn’t put money on it.
What we also don’t know is whether or not this signals that other rumors going about will turn out to be true. In the case of a couple rumors, I really hope not.
Will there be changes to other major dicasteries now? It is not easy to shift Cardinals around. They have to go someplace that calls for Cardinal, such as a major see or important Vatican office. Berlin is open, which makes me wonder about CDF. However, if I am not mistaken the chapter in Berlin has a lot to say about the appointment of their archbishop. I suspect that, given the present theological climate in Germany, they won’t prefer a man with any hint of conservatism. Card. Amato, at Saints, is now 76. Another change could take place there. Saints might be a more likely place than CDW for Card. Burke… if Francis wants to move Card. Burke that is. It would surprise me to the tips of my fingers were Francis to open up a See in these USA by bringing to Rome some Cardinal Archbishop or other and then fill the spot with Card. Burke. I suppose we can daydream about what would happen were Card. Wuerl to be brought to Rome (as one rumor has it) and Card. Burke be sent to Washington DC. That might give new vitality to Can. 915. Also, Chicago will one day need a successor to Card. George, who is now 76 and in poor health. Do say a prayer for him today.
Curial officials are trickling back to Rome, after the summer break. It could be that in the next few days we will see some more moves and maybe even more restructuring of curial offices.
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The Archbishop of Berlin is elected by the Chapter from a terna previously sent to them by the Pope. Now here the thing becomes somewhat unclear: of course, the Pope could name Cdl Müller plus the district superior and vice district superior of the FSSP (for instance)… yet the Concordat says the terna has to be drawn “acknowledging” (“unter Würdigung”) the suggestions previously made by the Chapter itself and the diocesan bishops of ancient Prussia (no, not all Germany; thus, Bp Hanke of Eichstätt in Bavaria will have no say).
Anyway, Pope Francis himself named Cdl Müller a Cardinal, and there aren’t many posts that would be a promotion from CDF… Berlin certainly not.
That said, a pity that a Ratzingerian leaves the CDW; but let’s see for the successor.
I suspect Philadelphia Archbishop Chaput will be elevated to Cardinal in 2015 because Cdl. Rigali, the former Philly Archbishop, will turn 80 in April of 2015 and will lose his vote in a papal election. It doesn’t hurt that the World Meeting of Families will occur in Philly in 2015, too.
If Francis is moderately indifferent to liturgy as Jesuits are said to be, then of 3 points on a spectrum of conservative, moderate, and liberal, we have only a 1 in 3 chance of getting a new prefect to our liking.
Chicago does loom large. The action that Card. George took that reverberated far beyond Chicago, was to get rid of Gabe Hauck and rein in Liturgy Training Publications. My guess is that Chicago gets an archbishop from a midwestern see who is both conservative and positive in manner, but not necessarily pro-active. It is one thing to have an ordinary who puts a stop to the most egregious wrongs, but quite another to have one that actively seeks to redress past entrenched wrongs.
Some months ago, Cardinal George had told the news outlets around here that his successor was supposed to be named by the end of the year….the successor who may die in prison. =-\ I just hope someone reigns in Father Phleger {sp?} He’s an embarrassment to the See and to Holy Mother Church.
“Berlin is open, which makes me wonder about CDF. However, if I am not mistaken the chapter in Berlin has a lot to say about the appointment of their archbishop. I suspect that, given the present theological climate in Germany, they won’t prefer a man with any hint of conservatism.”
KP: But would Pope Francis really move Cardinal Mueller from the CDF less than a full year after having appointed him to a five year term? And Card. Mueller would certainly be more hated in Berlin than Card. Woelki was. That just doesn’t make sense to me.
Dear kpoterack,
while I don’t think either that Cdl Müller will move to Berlin, still…
I may read you wrongly, but let me still mention the fact that Cdl Woelki was not moved from Berlin but to Cologne.
Cologne is the most important see in Germany together with Munich, with a Catholic population of 2 million and a province with a Catholic population of some 8.2 million, a tradition down to the 8th century at the least, and a more recent tradition of usually chairing the Bishop’s Conference (shared with Munich to a degree). Berlin is on the fringe of German Catholicism, it is the home of 400,000 Catholics and has a province that is the home of 570,000 Catholics, was founded in 1930 and elevated archdiocese in 1994. It does draw some importance out of Berlin being the capital and main seat of government (which is why they are often Cardinals), but ranks way below Cologne in German dioceses.
And if anyone should have thought this “ranking” to be changing, the transfer of Berlin’s bishop after just over 3 years of service itself says plainly enough that it is not.
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Well, I suppose this could be very happy news if it should turn out that this move and the removal of Card. Burke from the Hatcave were preparatory moves to appoint Burke to the CDW. How potentially overjoying it might be to have an American (who, one dares to hope, would share my impatience with what strikes me, as an American, as the intolerably-lackadaisical absurdities of the curia) in that role, to say nothing of one whose liturgical sensibilities are so correct.
Or it could be that those prelates whom one might think our allies are being purged in slow motion, and that the feelings of heartburn are prescient.
Dies dicet.
Living in the Archdioceses of Chicago, I would say the Cardinal Burke would be an excellent replacement for Cardinal George.
Or since Cardinal Burke hails from Wisconsin, send Archbishop Listecki to Chicago and Burke to Milwaukee.
Can Chicago steal Springfield’s Bishop? =-p Anyone who exorcises our state government is a good man XD
But, hey, we can still celebrate the Latin Mass-loving Cardinal Pell in the extremely important liturgical position as head of the Vatican Bank!
Please let Francis call O’Malley to Rome and give Boston to Burke!
There’s chatter about Burke going to Chicago.
Let us pray that Archbishop Piero Marini isn’t named the new prefect of the CDW…
I hope this doesn’t shelve the planned manual that Cardinal Cañizares had said last year was being prepared: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/vatican-preparing-a-manual-to-help-priests-celebrate-mass . I am hoping that this manual will include encouragement of celebrating Mass ad orientem.
Everyone will know if Cardinal Burke is assigned to Chicago because the entire planet will hear me screaming with joy XD
@Geoffrey,
I’m right there praying with you.
This is not the news I hoped to wake up to today. If the person who’s long been rumored to get the job does, then words won’t be able to describe my frustration and disappointment.
wolfeken: “But, hey, we can still celebrate the Latin Mass-loving Cardinal Pell in the extremely important liturgical position as head of the Vatican Bank!”
He who controls the purse controls the liturgy?
Geoffrey says: “Let us pray that Archbishop Piero Marini isn’t named the new prefect of the CDW.”
That would be like appointing Boris Johnson as head of the French Academy, or a vegan anti-vaccine crusader as the head of the FDA.
When a Cardinal, as in this case, is reassigned to a diocese as an archbishop, does he thereby cease to be a voting member of the college of cardinals?
Agreed, JesusFreak84 . Paprocki would be an excellent choice to head the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Andrew, no, absolutely not. A cardinal can vote in a conclave no matter what his office up until he turns 80. Age is the cut-off factor. Remember, we had some RETIRED cardinals like Card. Mahoney validly voting in the last conclave.
For what it is worth, here are my 2 cents on the possible appointment of Archbishop Marini to the CDW:
I don’t think it is going to happen for three reasons – a) He turns 73 in January and technically would have to submit his resignation in a little over two years. Now, it is not impossible. The Holy Father could appoint him and keep him on until he turns 78. This would be quite unusual, though. b) Most of Pope Francis’ curial appointments have been conservative to moderate, and he has certainly talked about the “hermeneutic of continuity,” approvingly, at least in regard to doctrine. c) Pope Francis really doesn’t seem to feel strongly enough about the liturgy one way or the other and – despite what some Traddies would argue – has basically leaned slightly right, IMHO. He did reappoint Guido Marini as Papal Master of Ceremonies for five years, after all. He didn’t resist celebrating ad oriented, etc. These things would have been perfect opportunities for him to make a statement on liturgy, as Pope Benedict did. Instead, he went for continuity.
Of course I could be wrong, but there is so much in place that even a new left-leaning prefect of the CDW couldn’t touch: like “Vox Clara,” (of which Card. Pell is still head) which embodies the Reform of the Reform principles. As a part of the CDW, a new prefect couldn’t just get rid of it because he didn’t like it.
Frankly, IMO, no matter whom Pope Francis appoints, and my guess is that he will appoint someone right/moderate, he will not appoint him with the intention of making major changes.
Father G,
Recalling Fr Z’s recent St. Lawrence post, one might hope that moving to the shrine of the Santo Caliz, becoming, so to put it, the Keeper of the Holy Grail, might even be especially fruitful for the completion of such a manual.
Agree with kpoterack’s reasoning on the Marini possibility, and would also add that I would expect a preference to avoid re-staffing the Curia with long time Curial figures or Vatican insiders.
On the other hand, it means that Card. Canizares Llovera is now Guardian of the Holy Grail.