St. Peter’s Basilica… Archpriest Card. Gambetti is out. Who will be next?

As I write, the Bollettino for 3 October hasn’t been published (Noon, Rome time UPDATE: It has been HERE).  That’s the notice from the Holy See’s Press Office with what’s going on, audiences (some of them), appointments, upcoming pressers, etc.  That said, the Franciscan Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica has been given the hook all the over to the Adriatic Sea coast Archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto where the 77 year old Bruno Forte has been for some years. Two birds…. He was deeply involved with the rigging of Synods (“walking together”) before they were trans’d into the clown cars that they now are.

Under Francis’ pick Mauro Card. Gambetti, OFM Conv., private Masses in the morning were obliterated, odd kiosks installed, a non-religious “listening space” was set up by the altar and tomb of St. Gregory the Great, and the whole space, poorly maintained, morphed away from sacral into a tourist locale.

It is noteworthy that the Franciscan has been transited to Chieti-Vasto on the Feast (for Franciscans) of the Transitus ( aka “death”) of St. Francis.

We don’t yet know Gambetti’s replacement.  I’d like to see someone like Guido Marini, but these days it seems that whatever I wish for in the Church, the opposite takes place.

Leo has been very slowly sending away the “Franciscan” element.

UPDATE:

Today in my mailbox from a priest:

This is very good news. I well remember the gracious hospitality of the sacristan and staff of St Peter’s when I was last in Rome. Everywhere there were visiting priests and Curial priests offering Mass at minor altars for their families or pilgrimage groups. Francis appointed Gambetti and all of that changed. There were no private Masses. St Peter’s was a ghost town every morning.

The irony: the 1970 Missal of Paul VI WAS THE FIRST ONE IN HISTORY TO INCLUDE A RITE FOR PRIVATE MASS.

Francis really delighted in upsetting people and putting his stamp on everything around him.  May this move of Leo return St Peter’s to the people!