Posted on 06/02/2005 4:21:14 PM PDT by Frank Sheed
Friday, May 27, 2005 Possible Replacements for Cardinal McCarrick as Archbishop of Washington, DC
Like it or not, the venerable Cardinal McCarrick of Washington will be hitting 75 this July 7th. You know what that means! Our sources tell us his resignation will be accepted "on an expedited timetable." Coupled with his public desire to retire early, Washington should have a new leader within the year. This episcopal see is highly visible due to it being located in our nation's capital and has been rewarded, since its inception, with its archbishops being created cardinals -- O'Boyle, Baum, Hickey, and McCarrick. The next archbishop will almost certainly follow in this tradition.
Here is the first official list, once again, of those candidates most often named as possible successors to McCarrick by our Vatican sources: Edwin O'Brien (U.S. Military Archdiocese), William Lori (Bridgeport), Charles Chaput (Denver), Raymond Burke (St. Louis), and John Foley (Pontifical Council for Social Communications). We tend to think that its O'Brien's to lose. He was rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome for many years prior to being named auxilary bishop in New York and then Archbishop of the Military Ordinate of the U.S. Currently at 66, O'Brien is the ideal age, being neither too young nor too old. Bishop Lori has deep ties to Washington, DC being Cardinal Hickey's longtime close collaborator and vicar general before being called to Bridgeport, CT. His only being 54 may work against him though. Archbishops Chaput and Burke are seen as "Rambo Catholic" bishops -- that is, they are not afraid of teaching the Church's moral truths in a very public manner. Both are seen as emerging leaders of the American episcopacy, and choosing either one would signal Pope Benedict's approval of their pastoral zeal. Their appointments would shake things up in our nation's capital, perhaps exactly what His Holiness desires. Archbishop Foley is a native of Philadelphia, but has been in his Vatican curial seat since 1984 (most likely the current recordholder!). So his time is due to move on to a new pasture. If he isn't named to Washington, he could also have a good chance at Baltimore. So there you have it, my dearest vaticanisti lovers. Start placing your bets.
And there's more today on Bishop Chaput to DC!
Ping!
Now that's an ironic line.
At any rate, let's hope the new leader of Washington is a Roman Catholic bishop. As distinguished from... McCarrick.
http://www.catholicmil.org/html/archbishop.html
You've seen the bumper stickers, "Visualize World Peace?"
How about "Visualize the Archbishop in His Military Uniform."
Discussion ping!
----O'Brien, who earned the rank of captain in the Army, felt hostility personally while at a Fourth of July concert in Boston. He showed up in military dress, not having had the opportunity to change, and was greeted with hissing. "You would hesitate to wear a uniform," he remembers.----
Enlisted in the Army at 33! Oh man, this priest would go over great in D.C. He actually asks audiences to pray for priests! How novel! And he served in Vietnam!
I would love to see Chaput in DC! He reminds me of Fulton Sheen.
According to this article in the Rocky Mountain News, McCarrick's resignation isn't even official yet (meaning he could still chose to stay on a few more years). Please tell me this reporter is wrong.
Each Bishop must submit a letter of resignation on his 75th birthday. In the past, these have largely been ignored for up to several years. Since Pope Benedict has just started his Pontificate, and since he has not even reorganized the Curia, it is widely suspected he WILL accept these routine pro forma resignations to begin to get his own prelates in place. One of the first major ones coming up is July 7th with Cardinal McCarrick who heads a very visible Diocese and who had a "run in" with the Prefect of the CDF.
The Vaticanisti blog stated that his resignation WOULD be accepted. This is the same group that stated Archbishop Levada would head CDF when many thought they were daft so their batting average is 100% in their first major test. We can only wait to see.
Frank
It's only his choice to remain if the Holy Father does not accept his resignation. All must submit their resignations at age 75.
So glad I was able to tune in tonight to hear of these speculations. Can you imagine Burke or Chaput in D.C.? Can you imagine the reaction from the CINO's on Capitol Hill?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Military Archbishop Calls on Dissenting Legislators: Refrain from Holy Communion
White Plains, NY—In a Red Mass homily to southern New York State jurists, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien asked Catholics in public office “of any political persuasion” who “choose to disregard those [basic] tenets of their professed Faith and, in fact, actively promote opposite” tenets to “refrain from taking part in our most sacred and public proclamation of unity with our Church and teachings, the reception of Holy Communion.”
The Archbishop also asked why Catholics must be “muzzled,” as political candidates are “permitted to speak freely on any political topic in any other house of worship, except a Catholic church.” Two hundred jurists, law enforcement officers and attorneys participated in the Mass celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, White Plains, on Tuesday, October 26.
Defending the Bishops
As a devoted reader of First Things, I am aware that you have been critical of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on numerous occasions. Such criticism can be beneficial, but in the February issue this criticism went beyond what is helpful.
Among the many points I could cite, I will emphasize four. First, the description of the election of Bishop William S. Skylstad as president of the Conference is seriously uninformed. Bishop Skylstad has been active in the Conference for over twenty-five years. His election as both vice president and president resulted from the bishops’ first-hand knowledge of his abilities and dedicated service to the Conference. Cardinal Francis George took the time to acknowledge this dedication from the podium shortly after Bishop Skylstad’s election.
I am also surprised that First Things would imitate the secular press by relying on innuendo instead of facts. The unfounded implication that Bishop Skylstad was irresponsible, if not worse, in governing his diocese is unworthy of First Things.
So, too, is the claim that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was less than straightforward at the bishops’ June 2004 meeting about principles for worthy reception of Holy Communion sent to him by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. One would think that this canard had been dispelled by the subsequent letter from Cardinal Ratzinger affirming that the statement drafted by the task force chaired by Cardinal McCarrick and adopted by the bishops is very much in harmony with these principles.
I am troubled as well by the use of the phrase “John Paul II bishops,” with its implication that there are bishops in the Conference who are not faithful to the Holy Father. Since most of the bishops in the conference were appointed by this pope or received subsequent appointments from him, this claim amounts to a criticism of John Paul II himself, passing judgment on the pope’s ability to discern who should be made bishop.
Edwin F. O’Brien
Archbishop for the Military Services
Washington, D.C.
When I read the letter to Fr. Neuhaus from Archbishop O'Brien you could have knocked me over with a feather!
"The unfounded implication that Bishop Skylstad was irresponsible, if not worse, in governing his diocese is unworthy of First Things."
I have tried not to be critical of our leadership of late, but PUH-LEASE! He dragged our diocese into BANKRUPTCY. He has put the financial affairs of our Diocese in the hands of the Federal Courts.
If that is RESPONSIBLE, God help us all.
sad that the letter came from archbishop O - who i admire a whole lot from the times i've seen him interviewed on ewtn.
Archbishop O'Brien is not a contender any longer.
?
I just have a gut feeling that this one's for real.
Abp. Chaput has just the right temperament for taking over this important see.
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