And when the pope leaves…
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- March
- 24
With the spotlight firmly on the pope, there has been much less speculation in recent months about Cardinal Egan’s future.
But Rocco Palmo, he of Whispers in the Loggia fame, revives what will soon become (after Benedict returns home) a subject of much interest.
Building on the common belief that Egan will be retired at some point in ‘08, Palmo takes a look at the latest contenders to replace Egan:
While Archbishops Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee, John Myers of Newark and the Bronx-born Henry Mansell of Hartford remain the most-mentioned of the crowded field of contenders for the keys to 452 Madison and, with them, American Catholicism’s most storied pulpit, an increasing focus in recent months has fallen upon two unprecedented (read: non-Irish) possibilities: Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson and Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta.
Palmo goes over the reasons for Serratelli and Gregory’s popularity (among them, both are confident and media-ready). That’s Gregory in the photo, by the way.
Palmo also notes:
What’s more, though the process’ groundwork is well underway, the appointment to the “Capital of the World” is one of the few top-shelf calls into which every Pope faced with the decision has invested a significant amount of his own time and consideration… from which, suffice it to say, surprises have sometimes sprung.Bottom line: Papa Ratzi might be exerting a lot more energy into the dossiers than did his predecessor, but a quote oft attributed to John Paul II is no less true today.
After the death of Cardinal Terence Cooke in 1983, the Polish pontiff was widely reported to have spread the word that “I want a man like me in New York.” And, well, so it goes.
This entry was posted
on Monday, March 24th, 2008 at 2:01 pm by Gary Stern.
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The world of religion, we don't have to tell you, is vast. The purpose of this blog is for Stern to note, flag and comment on some of the more interesting religious developments on the scene – weighty and quirky, somber and laughable, far away and just down the road. He won't interpret Scripture, take sides in conflicts or judge anyone. But he will take advantage of the journalist's license to observe.
