After noteworthy career, Cardinal Schönborn exits

Does the Vienna cardinal's retirement close an era of Church history?

As Cardinal Christoph Schönborn celebrated his 80th birthday Wednesday, Pope Francis accepted his resignation as Archbishop of Vienna, Austria, as expected.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn delivers a lecture in London, England, on April 8, 2013. © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk.

A brief line in the Holy See press office’s daily bulletin marked the end of an era n…