I wonder if the one to turn it down was Cardinal Makrickas, as he met with Leo back on August 21st. I do also hope this doesn't mean that Bishop Varden has declined a Roman posting. Leo needs him in Rome.
The Archdiocese of Cheiti-Vasto is certainly not one of the more well known in the Church. So I decided to put it in an American context. (Which of course is inherently foolish since Italy is different when it comes to the number of archdiocese, diocese, Cardinals, etc.)
But looking at the number of Catholics and priests, a comparison with Santa Fe or Omaha would seem to be close. But once again, Italy is different.
That seems to be a pretty big demotion. Perhaps the idea is to get his feet wet with running a relatively small diocese and then a "promotion" to something bigger ... but that just doesn't sound like Pope Leo to me. My impression is that when he appoints someone, he appoints someone.
The only other Italian Archdiocese at the moment that's open is Milan, & Archbishop Delpini just turned 75 a couple months ago. No other Archdiocese in Italy comes open until next July. So the fact that Leo *didn't* send Gambetti there also means something.
No experience of diocesan or pastoral ministry, combined with his maladroit administration of St. Peter’s, would have made for a 15-year disaster in Europe’s largest diocese.
With the exception of the Jesuits, American religious superiors are notorious for being veryyyyy slooooow in making decisions. As a former American religious superior, this is expected of Pope Leo. I think it is because they know that their decisions affect others, and many times those other people will be sitting across the dinner table for the next 30 years. It's one thing to be decisive, knowing that it will upend the lives of others you will rarely, if ever, encounter. It's different when you live in community with them.
Please hire a copy editor, or at least run spellcheck:
- Cheiti => Chieti (throughout)
- stammed => stemmed
- Missing word elsewhere
- cried off (British?) => begged off
A more substantive comment: is Cdl. Farrell’s title really “czar” at the pension fund? I expect a bit more precision from Ed. when Vatican money is involved.
Pension czar, granted, is a term of art, but it really isn't inappropriate or inaccurate, since he was named sole director of the fund with total executive power and, as it has been explained to me, no outside oversight or board reporting requirements whatsoever.
I really do not understand how this remains an issue at the Pillar. I love this publication to death, but it should not be difficult to have someone run a basic spelling and grammar check before hitting publish.
This personnel change reminds me of when Archbishop Paglia was removed from the Pontifical Academy for Life (though his successor was named immediately and this current shuffle is happening over a year later) because his tenure was extremely controversial as well, which I am guessing was part of the reason that Cardinal Gambetti was removed without a replacement even being named. I hope that unlike the change at the PAL, the new appointment at St. Peter's is not simply someone who is "less bad" than the previous person, but someone who will actually be a good and faithful steward of the basilica.
I wonder if the one to turn it down was Cardinal Makrickas, as he met with Leo back on August 21st. I do also hope this doesn't mean that Bishop Varden has declined a Roman posting. Leo needs him in Rome.
The Archdiocese of Cheiti-Vasto is certainly not one of the more well known in the Church. So I decided to put it in an American context. (Which of course is inherently foolish since Italy is different when it comes to the number of archdiocese, diocese, Cardinals, etc.)
But looking at the number of Catholics and priests, a comparison with Santa Fe or Omaha would seem to be close. But once again, Italy is different.
That seems to be a pretty big demotion. Perhaps the idea is to get his feet wet with running a relatively small diocese and then a "promotion" to something bigger ... but that just doesn't sound like Pope Leo to me. My impression is that when he appoints someone, he appoints someone.
The only other Italian Archdiocese at the moment that's open is Milan, & Archbishop Delpini just turned 75 a couple months ago. No other Archdiocese in Italy comes open until next July. So the fact that Leo *didn't* send Gambetti there also means something.
No experience of diocesan or pastoral ministry, combined with his maladroit administration of St. Peter’s, would have made for a 15-year disaster in Europe’s largest diocese.
With the exception of the Jesuits, American religious superiors are notorious for being veryyyyy slooooow in making decisions. As a former American religious superior, this is expected of Pope Leo. I think it is because they know that their decisions affect others, and many times those other people will be sitting across the dinner table for the next 30 years. It's one thing to be decisive, knowing that it will upend the lives of others you will rarely, if ever, encounter. It's different when you live in community with them.
Please hire a copy editor, or at least run spellcheck:
- Cheiti => Chieti (throughout)
- stammed => stemmed
- Missing word elsewhere
- cried off (British?) => begged off
A more substantive comment: is Cdl. Farrell’s title really “czar” at the pension fund? I expect a bit more precision from Ed. when Vatican money is involved.
Pension czar, granted, is a term of art, but it really isn't inappropriate or inaccurate, since he was named sole director of the fund with total executive power and, as it has been explained to me, no outside oversight or board reporting requirements whatsoever.
At least you can have full confidence AI had no hand in the writing of it!
I really do not understand how this remains an issue at the Pillar. I love this publication to death, but it should not be difficult to have someone run a basic spelling and grammar check before hitting publish.
This personnel change reminds me of when Archbishop Paglia was removed from the Pontifical Academy for Life (though his successor was named immediately and this current shuffle is happening over a year later) because his tenure was extremely controversial as well, which I am guessing was part of the reason that Cardinal Gambetti was removed without a replacement even being named. I hope that unlike the change at the PAL, the new appointment at St. Peter's is not simply someone who is "less bad" than the previous person, but someone who will actually be a good and faithful steward of the basilica.
Ed, Farrell 79, non 77.