AmericanPapist Comments
Rome saw this one coming, and Sacramento has a co-adjudtor already. http://www.canonlaw.info/ten_bishops.htm
Now, what to do about seven open sees and eleven others past retirement age....
With the exception of Knoxville and Charleston, whose vacancies are respectively at 14 and 12 months, I don't think there's reason to be too concerned about the time frame for filling vacant sees. I was under the impression that Pittsburgh's auxiliary was in line for Charleston, but I guess not? As for those past retirement age, the two oldest--Maida and Egan--are likely to be granted retirement by the end of the year. (Rocco hasn't said much about Detroit lately, but if Vigneron is indeed the annointed one to succeed Maida, it just makes sense that he'd be allowed to dedicate Oakland's cathedral before getting his transfer orders.) Needless to say, making sure Rome gets an appointment right is more important than speed, even if it is an added burden on some of our older bishops.
Nathan underestimates the serious ecclesiological and practical problems of dioceses being left without bishops. Most vacancies in the USA are caused by age-based retirements, which means that Rome has YEARS to see openings coming up, and yet local churches are constantly left for months, frequently over a year, without a bishop. What kind of excuse can one offer for that? As for bishops staying on WELL past retirement, that creates ecclesiastical "lame-duck" situationns in which important decisions are put off, month after month after year after year, waiting to see what the "new man" would want, etc. Of course it's important to get good bishops, but I also think that 1983 CIC 151 is on the books for a reason.
There's a lot of talk that Abp. Chaput of Denver is the hot favorite to succeed Cardinal Egan in New York. I'd like that change, but it's just talk right now.
Last week would have been an awesome week to name Chaput... :P
That's awesome! I met Bishop Jaime Soto at NCYC last year!
Bishop Moynihan of Syracuse is on that list....and his auxiliary, Bishop Costello, is past 75, too.
Please, Papa Benedict, send us a new shepherd SOON!
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