Major changes coming
due to retirements
in the Curial leadership
by Gian Guido Vecchi
Translated from
December 19, 2009
The only Curial official not expected to submit his resignation when reaching the canonical retirement age of 75 is the Vatican Secretary of State, who exercises his office
ad nutum Summi Pontificis - at the will of the Supreme Pontiff.
So when Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who turned 75 on December 2, presented his letter of ritual resignation to the Pope, Benedict XVI probably simply smiled and said, "There was really no need for this", confirming Bertone to be co-terminous with him.
But for all other officials of the Roman Curia, 75 is mandatory retirement age, although there have been quite a few extensions requested or allowed by the Popes, sometimes for as long as three years.
[Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is the most notable example; then as Benedict XVI, he kept on both Cardinal Angelo Sodano as Secretary of State and Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos as President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei until they turned 80.]
In the next few months, a few important changes are expected, nonetheless, starting with the powerful Congregation for Bishops, headed by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re since 2000.
Re will be 76 on January 30, marking one year of extension, and Vatican insiders do not think he will be extended further.
The dicastery which "supervises everything that has to do with bishops" has not had a good run lately. Most recently, the scandal of at least five, maybe 10, sitting diocesan bishops in Ireland found to have covered up for sex-offender priests, was yet another indication that something is not right with the supervision of bishops, and changes have to be made.
No decisions have apparently been made, but the most favored name at the moment seems to be Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, 67, the Apostolic Nuncio in Italy. A native of Romano Canavese like Bertone, he is much favored by Bertone who recommended him to be Nuncio in 2007.
Also persistently rumored is Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney. But since the Pope named the Portuguese Mons. Manuel Monteiro de Castro recently as secretary of the Congregation, it is more likely that the new Prefect will be Italian.
[That's not necessarily so!]
It is also thought that Pell is more likely to be named Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples to succeed Cardinal Ivan Dias, 73, who is expected to retire soon because of health reasons.
Another Curial chief who is well past retirement is Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. He is expected to retire by Easter. One of those thought likely to succeed him is Gerhard Mueller, Bishop of Regensburg.
Other Curial heads past 75 are Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, who turns 76 next August; Cardinal Franc Rode, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life, 76 next September; and Cardinal Paul Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.
Benedict XVI is expected to deal with these changes gradually, in the style of 'gentle reform' that has characterized his governance since 2005.