Speculation on coming
curial nominations:
African bishop to head
'Justice and Peace' council
by Andrea Tornielli
Translated from
May 30, 2009
[5/31/09 NB: I posted this article yesterday translated from an item released by the Italian ADNkronos as its own news item, without any attribution to Tornielli - but without a byline either - although it turns out ADNkronos lifted Tornielli's entire article word for word, without even bothering to rewrite it in any way! I came to learn of this unforgivable journalistic dishonesty through Lella's blog today, and I apologize for having been party to it unknowingly, even if only overnight.
I should have trusted my instinct - I had wanted to comment that it was strange the article was not bylined, although it read like the sort of article that only Andrea Tornielli and Paolo Rodari have been able to write based on solid advance information that the two of them somehow manage to get.!]
An African will replace Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Barring any last-minute surprise, which is unlikely, Pope Benedict XVI will name Mons. Robert Sarah, emeritus Archbishop of Conakry (Guinea) to head the dicastery. Sarah, soon to turn 64, is currently the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and came to the Roman Curia in 2001.
Mons. Sarah (circled) onstage at the Pope's special audience for missionary children this morning; right, greeting the Pope.
The announcement is expected shortly after the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29, with the expected publication of the Pope's third encyclical
Caritas in Veritate (Charity in truth). Sources say the encyclical will bear the date June 29 and will be presented by Cardinal Martino, since the subject matter concerns hid dicastery principally.
Martino presented his resignation last January upon reaching canonical retirement age of 75, but his actual departure was put off in view of the delay in the publication of the encyclical.
With Mons. Sarah heading Justice and Peace, Pope Benedict will once again have an African Curial head, after the retirement last year of Cardinal Francis Arinze as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.
The second expected nomination is of Archbishop Francisco Monterisi, who turned 75 this week, currently secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, to be named the new Arch-Priest of the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, at the conclusion of the Pauline Year on June 29. He would succeed Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, who has turned 80.
Expected to replace Monterisi as number-2 man at the Congregation for Bishops (headed by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re), is the current Apostolic Nuncio in Madrid, Portuguese Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, 71, although apparently, no final decision has yet been made on this.
Cardinal RE himself is due for replacement, having reached the canonical retirement age last January. Because the new number-2 man at the Congregation for Bishops would be non-Italian, it is speculated that Re's replacement will also be Italian.
Also due for replacement is US Cardinal James Francis Stafford, Major Penitentiary. It is said the post has been offered to the current Apostolic Nuncio in Paris, Fortunato Baldelli, 73.
Second-tier changes at the Secretariat of State are also imminent.
Archbishop Paolo Sardi, who has been the longtime coordinator of speechwriters and translators of papal texts, will turn 75 in September and will reportedly be named to the new cardinal patron of the Sovereign Order of Malta.
Mons. Pietro Parolin, undersecretary for foreign relations (#2 man to Archbishop Dominique Mamberti) and Mons. Gabriele Caccia, counsellor responsible among other things for acknowledging letters, messages and gifts sent to the Pope, have been rumored for months to get foreign assignments as Apostolic Nuncio.
But their departure has reportedly been hindered so far by the Deputy Secretary of State, Mons. Fernando Filoni, whose influence over the entire Roman Curia is reportedly growing and consolidating.
It appears that four months since the Williamson case, there continue to be serious administrative problems in the Roman Curia.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 01/06/2009 00:00]