Speaking after his first private audience with Pope Benedict XVI, the Cardinal – who, according to Canon Law, must offer his resignation to the Pontiff when he turns 75 – said that he did not know if his time as spiritual leader of Catholics in England and Wales was nearing its end.He said: “I will offer my resignation when I reach the age of 75 and after that I will wait for the response of the Holy Father. I leave it all in his hands, and I am quite open to whatever decision he makes then.”The Cardinal’s comments may surprise PaddyPower, the bookmakers which was so convinced that he would step down next year that it opened a book entitled “Who will be the next Archbishop of Westminster?”
Some Catholic commentators have even suggested that the Cardinal’s resignation might happen this year, following reports of his ill-health and rumours that Rome was unhappy with the leadership of the Church in England and Wales.
But the Cardinal – reportedly looking well after a busy week in which he had travelled to Russia for an important ecumenical meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II – insisted that relations with the Vatican were better than ever. “The fact of the matter is that they have never been so good,” he said, “and I speak from 30 years experience as a bishop.
Here are the odds:-
7-2 Kevin McDonald (Southwark)
9-2 Alan Hopes (Aux, Westminster)
9-2 Aidan Nichols OP
5-1 Vincent Nichols (Birmingham)
7-1 Michael Fitzgerald
8-1 Patrick Kelly (Liverpool)
8-1 Arthur Roche (Leeds)
10-1 Peter Smith (Cardiff)
12-1 Bernard Longley (Aux, Westminster)
14-1 Michael Evans (East Anglia)
14-1 Timothy Radcliffe OP
16-1 Patrick O'Donoghue (Lancaster)
20-1 John Rawsthorne (Hallam)
25-1 John Crowley (Middlesborough)
15 comments:
Is none of the above a appropriate possibility.
I would like to nominate Fr Tim Finegan, I heard him preach at the Oratory yesterday, I think he would be an excellenr Abp of Westminster.
Ditto Alex. What an amazing afternoon.
Racehorses who keep losing races get turned into dog food.
Can I vote for Fr T too, I didn't hear him yesterday but I've heard him speak several before.
Fr Tim is one of a number of sound, orthodox, Catholic priests who would make excellent bishops. The problem is, the bishops of this country will do their best to ensure that we don't get good orthodox bishops. We can only pray that there is another side to the the conversation the cardinal had with the Holy Father - that of the pope himself - which we will not hear about publicly.
Let us hope that with a new nuncio and a new Secretary of State in Rome, greater discernment will take place before further appointments are made.
It would be interesting to know how many, if any, bishops attended this magnificent procession. The cynic in me says 'none', but I'd love to be proved wrong.
I'd be happy with Aidan Nichols
What about Fr Armstrong from Canningtown? He is doing good things with evangelisation.
Joee Bloggs has a fine photograph of Bp Hine, auxilary of Southwark, at the Rosary Crusade Procession. If they were specifically invited to attend I wonder how many of the hierarchy would turn out?
Thankfully, I have been proved wrong - Bishop John Hine, Auxiliary in Southwark, was there (see Jooe Blogs)
Is you local bishop in this list, Father?
Jack,
No, he is not; I don't think he would want to be.
What about this new guy from Sweden who has just become auxiliary in Birmingham? Was an auxiliary in Sweden for many years before getting a similar position here in unusual circumstances.
Aidan Nichols was passed over for Nottingham where another Dominican whom nobody has heard of, got the post. The new bishop there went to Heythrop in the 1970's which is the type of joke Dominicans thought was funny in those days.
I am baffled that Crowley and Rawsthorne should be worth a punt given their notorious celebration of the Cafod Mass at said Heythrop college. The Mass was celebrating the 25th anniversary of Julian Filochowski's gay relationship with an ex Carmelite but nothing would surprise me even nowadays.
.....
Tim Finegan is a member of the neo-con sect, "Faith" whose origins are peculiar and whose magazine is the most boring I have ever read. Moreover, they recently published an article defending the criminal Fr. Maciel for no better reason than he belongs to a neo-conservative sect (i.e. not orthodox) like their own. Moral: don't join these "nuevos movimentos". They are all weird. Get involved in your parish with the SVP or something like that.
I have removed part of this comment, which made very serious and unsubstantiated allegations against the character of a certain person.
Detraction is always a very serious sin. It seems very cowardly and dishonourable to make them in a public forum anonymously.
If this correspondent has evidence regarding this matter, I would suggest she/he contact the Congregation for Bishops. If help is needed and evidence can be supplied I will gladly help in this task.
p.s.
Yes I am intrigued by this new auxilliary, from all accounts hje seems to be a very Benedictine Passionist. I wonder....
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