Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Conti Resigns


The Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti, is to submit his resignation later this month, setting into action the process of appointing a new leader of the largest Catholic population in Scotland.
Archbishop Conti, who for 25 years was Bishop of Aberdeen prior to his Glasgow appointment, is required by church law to submit his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI once he reaches his 75th birthday, a milestone he hits on March 20th.

thanks DDD

9 comments:

Peter said...

Would it not be clearer to say that he had announced his retirement? I think that the term resign, though perhaps technically accurate in view of the process involved, conveys the impression that there was a disagreement or a decision to move away.
Thank you for posting the news.

Anonymous said...

Hmm. Father, is it true you're Scottish???

Fr Ray Blake said...

no

Anonymous said...

Fr,
is that a no to Peter or to Richard or both?

I thought Peter's point was reasonable.

Fr Ray Blake said...

No to being a Scot.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Father, I misread something on Fr Z's blog (about who might get Westminster); it was another priest they were discussing.

But interesting that so many bishops are reaching retirement age in the next three years. With a few radical appointments by His Holiness, there could be a major change soon.

Current:
Glasgow
Lancaster
Westminster
Next year:
Aberdeen
Wrexham
2011:
Brentwoood
Hallam
Portsmouth
Shrewsbury
2012:
Plymouth
Motherwell

The Nuncio also turns 75 in 2012.

Father John Boyle said...

Resignation is the correct canonical term. The bishop submits his resignation to the Holy Father and the resignation only becomes effective once accepted by the Holy Father. A bishop cannot simply retire on his own initiative.

After his resignation has been submitted, he still remains a bishop, and of course the Holy Father could ask him to take on some other mission/role, or indeed continue in his present position for some time.

Peter said...

Thank you Father John. What you say about the canonical term is what I meant by being technically correct.
My understanding is that bishops are required to offer their resignation once they reach the age of 75 so that the fact of doing so is a formality in itself.
Sometimes bishops resign on account of ill conduct. I am thinking of Ncube of Bulawayo (I think he was set up by Mugabe). This does not seem to be the case here.

Anonymous said...

Ncube of Bulawayo gave in to a groin itch and caused scandal among the Faithful and undid most of the good work he had done in opposition to Mugabe.

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