Some excellent changes are going to be taking
place in the Vatican reliable voices say. And apparently, these new nominations will be further proof that Benedict XVI and his main collaborators see the United States as one of the main “fronts” of comparison in terms of secularisation and as the source of energy for the solution of problems.
The current secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Joseph William Tobin, should - as always, when speaking about decisions of this kind it is essential to use the conditional because neither Benedict XVI nor the Secretary of State appear Napoleonic in this field – return to the U.S. He will probably be sent to an important diocese; possibly Indianapolis.
Is this a promotion? Possibly, but it seems he was recalled by the U.S. Catholic Church who did not appreciate Tobin’s role in clearing up misunderstandings with the LCWR’S “rebel” nuns.
American bishops did not find his conciliatory statements very helpful as they were hard at work trying to resolve a difficult problem. Indeed, they saw his attitude as a break with the position taken by the previous Prefect, Franc Rodé, who was concerned about the “new age” drift of many U.S. nuns.
The identity of Tobin’s potential successor is unknown; it could be a cleric given that the Prefect of the Congregation is not.
The most important change in the media department - if the rumours are true – could be witnessed in the Holy See Press Office. Fr. Federico Lombardi, the Jesuit who inherited the challenging role of papal spokesman, turned 70 last August; he is director of Vatican Radio and is in charge of the Vatican television centre.
It seems Lombardi’s substitution is on the cards.
Rumour has it his substitute will be a lay man - possibly Greg Burke, the Secretariat of State’s Communications Advisor – and not Italian. This is because the role will involve a special focus on foreign and English-language media. The person chosen could be an American, or someone who has expert experience in the English speaking media world.
Finally, the gap left in the Congregation for Catholic Education by Archbishop Jean-Louis Bruguès will need to be filled. Bruguès was appointed Librarian of the Holy Roman Church.
The Congregation prefect, Polish cardinal Grocholewski, is not averse to an “internal” solution, that is, to the nomination of current under-secretary Mgr. Vincenzo Zani.
However, the possibility of a foreign secretary being chosen for the post is not excluded, indeed, it seems likely.
And what a coincidence!
This person may just come from the U.S.
America uber alles…