Maybe my happy dance at rumors that Cardinal Pell was going to become Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops was premature.
Rorate Caeli reports:
La Ciguena de la Torre is claiming that Cardinal Pell has declined to accept the post of Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, reportedly due to age (!) and ill-health. (It was reported earlier this year that the Cardinal had been fitted with a pacemaker.)
La Ciguena notes the rumor that with Cardinal Pell declining the appointment, the Congregation for Bishops will go to Leonardo Cardinal Sandri. Other rumors name Cardinal Ouellet. Well, we shall see…
If it turns out to be Cardinal Ouellet, I will be joyful for the Universal Church but sorry to see him leave us here in Canada. I know nothing about Cardinal Sandri. Anyone?
Related posts:
Cardinal Sandri would be a disaster. He was one of the insiders in the last pontificate. Benedict XVI demoted him by 'kicking him upstairs', as they say, to a position with much honour but little power.
Marc Cardinal Ouellet is one of the three 'friends and former students' of His Holiness. The other two, Cardinals Schönborn and Levada (esp. the former) have turned out to be disappointments. Cardinal Ouellet is extremely popular in Canada and seems to be entirely orthodox. As far as I know, he has never obstructed the Traditional Latin Mass as Archbishop and has been orthodox. I think that he's papabile, something we cannot say of any of the American cardinals (for example).
Another rumour floating around is that Re will be replaced by the current president of the Italian episcopal conference. But these rumours change by the day. Rule Number One: Never believe anything that comes out of Andrea Tornielli's pen. This report of the imminent appointment of Pell is not his first mistake. Unnamed and self-appointed experts are constantly calling him sound. I prefer to look to the evidence. As for appointments, the best guide is the published list of them from the Holy See!
P.K.T.P.
A Note on my last post
In regard to Cardinal Levada, I just wish to clarify that any 'disappointments' about him have absolutely nothing to do with "Anglicanorum Cœtibus" or the ordinariates or incoming Anglicans. I was referring to other matters I'd rather not elaborate on here. One was his regard for the Traditional Latin Mass when he was Archbishop of San Francisco. There are others. Anyway, he has been much less of a disappoitnment than, say, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, alias Mr. Medjugorge.
P.K.T.P.
Not only is Cardinal Ouellet entirely orthodox, but he has drawn a tremendous amount of media criticism for his staunch defence of the sanctity of human life. He is a hero among Canadian pro-lifers. He's also a gifted pastor, scholar, and is fluent in a good number of languages. This would be a perfect post for him.
Of course, we would miss him here…