The American Visitation

This morning, the Pope received in audience the leadership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops -- president Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, vice-president Cardinal Francis George of Chicago and Msgr. William Fay, the outgoing general secretary -- who are in Rome on their semi-annual visit to the dicasteries.

At their plenary in Washington, scheduled for November 14-17, the American bishops will elect a successor to Fay, 56, a priest of Boston who has served as general secretary since 2001. As his two immediate predecessors before him -- Bob Lynch and Dennis Schnurr -- were made diocesan bishops quickly after the end of their respective terms at the Conference, keep an eye to see if the pattern holds.

And remember that, come Wednesday, it'll be four whole months since the last American appointment was released. You can make what you will of that.

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