Notes from Nashville

Here's something interesting: According to an outlet on the ground, Fr David Choby, appointed bishop of Nashville this morning, was informed of his selection "about" two weeks ago. Choby has served as the diocesan administrator there, with day-to-day powers of governance, for the last 13 months. The call's timeframe is nothing out of the ordinary; notification of an appointment always comes from the nuncio within a 10-14 day window before it is announced in Rome.

Eight days ago, "about" six days following the nuncio's call notifying Choby of his appointment as bishop, a settlement was announced to a sex-abuse negligence lawsuit against the Nashville diocese which was slated to go to trial in March. The suit, filed by two anonymous plaintiffs, had been wending its way through the Tennessee court system over six years of what the Nashville Tennessean called "bitter litigation." A monetary amount has not been revealed.

Interesting timetable there. Is it all just one big coincidence? We can only wonder....

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