Lepanto, Bertone e Battesimo, Oh My!

So the cardinal- archbishop of Boston presided at his first Baptism yesterday in St Peter's. And don't be surprised that the baby's last name was "Kennedy."

No, not those Kennedys. Still, it's a notable coincidence.

Sean O'Malley also met up yesterday with the new Secretary of State at Bertone's temporary residence: St John's Tower in the Vatican Gardens. On a side note, it's looking as if that arrangement's going to be less temporary than hoped....

On the blogosphere's most eminent page, the cardinal noted briefly that he raised the question of "our request for new Auxiliary Bishops" with Bertone -- said request has been held up quite a bit, allegedly on the Roman side of things. (It's a touchy topic with the Bostonians.) Luckily, the new Nepos is now in a better position to help; yesterday, the Pope named him to three dicasteries of which the Secretary of State is traditionally a member: the Congregations for the Oriental Churches, Evangelization of Peoples and, of course, Bishops.

O'Malley took possession of his titular church, Santa Maria della Vittoria, earlier today. Regrettably, the American eminence who repeatedly exclaimed "LEPANTO!" after hearing the assignment at the March consistory could not be in attendance.

-30-