Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Rinunciopoli

In light of the reports of recent days, Pope Benedict has relieved Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos of the office of Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, and named Cardinal Claudio Hummes, OFM, heretofore archbishop of Sao Paolo, to take the post. (Castrillón remains president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei until further provision is made.)

The Pope has also accepted the resignation, for reasons due to age, of Cardinal Francesco Marchisano as archpriest of St Peter's Basilica. Marchisano is succeeded by his coadjutor, Archbishop Angelo Comastri.

Closer to home, Benedict XVI accepted the age-induced resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Robert Brucato of New York, who turned 75 in August. Ordained to the episcopacy in 1997 while serving as chancellor, Brucato has been a vicar-general of New York since 1999. In 2000, he served as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese for the six week vacancy between the death of Cardinal John J. O'Connor and the installation of then-Archbishop Edward M. Egan.

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