For "ManchVegas," Jackpot Time?

The blips began Thursday and remain unconfirmed... still, by the looks of it, Roman Noon tomorrow could well see one of the more high-stakes Stateside vacancies cleared off the docket with the appointment of New Hampshire's tenth bishop.

Thirteen months since Bishop John McCormack of Manchester reached the retirement age of 75, word's begun to swirl heavily of a press conference slated for Monday mid-morning on an unspecified major matter, which has only fueled speculation toward the naming of his successor.

Head of the Granite State's 330,000-member church since 1998, McCormack is currently the oldest active US prelate remaining in office. In an August interview with the see city's main secular paper, this scribe indicated that the Manchester file was in its final stages of the process' domestic phase, if it hadn't already reached the Vatican.

Seven additional Stateside diocesan bishops are likewise serving past 75 and awaiting their successors. Another eight US dioceses currently stand vacant.

-30-