Following Wednesday's installation of Archbishop George Niederauer in San Francisco, there was a large reception in the hall beneath St. Mary's Cathedral, followed by a dinner for the new archbishop's friends and the visiting prelates.
As one would expect, Archbishop Levada got up to speak. "Lots of teasing between LA and San Fran," one source reports.
I'm told that the Grand Inquisitor, probably deadpan, reported that "Contrary to popular belief, I didn't have anything to do with this appointment."
Without missing a beat, one bishop in the crowd was heard to exclaim, "Like hell you didn't!"
If I were there, I would've said the exact same thing....
And for those who would scream about it, if Joseph Ratzinger were the great orthodox genius for 24 years of his stewardship of the CDF, how could the electoral grace of the Holy Spirit change that?
The world wants to know.
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