US Catholics Can Look Forward To As Many As 25 Bishops Retiring This Year

Twenty bishops, but not Bishop Tod Brown, and five cardinals, but not Cardinal Roger Mahony, will be 75 or older in 2007, and will therefore must submit their resignation to Pope Benedict XVI.

Catholic News Service reports:

There are 14 still-active U.S. bishops, including three cardinals, who have already turned 75. Eleven more, including two cardinals, will celebrate their 75th birthday in 2007.

It's an interesting prospect that will likely produce many changes within the church over the next ten years.  It would be nice to know who will be tapped to replace any retiring bishops.  So far, Benedict XVI's appointments have been a mixed bag.

Here's the story: Up to 25 U.S. bishops could retire for age reasons in 2007

Remember, though, that the Holy Father is not required to accept their resignations.

As the article notes:

Pope John Paul II often asked cardinals to stay on the job after they reached the age of 75. So far Pope Benedict XVI has given no indication that he will change that practice. Even when a cardinal retires in his 70s, he remains an active member of the College of Cardinals, eligible to enter a conclave and vote for a new pope, until age 80.

Any thoughts?

Comments

"US Catholics Can Look Forward....", do what?

Look forward to what? It is business as usual with Benedict: Levada leaves San Francisco and he gets replaced with someone even more questionable. Let us come to the realization that things will only get worse before they get better on this front and maybe the pain might not as bad.

I remember hearing that back in the days Mahony had a lot of influence as to who became a bishop in the West Coast. If is true that he does not have that same amount of influence, has anyone noticed a difference on the quality of new bishops being appointed?

Fernando

[Hammerbrecher]

Yeah, I wish he would start really pulling the trigger on some solid guys...

[Central Valley Catholic]

Bishop may retire early due to health or other reasons. Bishop Ryan asked to retire early but his retiremnet was now accepted until recently.
Perhaps the lawsuits and scandals will force Mahoney out. Scandals breweing in Fresno could mean an early retirement there. The auxilary in San Diego is a good man and should be elevated to fill the void in California. Now that we have an avowed baby killer as the speaker of the US house, lets see if one California bishop will raise his voice to her. Don't hold your breath with the current group.

[A Simple Sinner]

Raise a voice to Nancy?

It won't happen.

I expect to see her at Catholic events in California as a guest of CA bishops on a regular basis.

Oh, and she will be taking communion publicly from those same bishops.

Frankly, if I were a Catholic in California, I would move.

I would move from the US.