January 05, 2006

Cleveland bishop contacts Vatican about retirement

CLEVELAND (OH)
Ohio News Network

CLEVELAND -- The city's Roman Catholic bishop, who will celebrate 25 years in that post on Friday, has asked the Vatican to consider appointing his replacement.

Bishop Anthony Pilla declined to reveal the reasons for his retirement request, saying a letter he had written to the Vatican was private.

The date of his retirement is at the discretion of the Vatican, said Pilla, who is awaiting a response from Pope Benedict XVI and his staff. ...

He has spent the past few years dealing with the clergy sex-abuse scandal and coping with health problems. Pilla had a quadruple bypass operation in November 1997, then was diagnosed the next month with a life-threatening staph infection. He also had prostate surgery in fall 1999.

Posted by kshaw at January 5, 2006 08:14 AM