Next NY Archbishop Speculation Boils, USA Today, February 13, 2009

Next N.Y. Archbishop? Speculation Boils

USA Today
February 13, 2009

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/religion/post/2009/02/62786587/1?csp=34

Years ago, political experts would discern power shifts in China by reading clues in wall posters.

Something like that is going on in Catholic circles of Manhattan now. There's a frenzy of speculation on who will become the next Archbishop of New York -- the post Vaticanista-in-Philadelphia Rocco Palmo calls "the Big One" at his blog-for-Catholic-Church-obsessives, Whispers in the Loggia.

Five weeks ago, when the pope named a new archbishop of Detroit, USA TODAY ran down a list of top names on the rumor list for the spot. The New York Times played out the speculation last week (same names in play). This week, the current Archbishop, Cardinal Edward Egan, told Catholic New York that word could come "any day now," that he should pack his beloved piano and head for his retirement home.

Now, Palmo writes:

Credible reports indicate that Benedict XVI's intended nominee has received notice of his selection for the New York post, and has accepted the appointment.

Similarly, a separate, widely-circulated nugget -- traceable to a very high authority -- relates that said choice is: 1. proficient in Spanish (a seeming pre-requisite for what's now a majority-Latino local church), 2. enjoys a reputation as a "conciliator," and 3. is proven to be "good with priests" (the latter two a reflection of Concern #1 for the Big Apple nod).

Each of the names that National Catholic Reporter columnist John Allen, another Vatican-watching veteran, mentioned to me hits at least one of Palmo's qualifications. They include two who are close to Manhattan, Archbishop John Myers of Newark and Bishop of Bridgeport William Lori, as well as three who are from further afield:

•Archbishop of Military Services Timothy Broglio, who has a track record in the Vatican secretary of State's office including serving as a papal nuncio (Vatican ambassador) to the Dominican Republic. Dominicans are a leading minority group in New York.

•Archbishop of Milwaukee Timothy Dolan, a former rector of the North American College in Rome, the Catholic Church's elite seminary for U.S. priests. "He's not a visionary but he lights up a room, he's adept at communications and he's good with priests and seminarians," says Allen.

•Archbishop of Atlanta Wilton Gregory, former president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "who earned enormous respect for his leadership" during the most explosive years of the clergy sexual abuse scandal, says Allen. If named, Gregory would be the first black archbishop of New York.

But the trouble with rumors is that Pope Benedict XVI can surprise people. Do you think he's got the same list of concerns and qualifications for the next major voice for the U.S. Church? What if he thinks the essential quality is a pastoral personality, such as Egan's predecessor, Cardinal John O'Connor? Or does Benedict want to build on the administrative and financial order Egan stressed?

Shall we join the vaticanistas in reading tea leaves? Whom would you pick?