Monday, February 06, 2006

Consistories and rumours of consistories...

How long, o Lord, how long?
Rome is buzzing with rumours that the next consistory will be on the 25th of March next. The non-occurance of the widely expected announcement of a consistory for the 22nd of February (Feast of the Chair of St. Peter) has led many to speculate that His Holiness might wait until the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul (29th June). However, the Italian paper Il Giornale is saying that after almost a year of reflection and prayer, the Bavarian Pope will let loose his Curial Tsunami and unleash a tidal wave of 'Roman Purple' on the feast of the Annunciation. If this is so, we should expect an announcement within the next week or two.
Il Giornale quotes the Pope (shortly after his election) saying that he planned on moving slowly, 'because there are already plenty of Cardinals.' And who are to receive the famous red hats? Il Giornale offers the following suggestions:
Angelo Comastri - Archpriest of St Peter's and Vicar for the Vatican City
Agostino Vallini - Head of the Signatura (The Church's highest court)
William Leveda - Head of the CDF
Franc Rodè - Head of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
Paul Cordes - Head of the Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum'
Carlo Caffarra - Archbishop of Bologna (and close to Ratzinger)
André Vingt-Trois - Archbishop of Paris
Pierre Richard - Archbishop of Bordeaux
Stanislaw Dziwisz - Archbishop of Krakow
Sean O'Malley - Archbishop of Boston
Diarmuid Martin - Archbishop of Dublin
and amonst the over-80s...
Luigi De Magistris - former Apostolic Penitentiary

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