Rorate Caeli

Roman Curia: nominations and confirmations

Pope Francis changed a few names and confirmed most others in the Roman Curia:

-Apostolic Penitentiary: Card. Piacenza (up to now Prefect of Clergy), in the place of Card. Monteiro de Castro, now retired.

-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Abp. Müller confirmed as Prefect, and Abp. Ladaria Ferrer confirmed as Secretary; Abp. Di Noia, who had been up to now Vice-President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, has been named Adjunct Secretary. Bp. Giuseppe Sciacca has been named as a consultant of the Congregation.

-Evangelization of Peoples (Propaganda Fidei): all members confirmed.

-Clergy: Abp. Beniamino Stella, up to now president of the Academia Ecclesiastica, named in the place of Card. Piacenza; Abp. Iruzubieta confirmed as Secretary; Mexican Abp. Jorge Carlos Patrón Wong named for a new position, Secretary for the Seminaries.

-Synod of Bishops: Abp. Lorenzo Baldisseri named as General Secretary.

-Now Abp. Giampero Gloder has been named Pres. of the Academia Ecclesiastica.

(Source: in Italian)

Cardinal Piacenza, 69, the most dedicated Prefect of Clergy since Card. Castrillón Hoyos - and who fought for and got the competence over Seminaries as part of the general competence of his Congregation - is moved to the mostly ineffectual position of Penitentiary. Spanish daily El Mundo, quoted by blogger Francisco de la Cigoña (one of the most popular in the Spanish-speaking Catholic world), implied yesterday that the replacement of Piacenza would signal an open season against "Conservatives" in the Curia by the new dominant "Progressives".  That seems to be a reasonable view.

For the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the structure goes back to normal, with just the President (the Prefect of CDF) and the Secretary (once again, since August, Abp. Pozzo), with the transferral of former Vice-President Abp. Di Noia.