Sic transit gloria mundi?

If anyone is doubting the decline of His Eminence, Cardinal Mahony's influence
in Rome this should put the tin lid on it. In his blog this morning, Fr. Sibley cites the following notice from the Vatican website:


"NOMINA DI AUSILIARE DI LOS ANGELES (U.S.A.)


Il Santo Padre ha nominato Ausiliare dell’arcidiocesi di Los Angeles (U.S.A.) il Rev.do Sacerdote Oscar Azarcon Solis, del clero della diocesi di Houma-Thibodaux, finora Parroco della "Saint Joseph Co-Cathedral Parish" a Thibodaux, assegnandogli la sede titolare vescovile di Urci."

The rest of the article is here but it is likewise in Italian.


In sum, it says that the new auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is a native of the Philippines, worked in New Jersey and is now incardinated in the diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana. So far as is evident from the article, he's never even been to California, never mind the Archdiocese. His eminence apparently had no influence in Oakland - the new incumbent is from Detroit - no influence in Phoenix, part of his Metropolia - the new bishop is from Wichita - and now he seems to have had no say in who is to be auxiliary in his own archdiocese. This is nothing short of astonishing.

[The comments are, needless to say, mine and certainly not attributable to Fr. Sibley.]