You may recall that on March 28th the NLM reported about a possible situation surrounding Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith and the prefecture of the CDW. The rumour was that, in what many saw as a rather surprising development, Archbishop Angelo Amato (present secretary to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) was to be appointed successor to this position rather than Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith -- who seemed to many to be the clearer choice.
Further to this matter, as was noted on several blogs yesterday, on Friday the Italian Journal Italia Oggi had a piece (see Rorate Caeli) which portrayed a "considerably angered" Ranjith and suggested that the appointment of Amato was "probable, if by now not yet certain..." The story in the Italian journal also suggests that Ranjith is back on his way to Sri Lanka as a result of this.
(It bears mentioning that there seems to be some evident sensationalizing in the Italia Oggi piece. The portrayal of Ranjith as one who is "considerably angered" and therefore leaving Rome in a fit of anger seems quite unlikely given the established character of Archbishop Ranjith and his evident loyalty and obedience to the Holy Father.)
An Important New Development
The NLM noted it would be watching this story, and while we have been silent since the original report, we have been watching quite keenly and there is a now an important development which we wish to bring to you; a development which challenges the rumour that Amato is imminently to be named Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and, by consequence, which also challenges all that it has implied with regard to Ranjith.
The original story was broken to the Catholic world by Italian journalist, Andrea Tornielli, a man well connected within Vatican circles. The NLM's Gregor Kollmorgen has been watching Tornielli's blog on this matter and picked up on the fact that Mr. Tornielli today updated and revised his original March 28th piece and has noted that Archbishop Angelo Amato is, in fact, not so likely to be made prefect of the CDW, but more likely Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, or the Congregation for Catholic Education.
Where does this leave Ranjith? That cannot yet be known, but it is certainly premature to suggest it will find him in Sri Lanka and not Prefect of Divine Worship. The conclusion to this story seems far from written.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
CDW: Amato in and Ranjith out? Maybe not. (Breaking news)
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