"Pope names top Franciscan in first Vatican appointment " AFP

"Pope Francis on Saturday appointed the leader of the main Franciscan order in his first nomination to the scandal-hit Vatican bureaucracy, the Holy See said in a statement, ahead of an expected overhaul of the administration. Spain's Jose Rodriguez Carballo, 59, will be number two at the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, which oversees all Catholic religious orders. The Vatican department is headed up by Brazilian cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz and is part of the Roman Curia -- the Catholic Church administration, which analysts say is badly in need of reform. Friar Carballo is minister general of the Order of Friars Minor, a post whose holder is regarded as the successor of founder St Francis of Assisi. "  AFP

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The prospects for a purge in the hierarchy and curia are strengthened by  this appointment.  The bureacratic "trick" of putting your man in as deputy to make sure your will is done is of long use.

This works well since it does not "spook" the cardinal in charge.

The next thing to look for is more of Francis's men placed in the congregations that deal with diocesan clergy and the ordinaries.  pl 

http://www.france24.com/en/20130406-pope-names-top-franciscan-first-vatican-appointment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%A3o_Braz_de_Aviz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Rodr%C3%ADguez_Carballo 

 

Comments

[Charles I]

Spooking explanation took the question right out of my mouth, obvious as it is. All these first statements and actions strike an utter outsider as very encouraging so I wish Pope Francis and your church all the best.

[Edward Amame]

This is an interesting appointment.

The US Conference of Bishops got what they wanted when the Vatican agreed to the 2012 crackdown on American nuns. Who knows? exactly what that deal was about, but the choice of Carballo instead of an American hard-liner for this post would seem to indicate the new Pope's decision to dial it back with the nuns a bit.

[Clifford Kiracofe]

Seems like a good choice. He has a number of YouTube interviews which are interesting.

I will move my St. Francis icon by New Mexico artist Lydia Garcia to the front hall today.
http://taos.org/women/profiles-artists?/item/89/Lydia-Garcia-Santera

[Tyler]

I wonder what this bodes for SPPX?

[Mike]

Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is the image that ssprings to mind.

[turcopolier]

mike

I don't know. I would agree that this the church's last big chance to regain public esteem and moral authority. I watn to see a purge of abbots and bishops. pl

[Herbert]

My image is of Abbots, Bishops, and curial officials "quaking in their slippers".

[Eliot]

I think Chaucer would approve.

[turcopolier]

Eliot

"Hold up thy tayl, thou Sathanas! quod he;`Shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere seWhere is the nest of freres in this place! With that the freres (friars) fly out Satan's ers (arse), swarm about the room and disappear back up his ers." The Summoners Tale

Is this what you have in mind? pl

[Stephanie]

Given the heat Benedict took for trying to bring the SSPX to their senses and back into full communion, I suspect that reconciliation is low on Francis’ to-do list. The Church has enough PR problems right now without redirecting public attention to a gaggle of anti-Semitic fruitcakes. They should have gone to Benedict on bended knee when they had the chance. He risked a lot for them and got nothing for his pains but bad publicity and a dent in his reputation.

[Clifford Kiracofe]

"VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis marked his first month as pope on Saturday by naming nine high-ranking prelates from around the globe to a permanent advisory group to help him run the Catholic Church and study a reform of the Vatican bureaucracy — a bombshell announcement that indicates he intends a major shift in how the papacy should function.

The panel includes only one current Vatican official; the rest are cardinals and a monsignor from Europe, Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australia — a clear indication that Francis wants to reflect the universal nature of the church in its governance and core decision-making, particularly given the church is growing and counts most of the world's Catholics in the southern hemisphere.....

The members of the panel include Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Vatican city state administration — a key position that runs the actual functioning of the Vatican, including its profit-making museums. The non-Vatican officials include Cardinals Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, the retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile; Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai, India; Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany; Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, archbishop of Kinshasa, Congo; Sean Patrick O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston; George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia; and Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Monsignor Marcello Semeraro, bishop of Albano, will be secretary while Maradiaga will serve as the group coordinator."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jhsDgolIlJctj6lXX4SEuEpBtVsw?docId=90636c17a64f4c49956611828a7a8983

[William R. Cumming]

I am not Catholic but believing as I do the POPE does have his legions please continue over time analysis of how this POPE is performing his role!

I have long hoped for a condemnation of violence against innocents as the true hallmark of any religion.