Rinunce e nomine
Most days I take a look at the Vatican Bollettino which gives news of "Rinunce e nomine" (resignations and appointments), forthcoming press conferences, a list of who has been given an audience, and the text of addresses by the Holy Father. It usually goes out around midday Italian time so 11am-ish for us in England. It is not often exciting: I don't usually know anything about the people who have resigned or been given office, although it is always of interest to read the potted biography of a new Bishop who has been appointed.
Today, the Rinunce e nomine is rather more spectacular than usual. First, the widely-rumoured appointment of Archbishop Ranjith to the Diocese of Colombo has been announced. I had the pleasure of meeting His Grace once or twice and found him to be a man of unfailing courtesy and humility; as we know from his many public statements bearing on controversial liturgical matters, these qualities are coupled with courage and an absence of careerism. I am sure he will be warmly welcomed back to his native Sri Lanka but it is sad for the rest of us that he should be leaving the Congregation for Divine Worship.
Archbishop Ranjith is replaced as Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship by Fr Joseph Augustine Di Noia OP, who is raised to the dignity of Archbishop. Until now Fr Di Noia has been under-secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He was born in New York in 1943 and ordained to the priesthood in 1970. He will be titular Archbishop of Oregon. I don't know much about Fr Di Noia but found this good interview given by him to Zenit on the film "The Passion of the Christ."
UPDATE: a couple of quotes from the CNS report (H/T NLM)
Today, the Rinunce e nomine is rather more spectacular than usual. First, the widely-rumoured appointment of Archbishop Ranjith to the Diocese of Colombo has been announced. I had the pleasure of meeting His Grace once or twice and found him to be a man of unfailing courtesy and humility; as we know from his many public statements bearing on controversial liturgical matters, these qualities are coupled with courage and an absence of careerism. I am sure he will be warmly welcomed back to his native Sri Lanka but it is sad for the rest of us that he should be leaving the Congregation for Divine Worship.
Archbishop Ranjith is replaced as Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship by Fr Joseph Augustine Di Noia OP, who is raised to the dignity of Archbishop. Until now Fr Di Noia has been under-secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He was born in New York in 1943 and ordained to the priesthood in 1970. He will be titular Archbishop of Oregon. I don't know much about Fr Di Noia but found this good interview given by him to Zenit on the film "The Passion of the Christ."
UPDATE: a couple of quotes from the CNS report (H/T NLM)
"I think the liturgy should give us a sense of the heavenly liturgy; it's about God, not us," he saidAs if that wasn't enough for today, the Holy Father has appointed Fr Teemu Sippo SCI (Sacred Heart Fathers - "Dehonians"), a native of Finland, as the new Archbishop of Helsinki. I expect there will be some news in due course on the Summorum blog - for which most of us will have to use google translate!
[...]
Looking at liturgy today, Archbishop-designate DiNoia said, "The great danger is when the focus is on the celebrating community" rather than on God.