Catholic Ragemonkey

It's Like Texas No Limit Hold'em and The Holy Spirit Has All The Chips

I seem to recall a similar situation developed the first year of this blog. I can't recall how many dioceses there are in the U.S., but for sake of simpler math, let's just say there's a hundred. So that means in 2006, about 25% of the Catholics in the U.S. will have a new bishop. (There are several auxiliaries as well as Vaticani who are retirement age, so they don't upset the mix so much.)

Further, it is fascinating to see the distribution. By my figures the breakdown is:

Northeast - 7 of 28
South - 4 of 28
Upper Midwest - 4 of 28
Southwest - 4 (all four are replacements for men in Texas.)
Midwest - 4
West - 1
Vaticani - 2

Also a couple of the northeast changes are for Eastern Rite Eparchies so that is of note as well. In short, I always look at these moments with a smile because it shows how well God's plan works. Change comes when change is needed most.

To those who will grouse because they are not pleased with the key placements thus far, I would submit to you the example of St. Charles Borromeo. Here was a guy who, by all accounts, should have gone the way of every other positioned bishop of his time -- yet he bucked the trend and selflessly gave himself to Christ. The same can happen to any man who is elevated to the seat of succession to the apostles. Probably what would be best is that we pray for the bishops who lead us, that they would have wisdom and grace to fulfill the mission Christ has entrusted to him.