California Catholic Daily

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Published: April 13, 2009

“Significant opportunity to reshape the American church”

Half of California’s bishops near mandatory retirement age

With six of the state’s twelve bishops over 70 and the Church’s mandatory retirement age of 75, looming episcopal appointments by the Holy Father could change the face of Catholicism in California.

In a story published April 5, the Los Angeles Times reported, “With Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony prominently among them, many of the nation's senior Roman Catholic bishops are nearing mandatory retirement, offering the Vatican a significant opportunity to reshape the American church… Nationwide, the retirements will provide Pope Benedict XVI a chance to put his stamp on a church that is struggling to serve growing ranks of immigrants and recover from clergy sexual abuse scandals. Nearly one-third of 265 active U.S. bishops must submit letters of resignation to the pope within five years because they will have reached the mandatory retirement age of 75. More than half the bishops will reach the milestone within 10 years.”

While the Times’ story reported on the national scope of the pope’s “chance to put his stamp” on the episcopate, that observation has particular significance in California. Cardinal Mahony turned 73 on Feb. 27, and five other of the state’s bishops will turn 71 or older this year.

On June 14, San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer will celebrate his 73rd birthday, and on Nov. 15, Bishop Tod Brown of the Diocese of Orange will be 73 years old.

Bishops who will turn 72 this year include Fresno Bishop John Steinbock, whose birthday is July 16, and Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel Walsh, who was born Oct. 2, 1937. San Diego Bishop Robert Brom turns 71 on Sept. 13.

Also nearing mandatory retirement age is former San Francisco archbishop Cardinal William J. Levada, currently serving as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. Cardinal Levada turns 73 on June 15.

“Most of the retiring bishops will probably remain on the job for a year or more after their 75th birthdays while successors are found,” said the Times. “The pope ultimately decides when to accept the resignations.”

Citing “church scholars,” the Times report said the retirement of so many high-ranking bishops at nearly the same time represents “a coincidence as well as a rarity” that will “open the door to a new generation of leaders unencumbered by the U.S. Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis, which has led to more than $2 billion in legal settlements.”

Others, however, see beyond the sexual abuse issue and consider the impending retirements as a chance for the pope to do something much more important for the Church: steer it in a more orthodox direction. Says the conservative L.A. Catholic blogsite, “So let's pray that the Pope names truly orthodox, truly pro-Latin Mass and truly anti-abortion successors to all the cardinals, archbishops and bishops who will retire in the next few years.”

Added one commenter on the same site, “And may the Lord grant Pope Benedict XVI good health and long life!”

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