The nation’s 273 active Roman Catholic bishops have nominated a 10-candidate field that includes Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan and two cardinals for election as president and vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The incumbent vice president – in this case, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash. – traditionally is elected president.
However, selecting a new vice president is another matter. Even though Dolan, 54, has been a bishop only since 2001 and archbishop here for just two years, his potential to be elected vice president of the conference when it meets next month in Washington, D.C., cannot be ruled out.
"He’s got as good a chance as any of them," said Father Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuit weekly magazine America and author of the book "Archbishop: Inside the Power Structure of the American Catholic Church."
"He’s well respected by the bishops," Reese said. "The more I think about it, the more I think Dolan has a good chance." [Source]
I heard the good Bishop speak once before and posted on it. From everything that I have read and seen Archbishop Dolan would be an excellent choice.
1 comment
Dolan does have a good shot. Especially because people think of him as a ‘moderate’ when he’s not. He’s right-on and orthodox.
Some others on there are good too, though. Rigali, George, Chaput, Wuerl, etc.
Only one or two who I’d rather not see get elected, and those don’t have much of a shot either way.
Oh, and, despite appearances, I might not count Skylstad as a shoe-in for #1.