This is the traditional season in Rome for speculation about retirements and appoints to curial offices.
So this comes from Vatican Radio:
(28 Jun 10 – RV) Pope Benedict announced the creation of a New Pontifical Council dedicated to the New Evangelization on Monday evening, during the Vespers service marking the vigil of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
[…]He said he wanted to give the new Pontifical Council the task of promoting a renewed evangelization in countries with deep Christian roots which are now experiencing a sense of the “eclipse of God”, and becoming increasingly secularized.
He said this situation presents a challenge in finding the appropriate means in which to revive the perennial truth of the Gospel of Christ.
[…]
Who will take charge of the brand new Pontifical Council for "New Evangelization"?
I am sure this question is causing you to lose sleep at night.
Also, we don’t really know what this new office will be called officially…. but it will aim at getting God back into the public square (which is what I thought all the other curia offices were about too…).
I suspect that by midweek we will have more answers, now that the Pope made this announcement on Monday, St. Peter and Paul is on Tuesday. So… what, Wednesday?
By the way, Archbishop Rino Fisichella the embattled President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, will probably get the nod.
Who will take Fisichella’s place as Rector of the Lateran University?
Another question I am sure that is helping you burn the midnight oil.
For that role, some are suggesting Fr. Enrico dal Covalo, who did the last papal retreat, who has probably been a ghost writer of some of the Holy Father’s Wednesday audiences on the Fathers (dal Covalo did a three volume Patrology set), and who is of course also an SDB… or Salesian. The best thing to be right now for promotion in Rome is a Salesian. In Rome curial wags say that SDB means "Socio di Bertone", rather than "Società di Don Bosco".
These questions might not seem terribly pressing, but do consider that what goes on in the City itself does have an effect on the whole Church.
