Age, experience and the current archbishop all stand in the way.
Dolan is one of five potential candidates.,”
Although Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan is rumored as one of the candidates to be the next archbishop of New York, the nomination faces many obstacles.
Age, experience and the current archbishop all stand in the way.
Dolan is one of five potential candidates. The others are U.S. armed forces Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio in Brooklyn, Archbishop John J. Myers in Newark, N.J. and Archbishop Henry J. Mansell in Hartford, Conn., according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Currently there is no indication of preference from the Vatican, which will select the next archbishop.
The possibility of Dolan becoming archbishop of New York is still remote at this point.
"To speculate is not appropriate while Cardinal Egan continues to serve the people of New York and it is not something we are going to do," said Kathleen Hohl, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
According to William Thorn, professor of journalism and a former chair for a Vatican committee on communication, it is unlikely that Archbishop Dolan would become archbishop of New York.
"There is no indication that Egan is leaving," he said.
Cardinal Edward M. Egan, current archbishop of New York, will reach the retirement age of 75 on April 2.
At age 75, bishops must submit their letter of resignation to the Vatican, but the pope does not have to accept the letter, Thorn said.
Usually, bishops stay until they reach 80 or their health fails, he said.
Dolan, 57, is also unlikely because he is relatively young.
"Usually bishops are in their mid-60s and they have been in a couple of dioceses before they become cardinal," Thorn said.
According to John Gehring, spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the pope names bishops and cardinals. After receiving recommendations and consultations from the apostolic nuncio to the U.S. The apostolic nuncio is the pope's representative to the U.S. on ecclesial and governmental matters.
The USCCB does not play a role in appointing bishops but serves them after they are appointed, Gehring wrote in an e-mail.
According to the Rev. Joseph Mueller, assistant professor of theology, if Dolan becomes archbishop of New York, it is likely he will become a cardinal.
"Archbishops are chiefs of a local church, and cardinals are advisors and electors of the pope," Mueller said. "Because the Archdiocese of New York is so large and important, their archbishops are traditionally elected cardinal."
According to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Web site, Dolan was ordained a priest in 1976. In 1987, Dolan was appointed to a five-year term as secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington. He was appointed rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome in 1994 and served there until 2001. That year, Dolan was named as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis. In 2002, Dolan was appointed Archbishop of Milwaukee by Pope John Paul II.
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