The region’s troubled Roman Catholic flock has a new shepherd.
Cardinal Justin Rigali is out; Archbishop Charles Chaput is in.
What does this mean for Philadelphia-area Catholics, who have watched as the church has been dragged down into a morass of ugly headlines concerning sexual abuse by priests?
Well, it’s a new start, which the church desperately needed. Cardinal Rigali had reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 and had submitted his resignation to the Vatican. Still, it was not expected that his resignation would be accepted that soon.
It’s still a good thing. The archdiocese needed a new face at the helm.
Someone from outside the region who can now review the situation and decide what changes to make.
And make no mistake, change is likely coming. Chaput was not brought here to follow in the footsteps of Rigali, who a grand jury criticized bitterly for covering up the actions of predator priests.
That does not necessarily mean that advocates of change and for victims of abuse will like what they get in Chaput. He has a reputation in Denver of being a staunch conservative.
He has a huge task ahead of him. We can only wish him luck.
Here’s our editorial on the change of power in the Philadelphia Catholic Church.
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