Schönborn Succession: Possible Delay in Decision
The decision on who will succeed Archbishop Christoph Schönborn in Vienna could be delayed. According to APA information, a candidate may have already declined the position. According to the "Kleine Zeitung", the three candidates proposed by the Nunciature in Austria were Hermann Glettler, the Diocesan Bishop of Innsbruck who is celebrating his 60th birthday today, former Caritas President Michael Landau, and Bernhard Eckerstorfer, the Rector of the Pontifical Athenaeum College in Rome.
Appointment of Bishops is Solely Done by the Pope
The appointment of bishops is solely done by the Pope. Prior to this, the Nuncio - the official ambassador of the Vatican in the country - must present a shortlist of three candidates to the Holy See. A specific congregation in the Vatican is responsible for the selection and assessment of the bishop candidates. They also propose the bishops, who are then usually appointed by the Pope. The appointment is then announced in the papal "Bollettino".
The Bishop's Congregation usually meets once a month. In church circles, the decision on Schönborn's successor is expected in early January. Schönborn had already reached the age limit for bishops of 75 years in early 2020 and offered his resignation to Pope Francis at that time. However, the head of the church did not accept this. Now, the final resignation is expected around Schönborn's 80th birthday at the end of January 2025, a farewell service is already fixed.
What has now become of the Nunciature's shortlist remains a secret. In church circles, it is said that at least one candidate should not be available. In addition, the new Archbishop should ideally have experience in a diocese, which would speak for Glettler. The media-savvy Eckerstorfer, on the other hand, would bring a lot of charisma to the office. It is rather unlikely that the new Archbishop could be appointed Cardinal anytime soon.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.