Archbishop Burke named by Benedict to head Apostolic Signatura

This has been rumored for a few days now. From the International Herald Tribune:

Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis, a church law expert known for his tough stance that politicians who support abortion rights be denied Holy Communion, was named Friday to head the Vatican's supreme court.

Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of the American prelate was part of a small shuffle; the previous head of the court, Italian Cardinal Agostino Vallini, was named as the pontiff's assistant for the diocese of Rome.

Vallini replaces Cardinal Camillo Ruini, a powerful figure in the Italian church over the past 17 years, as the pope's vicar for Rome. Ruini is retiring.

Burke, who will move to Rome, will head the Apostolic Signatura — as the supreme court is called.

The court resolves jurisdictional disputes among various Vatican tribunals and hears procedural appeals from the Rota, which reviews marriage annulments.

Dr. Ed Peters has some remarks on the appointment on "In the Light of the Law" blog.

Whispers in the Loggia notes that Archbishop Burke is the first European non-European to head the Apostolic Signatura:

The first non-European named to head the historic tribunal, which dates from the 15th century, the archbishop's appointment to the prestigious post -- which, in keeping with tradition, will see Burke receive the cardinal's red hat at the next consistory -- is recognition of the top-shelf canonist's legal chops, but also serves to reflect the dominance of Signatura's docket by cases from the English-speaking world. On the more practical side, the return to the Vatican's top tribunal of the first US cleric to hold a senior post within its ranks -- the second consecutive instance of an archbishop of the onetime "Rome of the West" being called out of town to a cardinalatial post -- removes the American bishop most affiliated with the so-called "Communion Wars" from the domestic fray in advance of another presidential election season.

And, as you would expect, the Saint Louis Catholic blog has a lot of information.

Comments

[Mark Brumley]

Good for the Signatura, good for the Church universal, bad for St. Louis, unless his successor is just as good. Not an easy thing, that.

[Ed Peters]

You know who might make a good successor? Bp. Paul Zipfel. A St. Louis native, knows the presbyterate inside and out, was an auxilary there before going to Bismark, orthodox (of course), liturgically wise, loving heart, and a professional magician who could make quarters appear when the ice cream van rolled by, and who heard my first confession lo these many years ago at Ascension Parish. What's not to like?

[Ed Peters]

I just know I'm gonna some nasty notes from Bismarkians for even suggesting it. :)

[Mark Brumley]

Good pick.

[Ed Peters]

Oh, you'd say that about ANYBODY who makes quarters appear when the ice cream van rolls by.

[Marcel LeJeune]

We need to get another Texan into the mid-west.

[Louis]

Zipfel is too close to retirement age to be a likely candidate.

[Ed Peters]

He is close, or closish, I grant. Still, the Holy See is leaving guys in place much longer than usual. Part of the Bishop Crunch I predicted in HPR about 10 years ago.

[Richard]

Hello Mr. Peters,

Interesting what you say about Zipfel. I had forgotten about him. "liturgically wise" - this sounds promising. I'd love to learn more.

What of Perry or Finn as possibilities? Obvious Finn is young enough, orthodox enough, and knows the diocese - but he has been in KC for only a short time. And Lord knows KC needs him as badly as St. Louis might.

[Straight Talk Express]

+Dolan is a shoo-in for St. Louis, unless +Burke picks his successor. This is only a good move if Burke is made a cardinal. The chances of that happening are quite good, but the orthodox bishops of America are losing their fearless leader. Who will step up to replace him?