This morning, the Pope appointed Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse, Wisconsin, to be archbishop of St. Louis, succeeding Cardinal Justin Rigali who took over in Philadelphia.
He has been a speaker at the Call to Holiness conference in Detroit, a superb gathering of orthodox Catholics. A few years ago, he was working to open a Cistercian monastery in La Crosse. When people were wondering who would replace Weakland in Milwaukee, Burke’s name was mentioned, but the analysts thought he was too conservative.
It all sounds very good. Looking at the Holy Father’s appointments over the last few years, I’m pretty pleased. A new generation of bishops is coming online, and it looks like the “hapless bench” is fading.
Considering how good the appointments have been lately, I don’t think you have to be too worried.
Actually, archbishops of St. Louis used to get the red hat, until Rigali. I forget which archdiocese got the red hat instead.