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By PETER STEINFELS
NY Times
Anyone trying to gauge the character of the papacy of Benedict XVI should look carefully at his appointment of Archbishop William J. Levada of San Francisco as head of the watchdog Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The appointment was amply reported. It was even celebrated. This was, after all, the highest position any American has ever held in the Vatican, the one that the pope himself held before his election.
But probing into what the appointment might mean has been limited, and since this is a fresh decision made by Benedict in his new capacity rather than leftover business from his former role as a Vatican official, its significance should not be underestimated.
To be sure, there is speculation that Benedict may try to continue in his old role of keeping close watch over Roman Catholic doctrine, just as some American presidents want to be their own secretaries of state. No matter. Archbishop Levada - who will probably be raised to Cardinal Levada within the year - will inevitably be a major force in the new papacy.
The archbishop is naturally a theological conservative. Did anyone expect the new pope to appoint Hans Kung? But the Archbishop Levada soon headed to Rome (he will turn 69 on June 15) is a rather different person from the 46-year-old Monsignor Levada who returned from Rome in 1982 after six years of working for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - including one year under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict.
For two years, Monsignor Levada directed the office of the California conference of bishops in Sacramento, learning about the give-and-take of state politics and the details of dealing with government agencies.
Then, after two years as an auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles, he served nine years as archbishop of Portland, Ore., followed by a decade leading the church in San Francisco. Archbishop Levada has never lost his concern for theological ideas.
Full article
NY Times
Anyone trying to gauge the character of the papacy of Benedict XVI should look carefully at his appointment of Archbishop William J. Levada of San Francisco as head of the watchdog Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The appointment was amply reported. It was even celebrated. This was, after all, the highest position any American has ever held in the Vatican, the one that the pope himself held before his election.
But probing into what the appointment might mean has been limited, and since this is a fresh decision made by Benedict in his new capacity rather than leftover business from his former role as a Vatican official, its significance should not be underestimated.
To be sure, there is speculation that Benedict may try to continue in his old role of keeping close watch over Roman Catholic doctrine, just as some American presidents want to be their own secretaries of state. No matter. Archbishop Levada - who will probably be raised to Cardinal Levada within the year - will inevitably be a major force in the new papacy.
The archbishop is naturally a theological conservative. Did anyone expect the new pope to appoint Hans Kung? But the Archbishop Levada soon headed to Rome (he will turn 69 on June 15) is a rather different person from the 46-year-old Monsignor Levada who returned from Rome in 1982 after six years of working for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - including one year under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict.
For two years, Monsignor Levada directed the office of the California conference of bishops in Sacramento, learning about the give-and-take of state politics and the details of dealing with government agencies.
Then, after two years as an auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles, he served nine years as archbishop of Portland, Ore., followed by a decade leading the church in San Francisco. Archbishop Levada has never lost his concern for theological ideas.
Full article