Who will reach the top echelons of the Roman Catholic Church now that many aging priests are due for retirement?
Both the archbishop of Santo Domingo and Santiago, Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez and Monsignor Ramon de la Rosa y Carpio have reached the 75-year retirement age for the Roman Catholic Church. Today’s edition of El Dia, Monday 22 September 2014, comments on who may be in and who may be out.
The Vatican establishes that upon reaching the age of 75, a bishop needs to present a letter of resignation, but it is up to the Pope when this is accepted. Until it is accepted the priest will remain in his post, which has occurred in many cases, including that of Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Rodriguez himself.
Other bishops who are over 75 are Monsignor Antonio Camilo Gonzalez, La Vega (76), Monsignor Rafael Leonidas Felipe Nunez, Barahona (76), Monsignor Julio Cesar Corniel Amaro, Puerto Plata (75) and Monsignor Amancio Escapa (76), Auxiliary Bishop of Santo Domingo.
PUCMM University rector, Monsignor Agripino Antonio Nunez Collado, is also due for retirement. He is 81 years old.
Bishops who are 72 years old are Mons. Valentin Reynoso Hidalgo, auxiliary bishop of Santiago, Monsignor Fausto R. Mejia, bishop of San Francisco de Macoris who will be 74 this December, Monsignor Gregorio Nicanor Pena, Bishop of La Altagacia, who is 72, and Monsignor Jose Dolores Grullon Estrella, bishop of San Juan de la Maguana who will be 72 years old.
The “youngsters” in the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic are bishops Monsignor Francisco Ozoria Acosta, who will be 63 in October 2014, Monsignor Freddy Antonio Breton Martinez, Bishop of Bani who is 67, Monsignor Espinal de Leon, Bishop of Mao-Montecristi who is 65, and Monsignor Victor Masalles Pere, who is 53 and is auxiliary bishop in Santo Domingo.
The report by journalist Jose Monegro says that the Roman Catholic Church plans to create three more dioceses: one for Espaillat (Moca) and Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), another for Samana, and a third for eastern Santo Domingo.
In the report Monegro speculates that other candidates for monsignor and bishop posts could include Benito Angeles, a former rector of the Universidad Tecnologica del Cibao who is now the communications director for the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. Another candidate is priest Francisco Jimenez, rector of the Santo Tomas de Aquino seminary, and Carmelo Santana, secretary general of the Conference of the Dominican Episcopate. Abraham Apolinario of the Santo Cura de Ars in Capotillo parish, and the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, Gerardo Ramirez Paniagua are also on the list.
The reporter mentions two priests who are working at the Vatican n Fr. Rafael Rodriguez and Fr. Jose Pastor Ramirez could also be promoted to bishop posts in the Dominican Republic.
Last year the Roman Catholic Church announced the retirement of Pablo Cedano at the age of 77. Cedano made headlines for his strong opposition to the appointment of US Ambassador James Brewster, a prominent gay rights activist.