U.S. archbishop reportedly considered for top Vatican doctrinal post

Published: 2005-05-11

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As Pope Benedict XVI considered who to name as his replacement to head the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, San Francisco Archbishop William J. Levada's name was bandied about as a primary candidate. RAI, Italian state television, reported May 9 that Archbishop Levada's appointment to the congregation was imminent. Other news media also speculated on the appointment. On May 3, Archbishop Levada became one of the first residential bishops to be granted an audience with Pope Benedict. When told by Catholic News Service that his name was being thrown around to head the doctrinal congregation, the archbishop replied lightly, "There are a lot of names being thrown around." The following day, the San Francisco Chronicle reported the pope was considering Archbishop Levada for the doctrinal position. On May 10, Time magazine cited a "senior Vatican official" as saying, "It's a done deal."

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