Possible Successor to Pope Gets Key Job
VATICAN CITY--Pope John Paul II assigned Cardinal Francis Arinze to a key post with authority over liturgy this week in a reshuffle of the Vatican Curia.
The Vatican announced that John Paul has named the Nigerian-born Arinze, 69, to serve as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Arinze has been mentioned frequently as a possible successor to John Paul, and the new post could be seen as enhancing his qualifications.
As prefect, Arinze will rule on questions dealing with the sacraments and other elements of the liturgy and will oversee committees that consider nullifying or granting dispensations from the ordinations of deacons and priests. Arinze replaced Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez of Chile, who has passed the retirement age of 75.
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