Another Troubling Appointment By Pope Leo
Pope Leo XIV’s decision to appoint Archbishop Vittorio Francesco Viola as Archpriest of St Peter’s Basilica will understandably unsettle Catholics attached to the traditional Roman liturgy. A prelate closely associated with the restrictions of the Francis pontificate now assumes responsibility for the basilica to which those Catholics make pilgrimage precisely to express their communion with Peter. His departure from Divine Worship creates an opportunity for change, but his arrival at St Peter’s offers little immediate reassurance.
The appointment, announced on 10 October, places Viola in the three offices previously held by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti: Archpriest of St Peter’s, Vicar General for Vatican City and President of the Fabric of St Peter. Bishop Aurelio García Macías, previously undersecretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, succeeds him as secretary. These are substantial responsibilities, and …