Bishop retirements present opportunities

LOS ANGELES, April 5 (UPI) -- The Vatican will have a big opportunity to reshape the U.S. Catholic Church with the looming retirements of many bishops, observers say.

The opening of so many top positions could be used to help erase the trauma of priest sexual abuse that has plagued the church in recent years and to better connect with the growing numbers of immigrant church-goers, the Los Angeles Times reported.

One example could be the country's largest archdiocese in Los Angeles, where the pending retirement of Cardinal Roger Mahony, 73, could result in the appointment of the first U.S. Latino cardinal. The Times quoted church observers as saying three Latinos, two from California, are being considered as possible successors to Mahony.

Other influential Catholic prelates reportedly nearing retirements or resignations include Chicago Cardinal Francis George, 72, and Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali, 73, who is a member of the Vatican body that recommends bishop candidates to the pope.

"So much of that fresh start depends on how the successor handles the problems" in each diocese, Rev. Anthony Pogorelc, a sociologist of religion at the Catholic University of America, told the Times. "It will depend on transparency."