Long predicted by the ever-present vaticanisti, Angelo Cardinal Scola, until now the Patriarch (archbishop) of Venice, is nominated to be the archbishop of Milan. Cardinal Scola replaces Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, 77, who has served Milan since 2002 and who celebrates 54 years of priesthood today, in fact.Two former 20th century archbishops of Milan have been elected Pope: Achille Ratti and Giusseppi Montini; and one 20th century predecessor is a beatus of the same See: Ildelfonso Schuster, OSB. But we can also say that Pope Paul VI is a Servant of God. Of course, Scola becomes the successor to the great Saint Ambrose and Saint Charles Borromeo!
The Archdiocese of Milan has been in existence since the 1st century and is said to be the largest diocese in the world with more than 4.88 million faithful of 5.29 inhabitants (as of 2009) in 1625 square miles with more than 1100 parishes and nearly 3000 priests. There are 5 auxiliary bishops in the archdiocese; there are 9 suffragan Sees. Milan also just had three of her children beatified: Sister Enrichetta Alfieri (1891-1951), Fathers Serafino Morazzone (1747-1822) and Clemente Vismara (1897-1988) on the 26th.
Scola's biography is widely accomplished ... The new Ambrosian archbishop has been a priest for 41 years, a bishop for nearly 20 and a cardinal for almost 8. His titular Church in Rome --one of my favorites and the one where Pope Clement the XIV is buried-- is the Church of the Twelve Apostles.
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