Pope places possible successor in Milan

Christian Century, July 31, 2002

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop of Genoa for seven years, has been named by Pope John Paul II as the archbishop of Milan, a powerful post which served twice in the last 80 years as the launching pad for a future pontiff. Tettamanzi, 68, already was considered a possible successor to the 82-year-old John Paul. His new post will help to consolidate his standing as a top Italian candidate to take the reins of the Catholic Church.

In Milan, Tettamanzi will succeed Jesuit scholar Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, 75, as head of Europe's largest diocese (nearly 4.8 million Catholics). A moral theologian, Tettamanzi is said to have worked on John Paul's encyclicals Veritatis Splendor in 1993 and Evangelium Vitae in 1995; he also published an on-line book on bioethics.

Tettamanzi, like John Paul, is known for his social commitment. During the G-8 Summit in Genoa last July, he gave strong vocal support to antiglobalization demonstrators, declaring that "a single African child sick with AIDS counts more than the entire universe." On doctrinal issues, he is considered highly orthodox. He serves on the board of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.--RNS