Retirement frenzy in 2003? (News).WASHINGTON -- Active U.S. bishops are breaking records this year as 35 of them turn 75 or older, making them eligible to retire. Last year only 27 bishops were at or above retirement age, and in 2001 just 17 were past the milestone, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Catholic News Service. The policy of asking bishops to submit their resignations when they turn 75 grew out of Vatican II Noun 1. Vatican II - the Vatican Council in 1962-1965 that abandoned the universal Latin liturgy and acknowledged ecumenism and made other reforms Second Vatican Council Vatican Council - each of two councils of the Roman Catholic Church and was instituted by Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (Latin: Paulus PP. VI; Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (September 26, 1897 – August 6, 1978), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. in 1966. The policy was incorporated into general church law for the Latin rite church in 1983. The pope may refuse a bishop's resignation or delay accepting it. While Pope Paul rarely kept bishops in their positions after reaching retirement age, Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP. II, Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan Paweł II) born Karol Józef Wojtyła has made a practice of keeping them on. Of the 17 active U.S. bishops who turned 75 last year, he only allowed five of them to retire. Sixteen more have a 75th birthday coming in 2003. |
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