Generational change in the Roman curia and the Cardenalicio school is coming

The retirement on January 25 of Cardinal Oswald thanks as Archbishop of Bombay (India) and the end of the “reign” of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn as Archbishop of Vienna (Austria) have triggered a vast generational relief in the Roman curia and in everyone.

The changes include residential cardinal bishops, with seven of them reaching 75 years of age in 2025; In the Roman curia, there will be eight cardinals heading dicasteries that will exceed or have already exceeded the 75 -year limit for 2025.

In addition, there is a very special case in the Diocese of Rome. On January 28, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Paolo Ricciardi, until then auxiliary bishop of Rome, as a bishop of the small Italian diocese of Jesus. His departure marked the next step in what has been an almost total renewal of the diocese.

The Diocese of Rome

Pope Francis has completely changed the direction of the Diocese of Rome. Currently, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar of the Pope for the Diocese of Rome, only has three auxiliary bishops: Renato Tarantelli Baccari, also appointed Deputy Manager of the Diocese; Benoni Ambarus; and Michele Di Tolve.

Baccari is the only territorial assistant that covers the southern sector of Rome. Ambarus has delegation for charity, migrants, and peoples Rome and Sinti (nomads mainly from Central Europe), while Di Tolve has a special delegation for seminars.

Two of the four sectors in which the Diocese of Rome are divided are vacancies: the eastern sector – before Ricciardi – and the northern sector, until now directed by Bishop Daniele Salera. Baccari leads the southern sector and the western sector is under the direction of Reina.

In the last year, Rome has lost five auxiliaries, including Queen himself, who was transferred to Italy or the Vatican to assume other roles.

In addition to Ricciardi, the reallocated auxiliaries have been: Bishop Ricardo Lamba, appointed Udine archbishop; Bishop Daniele Lebanori, appointed Pontifical Advisor for consecrated life; Bishop Dario Gervasi, appointed Deputy Secretary of Dicastery for the laity, family and life; and Salera, appointed Bishop of Ivrea.

The reorganization of the Diocese of Rome began in 2024 with the transfer of Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Angelo de Donatis, to a less influential position as a major penitentiary. The Apostolic Penitentiary is the oldest court of the Roman curia and is responsible for issues related to the forgiveness of sins. Although it is important in the Catholic Church, it is a position with less influence than that of Vicar of the Diocese of Rome, who manages the diocese of the Pope in the most relevant city of Italy.

Recent Cardinal Successions

In 2025, there have already been three successions in archbishopal headquarters Cardinals: the Archdiocese of Washington (United States), which will be entrusted to Cardinal Robert Mcelroy; the Archdiocese of Vienna, for now under an apostolic administrator holiday; and the Archdiocese of Bombay, which will be led by John Rodrigues, who was appointed just two months after his designation as a coadjutor and only two days after taking possession of his new position.

The Cardinal Thank you, who turned 80 in December, would normally lose their place in the Cardinals Council. However, nothing has been announced. Pope Francis could wait until spring, when Cardinal Fernando Vérgez, president of the Governorate of the State of the Vatican City, will also turn 80. At that time, the Pope could restructure the Cardinal Council, replacing Vergez, thanks and Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston (who also turned 80 last year). On the other hand, Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster (England) will turn 80 in November.

The Roman curia and the Cardenalicio school will also face a substantial renewal in 2025, with 14 cardinals leaving the list of voters in an eventual conclave. This transition could significantly change the composition of the next conclave.

The residential cardinals

Meanwhile, the new year brings a group of prominent cardinals who turn 75, the age at which they are obliged to present their letters of renunciation of the Holy Father. The Pope, of course, has the option to accept or postpone their retirements.

On January 9, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, archbishop of Mexico City, was the first residential cardinal in 2025 in turning 75 years. Pope Francis has decided to postpone his retirement indefinitely.

On February 6, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York (United States), reached the retirement age, and on February 28 Cardinal Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio will do, who was created Cardinal in the last session.

On June 23, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, who leads the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), will have to present his resignation due to the age limits, and on July 9 it will be the turn of Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop of Yakarta (Indonesia). On September 1, Cardinal Oscar Cantoni, bishop of how (Italy) will turn 75, and Cardinal Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, Archbishop of Manaos (Brazil), will reach the retirement age on November 6.

To them are added two cardinals who are already retired and who will turn 75 in 2025: Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop emeritus of Warsaw (Poland), and Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop Emeritus of Lyon (France).

There is also a large group of residential cardinals who have turned 75 in recent years. Among them are: Cardinal Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, 77, from Huehuetenango (Guatemala); Cardinal Albert Ranjith Patabendige Don, 77; Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez, 76, from Havana (Cuba); Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souphiel, CM, 76, by Addis Abeb (Ethiopia); Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago (United States), 75; Cardinal James Michael Harvey, 75, Arciprest of the Basilica of San Pablo Extramuros; Cardinal Vincent Nichols, 79, Archbishop of Westminster; and Cardinal Juan José Omella Omella, 78, Archbishop of Barcelona (Spain).

The Roman curia

Apart from Cardinal Fernando Vérgez, there are several prefects of Dicasteries in the Roman curia that are approaching the age of 80 or who have already exceeded 75 and, therefore, could be replaced. Among them are: Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, Archpriest of the Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, who will turn 80 in July and is expected to be happened by the recently created Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, currently Arcipreste Coadjuctor; Cardinal Michael Czerny, 78 -year -old prefect of Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, who is expected to remain in office at least until the age of 80; Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicasterio for laity, family and life, 77; and Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of Dicastery for the causes of the saints, which is also 77 years old.

There are three senior positions in the Roman curia whose headlines will turn 75 and, therefore, could be replaced. On March 6, Cardinal Arthur Roche will turn 75; It has been a prefect of the Dicasteria for the divine cult and discipline of the sacraments since 2021.

On March 15, Cardinal Kurt Koch will turn 75. Koch has directed the Dicasterio for the promotion of the unity of Christians since 2010, known as Pontifical Council to the reform of the curia in 2022. On March 24, Archbishop Vincenzo Zani will also reach the retirement age; He has been Archivist and Library of the Holy See since 2022.

Finally, there are two cardinals who serve as Nuncios: Cardinal Mario Zenari, Nuncio in Syria, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, nuncio in the United States, both 79 years old, but is expected to remain in their diplomatic positions until he turns 80 years old.

The Cardenalicio College

In 2025, 14 Cardinals will cease to be electors in a conclave, while in 2024 they were 13. It is a significant generational change that could also modify the composition of the conclave.

We must not forget that in January of this year the five -year mandate of the Dean and the Vice Dean of the Cardenalicio School expired. These are Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 90 years old, and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81. There are no precedents, since this is the first time that the leaders of the Cardinals College have been appointed with a five -year mandate. Therefore, it is impossible to predict how long the succession process will take.

On February 14, 10 years were completed since Pope Francis’s second session. As is known, the cardinals are divided into three orders: Cardinals Bishops, presbyter and deacon cardinal cardinals. These three categories reflect the ancient division of functions among the cardinals. Cardinal Bishops are in charge of the ancient suburbical dioceses of Rome, although Pope Francis expanded this category in 2018 with some personal appointments. The presbyter cardinals were assigned to Iglesias in Rome, while the deacons cardinals were responsible for the administration of the six offices of the Roman Palace and the seven departments of the Diocese of Rome.

After 10 years, deacons cardinals can choose to go to the order of presbyter cardinals, as established by the Code of Canon Law in Canon 350, paragraphs 5 and 6.

This means that in the first session, the French cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature, must give the position of Cardinal Protodiácono to Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio in Syria. Cardinal Protodiácono is the one who announces the “Habemus Papam” in case of a conclave.

Similarly, Zenari could opt for the order of presbyters in November 2026, on the tenth anniversary of the Pope’s third session. Eventually, it will be Cardinal Farrell, Prefect of Dicastery for the laity, family and life, and current Camarlengo, who will assume the title of Cardinal Protodiácono.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.