
Kim Davis selfie just before meeting the Pope
Remember when Pope Francis visited the U.S. last year and everyone was up in arms that Kim Davis had an audience with his Holiness? Well, it seems that Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Vatican’s nuncio (ambassador) to the United States, a staunch conservative vocally opposed to same-sex marriage, arranged that little visit.
He sent an anonymous invite to Kim Davis to the Pope’s DC visit. Now word comes that the Pope was maybe not so happy about being blindsided and the incident prompted The Vatican to replace Vigano. His “statutory retirement age” approaching. Viganò turned 75 in January and when bishops and archbishops reach that age, they are required to submit a letter of resignation to the Vatican.
Vigano will be replaced by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, a French-born clergyman who is currently the nuncio to Mexico. The Vatican is not expected to confirm the news until the Obama administration has agreed to the new nuncio’s appointment. But “reliable sources” expect an official announcement before Easter, which falls on March 27 this year.
Another small step in Pope Francis effort to modernize The Vatican and deal with shady Archbishops.