Information provided by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

The ultimate decision in appointing the next archbishop of Milwaukee rests with the pope, and he is free to select anyone he chooses. But how does he know whom to select?

The process for selecting candidates for the episcopacy normally begins at the diocesan level and works its way through a series of consultations until it reaches Rome. It is a process bound by strict confidentiality and involves a number of important players — the most influential being the apostolic nuncio, the Congregation for Bishops, and the pope. It can be a time consuming process, often taking eight months or more to complete. While there are distinctions between the first appointment of a priest as a bishop and a bishop’s later transfer to another diocese or his promotion to archbishop, the basic outlines of the process remain the same.

Key terms
Apostolic nuncio
The pope’s representative to both the government and to the hierarchy of a given nation; a key person in deciding what names are recommended to the Congregation for Bishops for possible episcopal appointment.

Auxiliary bishop
A bishop appointed to assist a diocesan bishop.

Congregation for Bishops
A department of the Roman Curia, headed by a cardinal. The head of the congregation, called the “prefect,” is presently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re of Italy. Among the congregation’s responsibilities are moderating all aspects of episcopal appointments; assisting bishops in the correct exercise of their pastoral functions; handling ad limina visits (regular visits to Rome by bishops every five years); and establishing episcopal conferences and reviewing their decrees as required by canon law.
Its membership consists of approximately 35 cardinals and archbishops from around the world. U.S. representatives on the congregation are Cardinals Justin Rigali, William Levada, J. Francis Stafford and Bernard Law.

Diocesan bishop
Pastoral and legal head and representative of a diocese.

Province
A territory comprising one archdiocese, called the metropolitan see, and one or more dioceses, called suffragan sees. The Code of Canon Law spells out certain limited obligations and authority that the metropolitan archbishop has with respect to the dioceses within his province. The United States is divided into 33 ecclesiastical provinces. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the four dioceses in Wisconsin — Madison, La Crosse, Green Bay and Superior — comprise a province.

Terna
A list of three candidates for a vacant office, including the office of bishop.

Stage 1 — Bishops’ recommendations
Every bishop may submit to the archbishop of his province the names of priests he thinks would make good bishops. Prior to the regular province meeting (usually annually), the archbishop distributes to all the bishops of the province the names and curricula vitae of priests that have been submitted to him. Following a discussion among the bishops at the province meeting, a vote is taken on which names to recommend. The number of names on this provincial list may vary. The vote tally, together with the minutes of the meeting, is then forwarded by the archbishop to the apostolic nuncio in Washington. The list is also submitted to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Stage 2  — the Apostolic Nuncio
By overseeing the final list of names forwarded to Rome, the apostolic nuncio plays a decisive role in the selection process. He not only gathers facts and information about potential candidates, but also interprets that information for the congregation. Great weight is given to the nuncio’s recommendations, but it is important to remember that his “gatekeeper” role, however, does not mean that his recommendations are always followed.

For Diocesan Bishops

  • A report is requested from the current bishop or the administrator of a diocese on the conditions and needs of the diocese. If the appointment is a replacement for a diocesan bishop or archbishop about to retire, consideration will be given to the incumbent’s recommendations. Broad consultation within the diocese is encouraged with regard to the needs of the diocese, but not the names of candidates.
  • The report is to include the names of individuals in the diocese with whom the nuncio might consult and how to contact them.
  • Previous bishops of the diocese are consulted.
  • Bishops of the province are consulted
  • The president (Cardinal Francis George) and vice president (Bishop Gerald Kicanas) of the USCCB are consulted.
  • If the vacancy to be filled is an archdiocese, other archbishops in the United States may be consulted.
  • At this point, the nuncio narrows his list and a questionnaire is sent to 20 or 30 people who know each of the candidates for their input.
  • All material is collected and reviewed by the nuncio, and a report (approximately 20 pages) is prepared. Three candidates are listed alphabetically – the terna – with the nuncio’s preference noted. All materials are then forwarded to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome.

On average, this part of the process may take two to six months.