Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver appears poised to succeed Justin Rigali as archbishop of Philadelphia.
Persons familiar with the process say Rigali will host a news
conference Tuesday to announce that Pope Benedict XVI has named Chaput,
66, to lead the 1.5 million-member archdiocese, which spans five
counties.
Chaput (pronounced Sha-pew) is a member of the Capuchin order of
Franciscan priests and has led the Denver archdiocese since 1997.
A member of the Prairie Band of the Potawatomi Tribe of American
Indians, he is the second Native American bishop of the Roman Catholic
Church in the United States, and its first Native American archbishop.
He is known as an articulate conservative who regularly exhorts his
flock to live out the Catholic Church's teachings on social justice,
especially its opposition to abortion and the death penalty, and its
care for the poor and immigrants.