THE Roman Catholic Bishop of Paisley has been tipped to take over the Church’s top job down south.Last week, it was revealed that the Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia was a strong contender for the post of Archbishop of Glasgow, a seat which is becoming vacant due to the retirement of the present incumbent, Mario Conti. Now we understand that Bishop Tartaglia’s name is being increasingly mentioned in the Vatican as a possible successor to Cardinal Cormac Murphy- O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, who is also retiring. The Catholic Church’s Congregation of Bishops has been discussing the successor to the Cardinal and it is understood that an announcement on the matter will be made before the Pope leaves on a trip to Africa on Tuesday, March 17. Up to now, the favourite for the Westminster post has been the Archbishop of Birmingham, Vincent Nichols. However, following recent discussions by the Congregation of Bishops, the race is now believed to be between Paisley and Birmingham. Bishop Tartaglia is currently in Rome and his presence there is seen as very significant among Vatican watchers. Intriguingly, the Prime Minister mentioned the Bishop of Paisley in the Pope’s presence during his recent visit to the Vatican. Gordon Brown said to Archbishop James Harvey, head of the Papal Household: “I hear you studied with the Bishop of Paisley.” Archbishop Harvey smiled and nodded, apparently delighted at the reference. Vatican watchers are saying that Mr Brown’s mention of Bishop Tartaglia was not simply a polite reference to a fellow Scot but one of deep significance. Wherever Bishop Tartaglia’s future lies, it is understood that, if he does not become Archbishop of Westminster, then he will certainly become Archbishop of Glasgow and that a Cardinal’s hat will follow. Of Italian roots, 58-year-old Bishop Tartaglia was ordained by the late Archbishop Thomas Winning in the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Dennistoun, on June 30, 1975. He returned to Rome, where he completed his ordinary course of studies in 1976 before beginning his research for his Doctorate in Sacred Theology. In 1978, he was additionally appointed as Dean of Studies at the Scots College in Rome and was also acting Vice-Rector at that time. On completing his Doctorate on the Council of Trent’s teaching on the Eucharist, he was appointed assistant priest at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardonald, in 1980. He also became an extra-mural lecturer at St Peter’s College, Newlands, Glasgow. In 2004, the Bishop’s Conference asked him to return to seminary as Rector of the Scots College, Rome. On September 13, 2005, it was announced that he had been nominated by Pope Benedict XVI as Bishop of Paisley.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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(Source: RPNC)