Update Los Angeles Spokesman Denies My Cardinal Mahony Claim and I Respond, by Thomas Peters, American Papist, January 22, 2010

Update: Los Angeles Spokesman Denies My Cardinal Mahony Claim (and I Respond)

By Thomas Peters
American Papist
January 22, 2010

http://www.catholicvoteaction.org/americanpapist/index.php?p=714

LOS ANGELES (CA) -- Gene Maddaus, a blogger for LA Weekly city news, asked Tod Tamberg, the spokesman for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, to respond to the report I issued last night that Cardinal Mahony's successor has been chosen.

Here's what Tod said:

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony in his 11th annual online chat live from the RECongress March 2, 2007

Tod Tamberg [...] says this is mere speculation. "It's coming from 3,500 miles away," Tamberg says, "from a guy who I don't think has ever set foot in California."

While declining to explicitly deny the rumor, Tamberg says this sort of thing is to be expected for any archbishop in his final year.

"If I were the Pope, I might know something," Tamberg said. "When the Vatican is ready to say whatever it wants to say, it will."

Well, I have a few things to say in response to Tod's response.

First of all, I may be 3,500 miles away, but technology has a wonderful way of overcoming distance. Second, I have set foot in California – I actually lived in the Golden State for almost a decade, but that fact didn't help my reporting. Third, while I completely agree the Vatican will say whatever it wants to say when it is ready, veteran readers of my blog know that I have a pretty good track record when it comes to reading the tea leaves.

So we'll see, and like I promised – pray.