UNITED STATES
Whispers in the Loggia

To repeat a line once said of Seán O’Malley among his Capuchin confreres, “The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.”

So the more recent story goes, in the days after Pope Francis’ election, the cardinal-archbishop of Boston dispatched his priest secretary to the Domus with a note for the new pontiff, ordering the aide “to give this letter to someone who will put it into the Pope’s hands.”

As it turned out, Fr Jonathan Gaspar didn’t just end up delivering the message – he was received by the Pope.

While we don’t know the contents, they were clearly appreciated – this morning, O’Malley was the lone North American named to Papa Bergoglio’s eight-cardinal “task force” chartered both to advise Francis in his universal role and study the reform of the Roman Curia.

Given the significance of the call, perhaps it’s…