Sneed: George Lucas — the Omaha archbishop, that is…

CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Sun-Times

Sneed: George Lucas — the Omaha archbishop, that is — among possibe contenders to replace cardinal

By MICHAEL SNEED May 22, 2014

By, George!

Sneed hears the search to replace retiring Cardinal Francis George, which just moved quickly out of first gear, could include another person named George.

George Lucas.

No, not George Lucas the “Star Wars” movie mogul who is hoping to bring his cultural museum to Chicago’s lakefront.

Sneed is told Archbishop George J. Lucas, 64, of Omaha, Nebraska, who was dispatched to Nebraska in 2009 after serving almost 10 years as the bishop of Springfield, Illinois, could also be on the list.

“No one knows how many names are on the Vatican’s list, but they are going full steam ahead now to replace Cardinal George,” said a top Sneed source.

“This will be the new pope’s first major U.S. decision, and it’s a huge flock to manage, so it’s likely an archbishop with experience will be named,” the source said.

Technically, Sneed is told, a priest could be chosen to lead the archdiocese.

“Possible, but unlikely,” said the source.

Hmmmm. Could the Rev. Michael Pfleger, whose ministry has embraced the poor — Pope Francis’ favored flock — a possibility?

“I doubt it,” said the source, adding that the door wasn’t necessarily closed on the idea. “He’s controversial, but he gets things done. And anything is possible with this pope.”

P.S. Add this name to a list of possibilities: Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, 63, who rides a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and speaks fluent Haitian Creole and Spanish. Wenski has been archbishop in Miami since 2010.

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