Speculation continues about Cardinal Egan's successor

Whatever impressions Pope Benedict XVI took away from his long weekend in New York may influence a big, upcoming decision — picking a successor to Cardinal Edward Egan as archbishop.

Speculating on the next leader of the New York Archdiocese, one of the most important posts in the U.S. Roman Catholic Church, has become something of a parlor game for church-watchers. A couple of the candidates who keep surfacing reflect the diversity of the American church: the black archbishop of Atlanta and the Hispanic archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico....

Wilton Gregory? Is that someone's idea of a joke?

“The papal visit was kind of a golden handshake for the cardinal,” said David Gibson, author of the papal biography “The Rule of Benedict.” “He gets to bask in the reflected glory of the papal visit and it’s a nice exit. If I had to take a guess I’d say he’ll be gone within six months....”

Here's a surprise for St Louisans:

If Egan’s retirement is accepted, his successor may be announced at the same time, and observers have included about a dozen bishops in their guesses. Those most-mentioned seem to be:

—Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee, 58. Dolan is an expert in seminary education, a plus in New York, where few men are being ordained. In addition, Gibson said, “If you were doing an Identi-Kit for a New York archbishop, the first thing would be, ’Is he Irish?’ Dolan fits the bill.”