Siri Disciple to Venice

Over the years I've lost interest in the ins and outs of the Italian episcopal scene.  This article from Magister telling of the choosing of Bishop Francesco Moraglia as the new patriarch of Venice by the Holy Father though caught my eye.

Moraglia as Magister tells it is respected in various quarters.  He was ordained by Cardinal Siri of Genoa.  Moraglia's resume is impressive, though I am always interested in what these officials of the various institutes and offices in Italy actually do with their days besides shuffle paper.

Magister sums up with this:

With the appointment of Moraglia – who will be made a cardinal at the first consistory after the one that will be celebrated in February – the influence of the ecclesiastical disciples of Siri is growing, although with different sensibilities. In addition to Moraglia, in fact, others who were ordained to the priesthood by Siri are cardinals Bagnasco and Piacenza, and the newly created cardinal Domenico Calcagno. Without counting the apostolic nuncio Antonio Guido Filipazzi and the French bishop Marc Aillet. The current master of pontifical ceremonies, Guido Marini, was the last "train-bearer" deacon of Cardinal Siri, while the Vatican deputy foreign minister, Monsignor Ettore Balestrero, although incardinated in the diocese of Rome, was also born and raised in "Sirian" Genoa.

The old-timers of the curia recount that once Cardinal Sebastiano Baggio, the powerful prefect of the congregation for bishops during the last phase of the pontificate of Paul VI and at the beginning of that of John Paul II, criticized Cardinal Siri for training his seminarians and priests as if on an island separate from the Italian Church. And because of this, they were not taken into consideration to be made bishops.

"Yes, it is true," Siri is said to have replied, "we are on an island, but I have taught mine to swim." And to swim well, it could be added today.

 We'll see what happens.