Bishop Finn's name does not appear in any of the recent speculation about who will replace Archbishop Burke in St. Louis

The Catholic blogasphere and publications around the country are rife in the last couple of days with speculation about who might be on the the finalist listing of possible replacements in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Bishop Finn doesn't seem to be on anybody's list (Deo gratias). We most certainly don't want to lose him!!! Selfish, we know, but he is making fantastic progress in Kansas City and we hope that he'll have time to complete the job.

The top contender according to some publications is the Archbishop of Vermont (Burlington), Archbishop Salvatore Matano. Archbishop Matano was a colleague of Archbishop Burke and they were classmates in Rome at the Gregorian University. Both are canon lawyers. Archbishop Burke's recommendation certainly wouldn't hurt his chances.

Other names that have surfaced in the press (speculation, only!) are Tucson, AZ, Bishop Gerald Kicanas, Bishop George Murry of Youngstown, Ohio, Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison, WI, and Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Diego.