ARCHBISHOP WUERL: The Letters... And A Statement... Or Two

As we await reports from the press conference in which Donald Wuerl made his first public appearance since being appointed the sixth archbishop of Washington, the diocese of Pittsburgh has released a summary of the archbishop-elect's pastoral letters written over his 18 years at the helm of his native church.

And, of course, Wuerl's 2005 statement on the issue which has gotten him the most national buzz in recent times before this morning: what we colloquially call "abortion and communion."

Some of you may find in these a useful indicator for what's to come.

Down in the District, the president of the Catholic University of America, Vincentian Fr David O'Connell, has released a statement saying that the appointment "brings special joy to The Catholic University of America and to me personally."

The archbishop of Washington serves as Catholic's ex officio chancellor, and in the person of Wuerl, the university now has at its formal helm an "extremely loyal alumnus of the university and our seminary, Theological College," according to the president.

"The Catholic University of America is, likewise, so very grateful to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for the wonderful gift of pastoral leadership he has given us in Archbishop Wuerl!" O'Connell exclaimed. "We look forward to welcoming him home to Washington, D.C., and his alma mater, The Catholic University of America."

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