Breaking: Timothy Broglio to become Archbishop for U.S. Military Services

Rocco rumored it last Friday, and comes through with the goods today:

The 55 year-old Cleveland native, heretofore apostolic nuncio in the Dominican Republic and delegate to Puerto Rico [related: Catholic Heirarchy page], will greet the officials and staff of his new charge later this morning at the archdiocese's Washington headquarters. His installation will take place at the capital's Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; its date remains to be announced. For only the fourth time in history, a US bishop ordained for Vatican service has returned to lead a Stateside diocese.

(On the horizon for tomorrow? Bishop Michael Warfel of Juneau to Great Falls-Billings, Montana, which has been vacant since July 2006, second-longest only to Little Rock, AR.)

Archbishop Broglio has a JCD in Canon Law from the Gregorian in Rome, and is also a graduate of Boston College where he majored in Classics and Georgetown. [Related: Click here to hear an address of his given in Cleveland].

Abp. Broglio was also chief of staff for secretary of state Cardinal Sodano for some time. The U.S. Military Services serves about 1.5 million Catholics, including all military and their families.

More briefly from Associated Press and a 2001 article about him in the Boston Chronicle.

Rocco observes:

The rapid pace of the succession process would seem to signal the import with which the Holy See holds the pastoral care of the nation's armed services spread across the globe, but would also match the DC-based post with a prelate keenly aware of the Vatican's oft-critical views of American policy, both at home and abroad.

Staff at the Archdiocesan Military Services here in Brookland, DC have been told to prepare for a special guest scheduled to arrive at 10am this morning.

... now if I didn't have a class to attend right now, I could run over there and maybe catch a peak!

Update: Vatican bulletino confirms & CNA relates.

[photo source: John Carroll University]