said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior analyst with the National Catholic Reporter and a former editor of America, a Catholic magazine. “Short of being a bishop, vicar general and moderator of the curia is as high as you can get.”

Your speculation on motive aside, this is a good decision. Do you prefer him to stay in office?

It's not every day an archbishop gets dismissed. Will we see one?

Purely for cynical reasons, it's the only action that will address the sex scandals. Blood is demanded and blood will be provided.

For less sanguine reasons, it's the right thing to do if they're serious about stoppong it.

For 1900 years the RCC has acted for both reasons, sometimes simultaneously.

We shall see.