Bishop Thomas Doran submits his retirement

From press release

In accordance with the laws of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Thomas G. Doran will submit his letter of retirement/resignation to the Apostolic Nuncio to the Vatican in Washington, D.C., in view of his birthday on Feb. 20, 2011.

Canon 401 section 1 states: “A diocesan bishop who has completed his 75th year of age is requested to present his from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provisions after he has examined all the circumstances.”

Bishop Doran turned 75 on Sunday, Feb. 20. “What happens next is, we wait,” Bishop Doran said in a recent interview with his diocesan Catholic newspaper, The Observer. A bishop is not considered to have resigned or retired until Pope Benedict XVI accepts his letter and appoints a successor. A special birthday issue of The Observer was published detailing the process and features an interview with Bishop Doran in addition to his regular column reflecting on this milestone.

The papal nuncio will forward Bishop Doran’s letter along with a short list of suitable suggested candidates on to the Vatican. The process can take anywhere from six months to two years. Until then, it is business as usual for the 11-county Rockford Diocese.

Bishop Doran is a native of Rockford. He was ordained to the sacred order of the priesthood in Rome on Dec. 21, 1961. He served in many capacities in the Rockford Diocese until 1986, when he was appointed to the Roman Rota (church court) by Pope John Paul II, where he served until Pope John Paul II appointed him to head the Rockford Diocese on April 19, 1994. His ceremony of ordination and installation was held at Rock Valley College on June 24, 1994, with more than 4,000 people in attendance.

From the Feb. 23-March 1, 2011, issue