ROME – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Robert Sarah from the post of head of the Vatican’s liturgical office, removing from the ranks of the Vatican leadership a sincere conservative and possible future pope.
The Holy See’s press office announced on Saturday that Cardinal Sarah had resigned. No successor has been named.
The cardinal resigned according to the requirements of church law, when he turned 75 on June 15 last year. But the pope frequently lets the cardinals serve two or three years over this age, though not over 80 years.
Accepting the resignation of Cardinal Sarah, the pope removed a subordinate from his approach to the liturgy, homosexuality and relations with the Muslim world. The cardinal is a hero to many conservative Catholics, some of whom see him as a future pontiff. He will still be able to vote in a conclave to elect a pope until his 80th birthday.
Last year, the cardinal raised controversy with a book widely interpreted as an attempt to influence Pope Francis’ decision to allow married men to be ordained as priests. The episode led to embarrassment for the cardinal, when Pope Benedict XVI, in retreat, demanded the removal of his name as co-author of the book.