The Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell, will today attend the ordination as Bishop of Mgr Brian Farrell, an Irishman who is one of 12 men due to be ordained by Pope John Paul II in a special service in the Basilica of St Peter's marking the Epiphany.
Cardinal Connell's presence in Rome inevitably prompts speculation that he might be in the city to tender his resignation as Archbishop of Dublin in the wake of the clerical sex abuse scandals. Due to turn 77 next March, the cardinal has already tendered his resignation in conformity with canon law after he turned 75 two years ago.
The cardinal's office last week explained that Dr Connell is in Rome this week, firstly for the ordination of his good friend Father Farrell, and secondly to attend a number of routine Vatican meetings.
Even though the Pope surprised many by accepting the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston three weeks ago, again in the wake of a vast clerical sex abuse scandal, Vatican insiders are reluctant about drawing parallels between Cardinal Connell's situation and that of Cardinal Law. Dublin-born Father Farrell, the man due to be nominated titular Bishop of Abitine today, has had a distinguished behind-the-scenes Vatican career since joining the Secretariat of State in 1981.
A member of the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, he was ordained a priest in Rome in 1969, while from 1970 to 1976 he was director of the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Connecticut. Nominated head of the general affairs section of the Secretariat of State in 1999, Mgr Farrell had already long established himself as a valuable Vatican servant, especially in the role of speech-writer for the Pope.
Many of the Pope's most significant addresses, including those given during his 2000 trip to the Holy Land and on various World Youth days as well as speeches on Irish affairs, have all relied heavily on the input of Mgr Farrell.
Mgr Farrell's ordination as bishop has been prompted by his recent nomination as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, where he will work under German Cardinal Walter Kasper.
Given that Cardinal Kasper has generally been seen as a liberal - for instance, he was openly critical of the Congregation of the Faith's Dominus Jesus document of two years ago - the appointment of the ultra-orthodox Mgr Farrell has taken some Vatican observers by surprise.
The Vatican rumour-mill has suggested that Cardinal Kasper was less than enthusiastic about the new man assigned to him.
It could be, however, that Mgr Farrell partly owes his promotion to another cardinal, one more powerful than Cardinal Kasper, namely Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Secretary of Statewho has long looked favourably on the Legionaries of Christ.