Thursday, October 19, 2006

Pharaoh Under the Knife

What's with this epidemic of knee surgeries among the American Cardinals?

Earlier in the day, it was announced from On High that Cardinal Justin Rigali underwent "outpatient, arthroscopic" surgery to repair a torn miniscus in his right knee at Lankenau Hospital, just across the city line.

For the next ten days, our archbishop will work from home -- seemingly precluding his attendance at next week's scheduled Vox Clara meeting in Rome. Rigali, 71, will resume his public calendar on the 29th.

Please join me in keeping the boss and his quick and complete recovery in your prayers.

In other news from the "Eminent Knee On the Mend" desk, Cardinal Egan's recuperation from his September joint-replacement op is keeping him from presiding at tonight's Al Smith Dinner in New York. The annual white-tie funder for the archdiocese's Catholic Charities has long been one of the major events of the city's calendar, bringing together the top tier of its worlds of media, commerce and church. Presiding from the multi-leveled dais, the archbishop of New York traditionally serves as the evening's MC/ringmaster.

Fret not, though -- particularly given what went down last week, it's looking as if Egan'll have one more Smith Dinner to oversee... at least one more, that is.

So much for months 'til France.

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