Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Gallagher (above) will take over from Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, who has been named as prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in the Roman Curia, replacing Cardinal Raymond Burke, who is now patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Archbishop Gallagher, who is fluent in Italian, French and Spanish, served as the Vatican’s nuncio to Guatemala and Burundi before being moved to Australia. He took over the post in Burundi in 2004 after his predecessor was assassinated.

During his own tenure there, his residence was bombed, though he happened to be out of the country at the time. Archbishop Gallagher was ordained by Archbishop Derek Worlock of Liverpool in 1977 and joined the Vatican’s diplomatic service seven years later.

The reassignment of Cardinal Burke has been met with disquiet in some circles with almost 15,000 people signing a petition thanking him for his Vatican service.

The 66-year-old cardinal will now serve as cardinal patron of the Knights and Dames of Malta, a largely ceremonial post.

The move had been widely expected since the cardinal himself confirmed the story to reporters in October.

A prominent devotee of the traditional Liturgy and outspoken defender of traditional doctrine on controversial moral issues,

Cardinal Burke had appeared increasingly out of step with the current Pontificate.

A former archbishop of St Louis, Cardinal Burke was named by Pope Benedict XVI to lead the Apostolic Signature in June 2008. At the time of his dismissal, he was the highest-ranking US bishop at the

Vatican. That distinction now belongs to Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.