ROME – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Robert Sarah as head of the Vatican’s office for liturgy, removing an outspoken conservative and possible future pope from the ranks of the Vatican leadership.
The Holy See Press Office announced on Saturday that Cardinal Sarah has resigned. No successor has been appointed.
The cardinal submitted his resignation as required by church law when he turned 75 on June 15 last year. But the pope regularly had cardinals serve two or three years after that age, but no more than 80.
In accepting the resignation of Cardinal Sarah, the pope removed a subordinate out of step with his approach to liturgy, homosexuality and relations with the Muslim world. The cardinal is a hero to many conservative Catholics, some of whom regard him as a future pope. He will still be able to vote in a conclave to elect a pope until he turns 80.
Last year, the cardinal controversy erupted with a book widely interpreted as an attempt to influence Pope Francis’ decision whether to allow the ordination of married men as priests. The episode led to embarrassment for the cardinal when retired Pope Benedict XVI asked to have his name as co-author of the book removed.