Vatican City - The Catholic Church's saint-making office has a new chief and is handling fast-track efforts that could lead to the canonization of Pope John Paul II.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed 70-year-old Monsignor Angelo Amato, the No. 2 in the Holy See's office safeguarding doctrinal orthodoxy, as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Vatican said Wednesday.
John Paul died in 2005 after a nearly 27-year pontificate. Shortly afterward, Benedict put the Polish pope on the fast track for possible sainthood by waiving the customary five-year waiting period before work can begin to determine a candidate's suitability.
The current head, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, 76, has retired.
In addition, Benedict named a Spanish Jesuit theologian to replace Amato at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican watchdog body for doctrinal orthodoxy.
The Rev. Luis Ladaria recently guided the Vatican's rethinking of what happens to babies who aren't baptized. Ladaria said there was hope that the babies would find salvation.
Ladaria, 64, is a professor of doctrinal theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.