Religion: Cardinal to Rome

“Never before in history,” said Samuel Alphonso Cardinal Stritch, “has an American prelate been appointed to such high office.” He was referring to himself. From Rome last week came news that Pope Pius XII had appointed him proprefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Under the aged (85) prefect, Pietro Fumasoni Cardinal Biondi 70-year-old Cardinal Stritch will head the church’s entire missionary effort.

As Archbishop of Chicago, largest Roman Catholic diocese in the U.S. (some 2,000,000 members), Tennessee-born Cardinal Stritch is known for devotion to charity, openness to experiment. His 18-year administration saw the establishment of the first U.S. chapter of the secular order Opus Dei (TIME, March 18, 1957) also the launching of the Christian Family Movement and the first vigorous church action to help Puerto Ricans in the U.S His organizing ability and scholar’s mine (plus excellent Italian) equip him wel as the first American ever admitted to the Italian-dominated Curia—powerhous of the Vatican.