By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Cardinal-elect Rigali was in Kansas City when the pope made the announcement.
St. Louis archdiocese vicar general Monsignor Richard Stika says Rigali will be remembered in St. Louis as a strong backer of Catholic education, and for a number of other reasons:
"His conviction about Catholic Charities; the pope's visit; the Eucharistic Congress," Stika said. "It's a wonderful balance of building things and trying to raise money to support those as well as calling people to a greater awareness of the need for prayer."
But critics say Rigali didn't do enough to address the national clergy sex abuse scandal.
David Clohessy with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests says Rigali is among the nation's least sensitive bishops on that issue:
"I just hope that no one in Philadelphia gets their hopes up and expects that a new cardinal will mean a new approach and a breath of fresh air, because I don't think that's what they will end up experiencing under Cardinal Rigali," Clohessy said.
Rigali will head the Philadelphia archdiocese as of October 7. There's no word yet on who will succeed him in St. Louis.