Archbishop Carlson, who has headed the St. Louis Archdiocese since 2009, is 75, the age at which canon law requires bishops to turn in their resignation to the pope. Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Massachusetts, will be his successor.
In greeting the few hundred pilgrims in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis urged people to remain careful and obey safety protocols since the coronavirus pandemic is far from over.
Pope Francis: “The protection of the environment and respect for the biodiversity of the planet are issues that affect us all. We cannot pretend to be healthy in a world that is sick.”