The conservative Catholic Italian website Corrispondenza Romana is reporting (link) that German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller (photo below), the highest-ranking doctrinal authority in the Church as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has not been reconfirmed at his post by Pope Francis, and so will end his term of office in two days, on July 2.

The website is describing it as a “firing” of Mueller.

It was known that Mueller went this morning to visit Pope Francis.

There has as yet been no official announcement of this news, so it remain unofficial.

Here is the text of the Italian website:

Licenziato da papa Francesco il cardinale Müller (“Cardinal Mueller fired by Pope Francis”)

Sua Eminenza il Cardinale Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefetto della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede dal 2 luglio 2012, è stato licenziato da papa Francesco allo scadere esatto del suo mandato di 5 anni. (“His Eminence Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from July 2, 2012, has been fired by Pope Francis at the exact expiration of his 5-year appointment.”)

Il cardinale Müller è uno dei cardinali che hanno cercato di interpretare l’Amoris laetitia, secondo un’ermeneutica di continuità con la Tradizione della Chiesa. Ciò è bastato per annoverarlo tra i critici del nuovo corso imposto da papa Bergoglio. (“Cardinal Mueller is one of the cardinals who sought to interpret Amoris Laetitia according to a hermeneutic of continuity with the Tradition of the Church. This was enough to enroll him among the critics of the new course imposed by Pope Bergoglio.”)

Mueller was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, and is the editor of the Opera Omnia of the Emeritus Pope.

Will update as more facts emerge.

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