Pope shakes up office that handles migration, COVID

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has removed the head of the Vatican office that handles the high-priority issues of migration, environment and COVID-19. Francis thanked Cardinal Peter Turkson for his five years of service. But according to a Vatican statement, he decided on new leadership following the results of an internal investigation. Until Thursday, Turkson had been the highest-ranking African person at the Holy See. He told reporters earlier this week that he had submitted his resignation to Francis and that it was up to the pope to decide what to do with it. Francis put a trusted cardinal and one of the Holy See’s most influential nuns at the office’s helm temporarily.