NEW YORK (CWNews.com) - Cardinal John O'Connor of New York celebrated his 80th birthday this weekend as speculation rose that Pope John Paul II could name a successor to head the archdiocese as early as this week.

    Thousands of well-wishers sang "Happy Birthday" to the cardinal as he celebrated Mass on Sunday, after which he jokingly asked, "Well, this is wonderful, but does anybody have a job for me?" Cardinal O'Connor had submitted his resignation to the Holy Father in 1995 upon reaching the canonical retirement age of 75, but it has not yet been accepted.

    However, with the cardinal still recovering from surgery last August to remove a brain tumor, a replacement to lead the 2.4 million-member archdiocese is expected soon. "At this time, when your illness makes new demands upon your spiritual and physical resources, I pray that you will press forward, with faith and hope," the Pope said in a letter read during Mass.

    Customarily, the Vatican announces new appointments for US dioceses on Tuesdays which means a successor could be appointed as early as this week, although New York archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling said the announcement may not be made that soon.

    One factor that may influence the timing is that the Holy Father is expected to soon call for a consistory that would name up to 15 new cardinals, filling vacant voting spots for a papal election. New York is one of eight archdioceses in the US whose archbishop is customarily named as a cardinal.