The rampant speculation about who will succeed Cardinal Edward Egan as Archbishop of New York has now reached a fever pitch — and the pages of the New York Times:

Catholics in Rome and the United States who track movements in the hierarchy say the Vatican is close to announcing who will claim what may be the most high-profile bishop’s seat in the American church.

Cardinal Egan has rarely used that bully pulpit, focusing more on closing a huge budget deficit and, in the process, closing parishes and schools. His successor is expected to be far more eager to engage the public and the news media.

Several names have surfaced repeatedly, but the candidate mentioned most frequently by Catholic insiders in Rome and New York is Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of Milwaukee. Born and raised in Missouri, he has no personal ties to New York. But those who know him say he is like many bishops who have led the archdiocese in the past — an affable, outgoing, brainy Irish-American.

“He has a great sense of humor, a big laugh and a real sense of warmth,” said the Rev. David M. O’Connell, president of the Catholic University of America in Washington, where Archbishop Dolan earned his master’s and doctoral degrees and sits on the board of trustees. “I think in many ways if the part of archbishop of New York could ever be scripted, Archbishop Dolan would really be cast in that role.”

He is not the only bishop considered a front-runner, and even the best-informed church experts say nothing is certain until the Vatican makes its announcement.

Other bishops frequently mentioned as under consideration include Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, a Spanish-speaker who served in the Dominican Republic and now ministers to Catholics in the American military; Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta, an African-American who was president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and its public face at the height of the church sexual-abuse scandal; Bishop John J. Myers of Newark; and Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn.

Despite the active speculation, officials at the archdiocesan offices in New York said they had no knowledge of an imminent transition.

As always, stay tuned…