Cardinal Cody plans to resign

John Cardinal Cody, under federal investigation to determine if he diverted more than $1 million in church funds to a woman friend, will resign as head of the Chicago Roman Catholic archdiocese Dec. 24, his office announced.

A spokesman for the archdiocese said Cardinal Cody would retire on his 75th birthday because Catholic law urges prelates to resign by the time they reach 75 . The US Attorney's office is investigating the cardinal to determine whether he gave $1 million in tax-exempt church funds to a longtime friend, Helen Dolan Wilson.