

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York says he is happy to be a cardinal but that he is aiming for a higher calling.
“As grateful as I am for being a cardinal, I really want to be a saint,” Cardinal Dolan said to the media after the Feb. 18 ceremony. “I mean that, and I’ve got a long way to go, but it is all about holiness; it is all about friendship with Jesus, and it is all about being a saint. And that’s what I want to be.”
Cardinal Dolan said he was particularly moved by the announcement of two new American saints at the conclusion of the consistory.
In total, Pope Benedict announced seven new saints who will be canonized on Oct. 21. The group includes Blesseds Marianne Cope and Kateri Tekakwitha, who will become the first Native American to be declared a saint.
Cardinal Dolan said he recognized this week that his elevation means having to resist the unholy lure of power and prestige.
“I said, ‘Dolan you got temptations.’ I’ve always had them, but now I’ve got one that could go to my head, literally,” he said, pointing to his new red biretta hat. He told himself, “‘You can’t (let that happen),’ because it is all about humility, and it is all about service and love and staying close to God and his people. That’s what it’s about; it’s not about power and prestige.”
Standing on the steps of the Pontifical North American College, he recalled being particularly taken aback when he attempted to hang his new soutane in his wardrobe earlier this week. There, he found a red cassock belonging to the late Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia, who died this past month.
“And I thought to myself, Dolan, in the future, somebody is going to be taking down your stuff because you are going to be gone. And that is what it is all about. It is all about eternity. It is not about all these passing things.”
The 62-year-old archbishop of New York has made headlines in the Italian newspapers for his Feb.17 address to his fellow cardinals-in-waiting, as part of their day of reflection and prayer at the Vatican. While he was referred to as “Papabile” in one paper, in another he was labeled a “rock star.”
“Well, when you use ‘rock’ in the Vatican, you have something else in mind. St. Peter, right? That’s what his name means: ‘rock.’ So, if I can be a rock like him, not bad,” he replied.
“And what about becoming the next pope?” asked one American journalist. “Non parlo inglese” (I don’t speak English),” quipped Cardinal Dolan in Italian to roars of laughter from the press.
His talk to his 21 fellow new cardinals was on the challenge of the New Evangelization, with an eye to the upcoming Year of Faith. He explained to the media that he believes “the Gospel has always been well received, in that people read and say, ‘Boy, that’s nice.’” But “it is putting it into practice that challenges us, and the same is true of the New Evangelization. Now, doing that is where the rubber meets the road.”
As a cardinal, the New York archbishop will now take titular possession of a parish in the Diocese of Rome, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the Monte Mario area of the city.
Despite the grandeur and solemnity of the consistory ceremony, it was observed by many that Cardinal Dolan was still his usual cheerful self throughout. Indeed, he was the only cardinal who bounded up the steps of the high altar in St. Peter’s Basilica to receive his red biretta and cardinal’s ring from the Pope.
“You just got to be yourself,” he told journalists. “Why put on airs or try to be somebody different? The Italians say you make the gnocchi with the dough you got, and Lord knows I got a lot of dough,” he laughed pointing to his stomach, “so, you’ve just got to keep at it.”
“It’s a great day for all of New York,” said Cardinal Dolan summing up events in Rome, while holding aloft his new red biretta.
“This is the hat I want to put on the top of the Empire State Building, the home plate at Yankee Stadium and the Statue of Liberty. So this is for the whole of New York. It’s not for me.”
Here is a wonderful leader who must truly hear the call of God saying “Be holy as I am holy”. May the Holy Spirit guide and guard Cardinal Dolan! May Cardinal Dolan lead the Catholics and other Christian people in the USA through these troubled waters!
Just searched: there are MANY, including the Gregorian, Gospa, etc.,
How blessed we are to have bishops like AB Chaput and Cardinals Dolan and O’Brien! And more we are not yet hearing about. The present persecution of the Church is strengthening it and we, the laity, must do our share. Fast and pray. One website is asking people to sign up to pray 1000 Memorares in this year. Can’t think of its name, sorry, but maybe it will turn up on a search.
If you want to be a saint as a bishop today, every priest in the diocese must preach the truth of contraception, abortion, divorce and remarriage, and the gay agenda. These points must be forcefully delivered from the pulpit. Till then, we have a lot of lukewarm priests and a laity that has no issue with voting for a pro-abortion president.
Let begin at the top. Start preaching the truth. Start enforcing faithfullness to the magisterium across the diocese. If the mayor is not aligned with church teaching, then decline the Eucharist.
Stop the talk and start the walk.
I pray he will be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and have the courage to follow the leading. These are sad days for the Church, we need brave and holy men, willing to step out, even if it means breaking with the traditions, The saints of old have many in that same mold, where they challenged the status quo, because they were led by God to do so. The christian witness of love to others and service to God, is sorely needed in the Church. We need less finger pointing and preaching and more holy example.
He is looking at evil in the eye. He’s very vulnerable to an attack by an agent of the evil one. We need to pray that his sturdy defense of Our Lord and His Church will give him the strength to endure whatever comes his way.
The Church so needs an enthusiastic leader like Timothy Cardinal Dolan who says plainly he wants to be a saint. Who else has said that publicaly for decades? The laity desperately needs this sort of inspiration.
May God bless Cardinal Dolan and keep him humble and down to earth at all times so that he may become a saint one day. I thank God for giving Cardinal Dolan such a sunny disposition. People try and equate being a faithful Catholic with being solemn and joyless. Cardinal Dolan shows us as Blessed John Paul 2 the Great did that joy is a by-product of God’s love.
What a wonderful witness of a holy priesthood - And surely a great example for all of us to follow.
Your joy and enthusiasm for Jesus shine through that smile on your face. I just hope that you always remember where your roots are and place your new red biretta on top of the Arch and on home plate of Busch Stadium (the other Cardinals), too.
now get the rest of the Bishops, and in turn, the priests to want to be saints so they can lead the flock to be saints. a lot of work ahead!
May the Lord bless this holy man with many years of service to our Church.
My observations is that Cardinal Dolan is a very holy and spiritual man and well on his way to becoming a saint. His enthusiasm and personality allow him to attract others to the Catholic Church and Jesus.
May God always protect him and make his path safe and fruitful.