This past weekend was the Consistory of Cardinal Timothy Dolan in Rome. It was a powerful, moving, and overwhelming personal experience. On the plane ride home I tried to capture in words the reason why Cardinal Dolan is such a powerful presence.
At his core, Cardinal Dolan is a priest, preacher, moralist, and a decent human being. Dolan’s contributions to the US Catholic Church are so simple and clear, but also so dramatic and meaningful that they are universally appreciated.
Part of his universal appeal is that his philosophy of life is joyful, accessible, easily understood, recognized, and accepted by those that hear him. He challenges those committed to negativism to look inside themselves and to make things better.
Tim Dolan is a compassionate, honest, warm and wise individual with a clear sense of purpose, self-definition and internal balance. His warmth can confuse people. It is sometime difficult to appreciate the magnitude of his greatness. He has many gifts, including an eloquence of speech that reaches out to millions of people the world over. He is loved by the wealthy and affluent; the oppressed and those who hope for a better life.
He is calling a nation, and our people, to live out the true meaning of our Catholic existence. It is hard to be around Cardinal Dolan and not be infused with his love of people and his joyful, but powerful determination to change the world.
His views and thoughts are breathtaking, yet simple. His vision spans the whole of human conduct, and he has strength born of humility; he is a man of his times, for all times, and all nations.
And his time could not come at a better time for New York, the United States, and the Church world-wide.
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