Dolan: grateful for support of pilgrims

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York will receive his Cardinal’s ring and red hat in the February 18 Consistory. In an interview in Vatican Radio studios, he said some 1000 friends and family have come to Rome from his home town of St. Louis, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and New York to take part in the celebrations and show their closeness to the cardinal-to-be.

“I am delighted to have them!” said Archbishop Dolan, light heartedly remarking “these are folks that have been with me for a long time, so there are some folks who know me since I was a kid - namely my mom – people from my hometown of Ballwin… a lot of people that knew me as a parish priest, then as Auxiliary Bishop (of St Louis, Missouri), Archbishop in Milwaukee.”

“They help me turn this into a litany of praise to Jesus Christ for the beautiful gifts which he has given me, for which I remain eternally grateful.”

“And when the Pope puts the red hat on my head on Saturday morning, I told all those people, ‘in a way, he’s putting it on your head too. Cause I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. And if he’s gracious enough to affirm something good that he might see in me, that good is there because of God and all of you. So, he’s knighting you in a way too.”

“I said at home, it’s as if he would put the red hat on the Empire State building or the Statue of Liberty or your home plate at Yankee Stadium and I mean that. It’s an affirmation of all the people who’ve been so good to me.”

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