Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, formerly the Archbishop of Milwaukee, has been elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
I think Dolan is a fantastic choice.
From the New York Times:
In a surprise move, the bishops that lead the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, elected Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York to be their president on Tuesday, rejecting the conference’s more liberal vice president. It was the first time in history that the bishops had not voted to elevate the vice president to the president’s post, affirming a conservative turn among the bishops.
The vote, which was close, cements Archbishop Dolan’s prominent profile in the leadership in the American church. He is already the prelate of the nation’s most visible diocese, is comfortable in the news media spotlight and was selected by the Vatican to help conduct an investigation of the church in Ireland, which has been devastated by a sexual abuse scandal.
The bishops passed over their vice president, Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, who represents the more liberal “social justice” tradition of the American church and is known for advocating dialogue between Catholic liberals and traditionalists. Archbishop Dolan is a moderate conservative who is willing to put his affable and outgoing demeanor in service of a more assertively confrontational approach to the church’s critics.
The final vote, after 10 candidates were narrowed to two, was 128 for Archbishop Dolan and 111 for Bishop Kicanas.
The election consolidates the gradual shift in leadership and priorities for the bishops conference. From the 1970’s through the 1990’s, the conference was a center for progressive Catholicism in a distinctly American guise, releasing ambitious teaching documents on issues such as economic inequality, workers rights, the environment, peace and war. While the bishops still do take up issues such as immigration and poverty, they are far more focused on shaping public policy to stop abortion and prevent the legalization of marriage between same-sex couples.
Archbishop Dolan said in a news conference after the vote that he was surprised to be elected, and that he would continue with the same priorities that the bishops conference had set under his predecessor as president, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. Cardinal George led the bishops’ forceful opposition to the health care overhaul championed by President Barack Obama, saying that it would permit expanded government funding for abortion.
“My major priority would be to continue with all vigor I can muster what’s already in place,” Archbishop Dolan said. “It’s not like we’re in crisis, it’s not like all of a sudden we need some daring new initiatives. Thank God for the leadership of Cardinal Francis George, things are going well.”
The liberal New York Times and the liberal Associated Press, as well as the liberal Washington Post, are expressing some distress over the selection of Dolan.
The Post refers to his election as "a shocker," and not in a good way.
America's Catholic bishops pulled a shocker Tuesday in picking their new president, disregarding tradition and precedent by rejecting the current vice president and instead choosing a man seen as more outspoken and conservative.
As a Catholic, I think it's kind of funny when the media report on the Church as if it's the U.S. government. They analyze it as if the political divides are similar - conservatives and liberals and moderates and mavericks, etc.
I like what Dolan said about the supposed message his election sends:
But at a news conference on Tuesday, both Dolan and Kurtz declined to interpret their election as coming with a clear message. "I don't think we bishops sit around thinking about that," Dolan said, adding that the approach and style of bishops shouldn't be reduced to caricatures like traditional or progressive.
"The bishops of the United States are not partisans, they're pastors," he said.
The liberal media tend to view the Church in a secular manner. They've divided it into a goofy Red Church and Blue Church.
Gee, is Archbishop Dolan a Tea Party candidate?
It's silly.
Bottom line: Dolan is a wonderful teacher. He's a caring, compassionate man. He's able to express God's message and share the faith so beautifully. He loves God and he loves God's people.
When I think of Archbishop Dolan, I don't think of him as traditional or conservative or progressive or liberal.
That doesn't come to mind.
I do think the liberal media outlets should be careful about applying labels to people. Dolan isn't always as rigid and conservative as they're making him out to be.
When he was Milwaukee's archbishop, St. Patrick's Day 2006 fell on a Friday in Lent. During Lent, Catholics abstain from eating meat.
No corned beef on St. Patrick's Day?
Archbishop Dolan granted Milwaukee Catholics a dispensation, and we were able to enjoy the traditional meal.
See? He shouldn't be pigeonholed as a strict "rules are rules" kind of guy.
The point is Dolan is not a two-dimensional figure.
And nothing tastes as good as corned beef on Friday during Lent.
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