Blog - February 2013 RSS Feed

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the unveiling of the new Lincoln Square Synagogue. It is truly a splendid sanctuary for the Jewish community! While I was visiting, I addressed the guests who were present at the Synagogue.

My gratitude goes out to Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review for her piece regarding my time in Milwaukee: This week, before his departure for Rome for the last day of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI and the subsequent conclave, New York’s Timothy Cardinal Dolan spoke under oath about his previous assignment in Milwaukee… Cardinal Dolan, who began meeting with victims of abuse immediately after his appointment to Milwaukee, doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with anyone who has made excuses for sins and crimes of the past.

“But why didn’t he say anything about his reasons for stepping down, or his plans for the future, or any personal reflections about his own legacy?”  asked the journalist after Mass yesterday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The New York Post’s Sunday Editorial Page has a great piece, All the Governor’s Priorities , criticizing the latest push for unlimited abortion: It’s hard to see the demand. A just-released statewide poll taken by McLaughlin & Associates on behalf of the Chiaroscuro Foundation suggests that when New Yorkers are informed about the number of abortions in their state, they don’t share the governor’s sense that this is a priority.

In this homily, Cardinal Dolan compares and contrasts the Mount of the Transfiguration with the Mount of Calvary, bringing out the implications for faith in our times.

Check out the first of my series of video reflections that I will be sharing periodically during this holy season of Lent. Click here to watch the video.

In this homily, Cardinal Dolan teaches how Jesus was tempted, just as we are, but humbled himself to the will of God.

It’s been an extremely full week in terms of news, with Monday’s surprising announcement from Pope Benedict, and Wednesday’s start of Lent. But I wanted to be sure to take a moment to highlight the President’s call for sensible steps on gun control in his State of the Union address Tuesday night, as well as similar actions by Governor Cuomo here in New York State, and Mayor Bloomberg in New York City.

Let me share with you a wonderful blog that was published in the Huffington Post a few days ago. Stephen White, the author, writes about the Pope’s role in the Catholic Church. I found his piece interesting and thought you would too!

Recently, the Anti-Defamation League released a warming statement to the press on Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation. Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, expressed his appreciation for His Holiness.

Due to technical difficulties, comments are temporarily disabled. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. The family of the Church begins Lent , the season of spiritual preparation for the high holy days of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

In this homily, Cardinal Dolan meditates on five important words from the day’s gospel, “cast out into the deep.”

Due to technical difficulties, comments are temporarily disabled. his afternoon, Edward Cardinal Egan also released a statement to the press on the resignation of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. I would like to share it with all of you.

Due to technical difficulties, comments are temporarily disabled. This morning I met with the press to discuss the resignation of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Click here to listen to the audio clip from the press conference.

Due to technical difficulties, comments are temporarily disabled. This morning, I issued a statement in my role as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the resignation of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

Recently, Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter , cited an interesting letter on his blog from a pro-life Democrat. Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats For Life, wrote to Senator Jeff Klein in response to his statement on abortion.

Yesterday, I issued a statement in my role as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the HHS mandate. Unfortunately, there were some news reports today that claimed the bishops “rejected” the White House proposal, ignoring the fact that we bishops said, “we welcome and will take seriously the Administration’s invitation to submit our concerns through formal comments, and we will do so in the hope that an acceptable solution can be found that respects the consciences of all.” Here is the press release by the USCCB along with my full statement.

Last May, I had the honor of being introduced by Mayor Koch at the Alexander Hamilton Award Dinner, sponsored by the Manhattan Institute. I was incredibly touched by the Mayor’s recollections of his relationship with my predecessors, and his kind words about me.

This morning, I learned that former Mayor Ed Koch had passed away. He was a good friend of mine and a great mayor to New Yorkers. Here is the statement that I released to the press today. For Immediate Release: February 1, 2013 STATEMENT OF TIMOTHY CARDINAL DOLAN ON THE PASSING OF FORMER MAYOR ED KOCH As a young priest living in Saint Louis and Washington, D.C. during the 1980’s, New York meant two things to me: John Cardinal O’Connor and Mayor Ed Koch.