Archbishop Timothy Dolan was officially named a cardinal by Pope Benedict today. According to the Daily News, "The city’s newly-elevated Catholic leader was smiling from cheek to cheek Saturday after receiving a gold ring and red silk biretta from the pontiff inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City." Dolan said, "This hat is really for New York. I want to put it on the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge." You get a red hat! And you get a red hat!
Pope Benedict, who reportedly "looked frail," named 21 other cardinals, "The new cardinals, in their service, are called to remain faithful to Christ at all times, letting themselves be guided only by his gospel... Receive the ring from the hands of Peter and know that your love of the church is strengthened with the love of the Prince of the Apostles."
Almost 1,000 New Yorkers headed to Rome (including some Jews!) and the Vatican for Dolan's elevation. The gregarious 62-year-old said, "I'm grateful for all the prayers from everyone back in New York. This is for them!" He added, "As I was going up I thought: ‘Wow, it’s official,’ but I was afraid I was going to trip."
Of the biretta, Dolan told the Daily News that it's "snug but comfortable" and "You can’t let the hat get to your head. It’s not about power and prestige, it’s about service."
