CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Despite controversy, Cardinal Timothy Dolan will serve as parade Grand Marshal
LAST September, Cardinal Timothy Dolan disappointed many Catholics when he accepted an offer from parade organizers to serve as its Grand Marshal. Despite his popularity with many of the faithful, his acceptance marked an approval of the decision by the organizers of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade to allow an openly gay group to march.
The cardinal, who has stood firm in his opposition to gay marriage and has referred to being gay as a character flaw, explained his reasoning on the website of the Archdiocese of New York. “The most important question I had to ask myself was this: Does the new policy violate Catholic faith or morals? From my review, it does not,” wrote the cardinal. “Catholic teaching is clear: ‘Being gay’ is not a sin, nor contrary to God’s revealed morals. While actions are immoral, identity is not! In fact, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, people with same-sex attraction are God’s children, deserving dignity and respect, never to be treated with discrimination or injustice.”
The National Catholic Register called this “a shameful and sinful capitulation by the parade organizers and Cardinal Dolan,” and CatholicCulture.org wrote that, “it would be absurd to include, in an event honoring a saint, a group dedicated to public acceptance of a moral disorder.”
But Dolan has never been the sort to hold back, even if he ruffles some feathers.
Dolan, 65, was appointed cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 after becoming the 10th Archbishop of New York in 2009 and serving as the Archbishop of Milwaukee from 2002 to 2009.
As the Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis in 2001, Dolan confronted the church’s sex abuse scandals head-on. He asked victims to come forward, fired many offending priests and counseled victims.
In Milwaukee, Dolan replaced Archbishop Rembert Weakland, who had provided a large payout to a man he had an affair with. He also authorized over $26 million in payments to victims.
But some felt he went too far. Despite initial denials, it was revealed in 2012 that Dolan authorized $20,000 in payments to some accused priests to hasten their removal from the priesthood.
The following year, it was discovered that in 2007, Dolan had sought and received permission from the Vatican to shield $57 million from possible victim settlements in a trust fund.
But overall, Dolan has retained an easy everyman persona — complete with an appreciation for whiskey, beer, and cigars — that made him a natural for a position in New York.
“I’ve always loved New York,” he said after his appointment. “Just to walk these streets, and visit these churches... [I realize] how expansive this archdiocese is.”
Dolan’s legacy of handling complicated situations in sometimes unpredictable ways will be fully on display this Tuesday, when he leads the city’s Irish in a way that tells naysayers he’ll do what he feels is best for the church.
“I share the hope of the organizers that the March 17 parade will be loyal to its proud heritage of celebrating Irish identity, culture, and contributions — all a beautiful part of Catholicism,” he wrote on the archdiocese website, “thus bringing this great community together in unity and festivity.”