Timothy Dolan to Head NY Archdiocese When Egan Retires

Last night, word leaked from the Vatican that Pope Benedict XVI would appoint Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, of Milwaukee, to lead the Archdiocese of New York. The Archdiocese's current head, Cardinal Edward Egan, handed in his resignation letter in 2007 when he turned 75, in keeping with Vatican Law.

The official news release from the Vatican came this morning—"The Archbishop will be installed by His Excellency, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States at Saint Patrick's Cathedral on April 15, 2009"— along with a statement from Dolan: "My brother bishops, priests, religious women and men, seminarians, committed Catholics of this wonderful Church, I pledge to you my love, my life, my heart, and I can tell you already that I love you, I need so much your prayers and support, I am so honored, humbled, and happy to serve as your pastor."

The NY Times reveals Dolan to be good-natured—when he was asked about rumors he would leave Milwaukee for New York, Dolan said, “I don’t think I’m on Pope Benedict’s speed dial. I hope to be here for the rest of my life. I’ve even picked out my burial spot in the crypt — want to see it?” Yes, that also means Dolan is a Brewers fan. However, the Times adds, "Critics say that Archbishop Dolan has not defrocked at least three priests who were found to have committed sexual abuse." According to Whispers in the Loggia, Dolan found out he got the job about a week and a half ago; here's the letter he sent to his Milwaukee parishioners.

This morning Archbishop Dolan gave mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral and will be having a press conference later one. The AP gives a little background on the Archdiocese: "It covers a region from Manhattan to the Catskill mountains, and includes a vast network of 10 colleges and universities, hundreds of schools and social service agencies, and nine hospitals that treat about a million people annually." The AP also notes that this appointment "will continue a chain of Irish-heritage archbishops that was broken only once in two centuries, when a French-born prelate, John Dubois, was appointed to New York in 1826."