Dolan Says That Catholics Are 'Above the Times'

Standing on the steps in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral with a Bible in his hand, incoming Archbishop Timothy Dolan spoke to reporters for the first time since arriving into town. Dolan did not waste any time addressing hot button topics for the church, such as the possibility of New York legalizing gay marriage. He said, "If we let that definition of marriage go and begin to include other relationships, it will be to a detriment to the civilization." But Dolan tried to stay positive saying that "we support them...(and) will defend their rights." He also plans to fight the popular notion that the church is unenlightened saying, "I think we Catholics just need to stand up and say, 'we're above the times, we're timeless in our beliefs in our values and in our ethics and in our morality, and we don't take our cue from the winds and the trends of the day." Dolan will be installed as archbishop Wednesday afternoon at St. Patrick's. When asked about the responsibility of leading 2.5 million Catholics, he said, "I hope at my core, I hear Jesus say, 'Timothy be not afraid.'"

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By Billy Parker in News on April 13, 2009 6:35 PM

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NannyState

As "timeless" as whiskey and bourbon...

tingo

"Above the times"?

Like using Latin and Ye Olde English, pre-science notions of creation, and relying on guilt and fear to keep people in line and doling out money.

mikron2

Archbishop Dolan, thanks for having the courage to stand up for the truth and right. Marriage is NOT a right that can be given by man. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God - that is timeless and unalterable.

ohgoodgolly

Thanks, Mikron2. I am really happy to know that all REAL law comes from god. Can you tell me what he says about alternate side of the street parking, too? Something tells me that can't be kosher.

yg

I hope that was sarcastic. If it wasn't, please read up on the separation of church and state.

ohgoodgolly

Yeah Catholic church! Don't bow to those stupid trends, like gender equality and tolerance or even allowing your clergy to marry. You just keep doing what you do best: judging and damning others to hell.

handsomedevil

Coincidentally, I just watched Bill Maher's "Religulous." (On Easter Sunday. Does that mean I'm going to hell? Don't worry, I know the answer to that one...)

Anyhoo, as a matter of strategy he talked to two fairly liberal Catholics (the only religious people in the whole thing who weren't morons or patsies.) There's the Vatican astronomer, who says that it is foolish to take the bible literally, and some random priest who humorously dismisses the idea of hell and ridicules the Italians as superstitious. It's awful hard to square such, er, Catholicity with the idea that the church is "above the times."

But, more directly, why are the pronouncements of a religious figure such mainstream news in NYC? I'm surprised other flavors of crackpot haven't politicized it yet, demanding "equal time."

yg

The thing is, even if some don't think the bible can be taken literally, but some sort of a moral guide, it still explicitly states that homosexuality is prohibited.

Snoopy

If homosexuality is prohibited, can you tell me why Jesus never got married and he just happened to be hanging with all those apostle guys for so many years?

mikron2

Who said he never married? Can you honestly say that the entire life of Jesus, from birth to resurrection, is completely recorded in the Gospels? Think about it...

yg

I think there was a woman with them. Besides, who knows what he has been doing for the first 32 years.

hotstepper

this comment board could use a good exorcism.

babyhitler

what's scary to me is that Conan Obrien is irish catholic. The smartest, wittiest person on television.

Global Wombat

Good ol' iron age values.

Why can't it be like days past, when the price of a penis bone relic of some obscure saint went for about two heads of cattle?

Toby von Meistersinger

Makes me glad I am not Roman Catholic!

YELLOWFOOT

the catholic church should know being gay is not a trend

Brooklynbobby

How true, especially when most priests are gay. Fifty years ago, if you were gay, you didn't come out, you became a priest.

Snoopy

"Catholicism" You can't make this stuff up.

Oops? On second thought you can.

VanessaNYC

Good one. :D

Bluealways

Timeless my ass! What the hell was Vatican II? All of a sudden Jews are not evil? You lousy flip-floppers, make up your minds already!

Think2wice

"Just stick to the Vatican script and the rest is easy peasy," said the last Cardinal.

Snoopy

And Jesus went out and said to the Irish people, "Let us not stagnate in our beliefs that we are not stagnates. For when priests fall upon young priest, aka alter boys, being a wanton sexual pervert shall not be a crime so sayeth unto the Lord."

GROW UP PEOPLE! So the local guard's keeper has changed, but not much else. Unless of course he want's to be fired from his job.

At least Savonarola had the balls to face up to these charlatans.

Sparafucil

"and we don't take our cue from the winds and the trends of the day."

I guess that explains why it took 400 years for the Church to apologize for forcing Galileo to recant his heliocentrism.