In today's Presidential capitulation triangulation news bulletin, the Obama administration has signaled that it will rethink a law that would require insurance plans offered by Catholic universities and charities to provide women with birth control without charging them. “We’re going to look for a way to move forward that both provides women with the preventative care that they need and respects the prerogatives of religious institutions," David Axelrod told MSNBC yesterday. "To turn it into a kind of political football to take advantage—to try and capitalize that isn't going to make it easier to resolve that issue," Obama For America's football coach said without a hint of irony. more ›

Archbishop Timothy Dolan was in a heavenly mood today after learning that Pope Benedict named him one of the Vatican's newest cardinals. In a statement, he said, "I am honored, humbled and grateful ... but, let's be frank. This is not about Timothy Dolan. This is an honor from the Holy Father to the Archdiocese of New York and to all our cherished friends and neighbors who call this great community home. It's as if Pope Benedict is putting the red hat on top of the Empire State Building, or the Statue of Liberty, or on home plate at Yankee Stadium, or on the spires of St. Patrick's Cathedral." more ›

While Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio lashed out against the passage of the marriage equality act, other vocal opponents declined to allow the subject of civil rights and equal protection under the law to bleed into their sermons. Archbishop Timothy Dolan was among them, as his Homily on Sunday had no mention of the historic law. Speaking to reporters after the service, Dolan said, "I sort of needed a good dose of the Lord's grace and mercy because I've been down a little lately as you can imagine." Know what would have cured that summertime blues? The scene last Friday night in front of the Stonewall! It was impossible to be sad there. more ›

Because Governor Cuomo's proposed same sex marriage legislation is a single tantalizing vote away from affording all residents in the Empire State equal protection under the law, opponents of the bill are scrambling to mount a last gasp appeal of what they believe is an affront to the "institution" of marriage. Yesterday saw "nearly a hundred" clergy at "A Rally For Traditional Marriage" in front of City Hall organized by the City Action Coalition. The CAC's leader, Bishop Joseph Mattera, warned SILive of the "large percentage of people in New York City and state who are very uncomfortable with the concept of gay marriage." Most uncomfortable of all may be Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who wrote in his blog that "God, not Albany, has settled the definition of marriage a long time ago." Was that before or after He settled whether the earth revolved around the sun? more ›

Since he first was introduced as the new Archbishop of NY in 2009, Timothy Dolan has been direct about his negative feelings toward the idea of gay marriage. But Dolan thinks that you still aren't getting him, so like all modern Renaissance men, he took to his blog by candlelight and furiously scribed a passionate screed on the history of marriage, why the Catholic Church isn't anti-gay, and the Orwellian nature of the pro-gay marriage lobby. There's no way anyone could possibly be offended by any of this, right? Here's juicy excerpt: more ›

Archbishop Timothy Dolan addressed claims that his former archdiocese in Milwaukee moved $130 million from its books so it wouldn't have to pay victims of church sex abuse. A lawyer representing the victims wants to question Dolan about the allegedly missing money, but Dolan was furious about the insinuations and told the Daily News, "To think ... like Dolan's got some off-shore account in the Cayman Islands or something, this is just ludicrous. Darn it, I think the archdiocese has done a good job. And Lord knows, I worked my hardest." more ›

A Milwaukee lawyer says he will depose NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan over allegedly missing funds. According to the Journal Sentinel, attorney Jeffrey Anderson says the "Archdiocese of Milwaukee moved as much as $75 million off its books over the last six years in an effort to shield it from sex abuse settlements." The archdiocese, which was once headed by Dolan, has denied the accusations. more ›

The world is going to hell in a handbasket, so why shouldn't Roman Catholic bishops make sure that its ranks are prepared for a sudden onslaught of exorcisms? At a conference of American bishops in Baltimore, the rite is being debated because, as the NY Times reports, "There are only a handful of priests in the country trained as exorcists, but they say they are overwhelmed with requests from people who fear they are possessed by the Devil." more ›

On Good Friday a Vatican priest compared recent criticism of the Catholic church to anti-Semitism, drawing ire from Jewish groups and advocates for victims of sexual abuse. Just like the “collective violence” that the Jews have endured the church has come under attack, observed Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, supposedly quoting a letter from an unnamed Jewish friend. In front of an audience that included the pope, he continued: "'The use of stereotypes, the shifting of personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt remind me of the most shameful aspects of anti-Semitism.’" more ›

Archbishop Timothy Dolan marked his beginning as the new leader of the New York Archdiocese—and about 2.5 million Roman Catholics in the area—with the ritual of knocking on the doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Post described the scene, "Using a blue hammer, Dolan pounded on the bronze doors six times, asking to be accepted as New York's new archbishop. Then he paused and knocked another three times just to be sure he was heard. A roar of laughter erupted in the church. The doors swung open and the 59-year-old Dolan walked in to an explosion of applause." more ›

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.'" more ›

As he prepares to retire in just a few weeks as archbishop of New York, Cardinal Egan has made some open-ended remarks about the possibility of marriage in the priesthood. In a radio interview with Fred Dicker, Egan said, “I think that it’s going to be discussed; it’s a perfectly legitimate discussion...I think it has to be looked at. And I am not so sure it wouldn’t be a good idea to decide on the basis of geography and culture not to make an across-the-board determination.” Naturally with such a hot button issue that is rarely addressed by as major of a church figure as Egan (and the conservative cardinal in particular), figures from both sides of the issue are downplaying/lauding it accordingly. Neither spokespeople for Egan nor incoming Archbishop Dolan would comment—Dolan notably squashed the issue when his priests in Milwaukee attempted to bring it to the table. One priest told the Times that no matter how people read Egan's remarks, "It was kind of brave for him to say what everybody’s been thinking." more ›

The local media continues its coverage of incoming Archbishop Timothy Dolan. The NY Post gave him some Big Apple-themed gifts, including "a Yankees cap and mug, an FDNY T-shirt and a subway map," which Dolan appreciated, noting, "I'm going to be a tourist for one year." more ›

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. more ›