When Christmas approachesthe message of shimmering hope in the darkness could feel more relevant than ever. Whether inspired by the burden of a corrupt world, personal grief, or the gloom that reigns during the short days of winter, people seem increasingly drawn to finding the light.
That’s the message we should take away from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York who presides over midnight mass at Christmas.
Cardinal Dolan shared this opinion during an exclusive sit-down interview with Maria Bartiromo at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, where he reflected on signs that Americans are rejecting the “caricature” of the faith “evil, destructive, harmful and antiquated,” which led to an increase in sales of the Bible and other books on spirituality.
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Cardinal Dolan joined Maria Bartiromo for an exclusive interview at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. (Fox News/Screengrab)
“There seems to be a new appreciation for the role of faith, particularly in our country,” he told the “Sunday morning futures“Host.
“I think President Trump took advantage of that. I have already had conversations with him in the past. “He was pretty outspoken, he can’t say he was raised as a very zealous Christian, but he takes his Christian faith seriously.” He has a lot of memories of Norman Vincent Peale, the famous preacher here in New York on Fifth Avenue, and I think he means it.
He continued: “I think the assassination attempts kind of renewed themselves in him. ‘There is something beyond me that I believe is watching over me, and it has a purpose for me.’ And what he expresses personally seems to be expressed more and more around the world. And that is part of America.
Maybe there Is something larger watching over the world, he suggested, pointing to former President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, two figures whose contributions shaped the second half of the 20th century. Both survived assassination attempts in quick succession and each contributed to making the world what it is today.
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“When the two first met, Ronald Reagan said to Pope John Paul II, ‘Mother Teresa told me that she believed the Lord spared me because the Lord had something special for me and for Pope Saint John Paul makes sense.’ I smiled and said, “She told me the same thing.” They both believed in it and saw what they could achieve. The world was changed for the better because of them,” he reflected.
Cardinal Dolan walked the grounds St. Patrick’s Cathedral with Bartiromoand showed her a photo of a drawing by imprisoned Hong Kong freedom fighter Jimmy Lai depicting Christ on the cross.
As billions around the world prepare to celebrate the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays, Dolan’s message in this Midnight Mass will focus on the “Triumph of Light.”
“The Lord always invites us to go beyond ourselves. That gives us hope.”
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