Archbishop of New York City Cardinal Timothy Dolan appeared on “Fox & Friends Weekend” to discuss a variety of topics, including the health of Pope Francis. Dolan candidly conceded, “It’s not looking good.”
He explained, “Look, we gotta be kind of realistic. When you get double pneumonia in anybody, you’re worried. I mean, if a child gets double pneumonia — When you got double pneumonia in an 88 year-old-man, who has only got 75 percent of his lung capacity and is struggling with arthritis and a bunch of stuff, it’s not looking good.”
Dolan added about the Pope: “I admire his grit. I admire his resilience. I’m praying with him. But I’m praying for him. But I think we have to be realistic as he certainly is.”
Archbishop of New York City Cardinal Timothy Dolan appeared on “Fox & Friends Weekend” to discuss a variety of topics, including the health of Pope Francis. Dolan candidly conceded, “It’s not looking good.” (Fox News)
The archbishop of New York City also said the closing of Catholic schools in New York City is a tragedy brought on by lack of parent interest and funding.
“I literally tear up when we have to close them,” Dolan said when describing the increasing number of Catholic schools in New York City that are being shut down amid a funding and enrollment crisis. “And we just had to go through some of that again. And it literally breaks our hearts.”
Dolan said that Catholic schools thrive when they focus on “quality, character-based, first-class education and passing on the faith.”
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Dolan emphasized that even the subsidized price of education at a Catholic school is worth the sacrifice for parents if they believe that their children are receiving an “unapologetically Catholic” education that focuses on relaying the faith to a new generation.
“Those are the schools that are thriving,” he said.
Cardinal Dolan also related concerns from pastors in New York City who lead struggling Catholic schools and ask themselves if their school is properly ‘”stressing the Commandments, the Bible, prayer, fidelity, the Sacraments?’ If not, why do we have them?”
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Archbishop Dolan has disputed with Vice President JD Vance over claims that Vance, a Catholic, has made over the Catholic Church and federal funding. (Fox News/Screengrab)
“We got schools elsewhere that are jam-packed,” Dolan said. “We got schools that are thriving. And that’s what hurts us, I think. It hurts me. I love talking about our Catholic schools. I love them. I’m passionate about them. They’re still strong and the future’s looking bright for a number of reasons.”
Archbishop Dolan has argued with Vice President JD Vance over illegal immigration.
Vance criticized the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for allowing illegal immigrants in order to gain funding from the federal government in an interview with Face the Nation on Jan. 26, a claim that Dolan has rejected as being “nasty.”
“I think that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns or are they actually worried about their bottom line?” Vance said.
“You think we make money caring for the immigrants?” Dolan said in a later interview on “The Catholic Channel.”
“We’re losing it hand over fist,” Dolan said.
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