Installation of New Archbishop Timothy Dolan Explained

The New York Archdiocese, serves over 2.5 million parishioners and later today, Timothy Dolan will be installed as its leader. Here to shed some light on the retirement of Cardinal Edward Egan what can be expected from the Dolan, the 10th archbishop appointed by Pope Benedict XVI is Reverend Jean-Pierre Ruiz, chair and professor of theology and religious studies at St. John's University.

Egan said his greatest disappointment was not attracting more vocations to the priesthood. Rev. Ruiz said that Dolan may want to focus his attention there.

Dolan stated he will ask Catholics not to be so consumed by their problems in these difficult times that they turn inward and away from the community. Still, he said he struggles with how best to convey Catholic teaching. Dolan said that as archbishop he plans to challenge the idea that the Roman Catholic Church is unenlightened because it opposes gay marriage and abortion. He also said he will work to restore pride in the church. Dolan also stated that Catholics also must defend themselves against bias, which he said was still deeply ingrained in American culture.

Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, S.T.D., Chair and Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. John' University in Queens, New York, is a nationally recognized religion expert with a focus on interreligious dialogue. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hispanic/Latino Theology and Associate Editor of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly. Ruiz has hosted and co-hosted a number of radio and television programs, and was a participant in the nationally broadcast Bill Moyers series, Genesis: A Living Conversation.

St. John's University is one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States with campuses in New York City, Long Island and Rome, Italy.

Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz of St. John's University