Monday, March 8, 2010

Archbishop Dolan is praying for David Paterson

Archbishop Timothy Dolan is at the Capitol for his annual visit today, joining other Catholic bishops from around the state in asking the governor (and legislators) to be wary of hurting the poor with budget cuts.

Several reporters spoke with Dolan, the spiritual leader of Catholics in Manhattan and the Bronx, who was asked what he might say to Gov. Paterson given the accusations swirling around him.

“Jim, thanks for bringing that up. That’s a delicate question on our mind. If he wanted to talk about that, Jim, we would be happy to. First and foremost we’re pastors, we’re not politicians. He’s a Catholic who takes his Christian faith seriously. If he wants to talk about that, we’d be all ears,” Dolan said. “First of all, we’d assure him of our prayers. Second of all, I think we would also want to say to him, we kind of share your sense of frustration that at a time when the state needs very strong, credible, leadership we all find ourselves distracted, not just with the governor’s problems but with so many of what we hear are the challenges facing Albany today. So we could kind of speak about that, and I think if he wanted to talk about it, I would take the cue from him if he felt he needed some guidance or encouragement.”

Paterson went to the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn and gave a sermon in which he vowed “to fulfill the mission in which God placed me.”

Dolan said he is praying for Paterson–as well as President Barack Obama–at their request.

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