"I Got A Hug And Everything," From Archbishop Timithy Dolan

Archbishop Timothy Dolan knows how to work a room.

A full 70 minutes after he arrived at Mount Manresa Jesuit Retreat House earlier tonight, the new leader of the Archdiocese of New York and its 2.5 million Catholics finally made it to the podium where he would speak briefly.

From the time he arrived -- standing outside in the rain to hear several songs played by the Staten Island Pipes and Drums -- until he finally took the microphone, the archbishop shook every hand in the place, hugged every shoulder and posed for hundreds of pictures.

"He seems to be wanting to reach out to everyone, which is good," said Vincent Zaloom of Castleton Corners, who attended the Fort Wadsworth facility's dinner on behalf of the Building Bridges Coalition of Staten Island, an interfaith group.

"I got a hug and everything," shouted Sister Graznya Michniewicz, who works at Monsignor Farrell High School.

"That's the first hug from a bishop in my life," said Sister Maureen Skelly, a retreat director at Manresa. Later, she told the Advance she had gotten a second hug.

The archbishop introduced himself to all the priests in the room, wondering whether they were Jesuits or archdiocesan priests.

"I'm one of yours," said the Rev. John Gulino, pastor of St. Sylvester's Church in Concord. He might have gotten a hug, too.

Catherine (Mac) O'Callahan of Stapleton showed the archbishop her collection of pictures of herself with priests, ministers and rabbis, whom she called her "boyfriends." Archbishop Dolan said he would be thrilled to add his mug to the book.

"This is great, I got a girlfriend," he said. "I'll see you on Valentine's Day."

Archbishop Dolan, a native of Missouri who spent the last seven years as leader of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, said he came to his new post with the usual prejudices about New Yorkers and their famous unfriendliness.

"But it's been tremendous," he said. "People have been so overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming. ... They are the most embracing people I have ever met."

Today marked the archbishop's first two trips to the borough -- he was here earlier in the day for the funeral of Sen. John Marchi. He said he's looking forward to his first official visit to the Staten Island vicariate, although that has yet to be scheduled.

Tonight, the archbishop was officially welcomed by Mary Regan, president of the planning committee for the event that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Jesuit retreat movement; the Rev. Dr. Edward Quinnan, executive director of Manresa; the Rev. Thomas Slon, executive assistant to the New York provincial of the Society of Jesus, and honorary chairmen Denis and Carol Kelleher of Todt Hill.

Then came some gifts. A rendering of the archbishop's coat of arms by Grasmere artist Scott Lobaido; a jersey and baseball cap from the Staten Island Yankees; a subscription to the Advance and a bag full of gifts from the paper, and a special gift for the archbishop's mother -- a Macy's shopper -- from Macy's in the Staten Island Mall, New Springville.

"I'm still your baby bishop," said Archbishop Dolan, who was installed April 15. "I'm moved by the warmth of your welcome. You have made me feel so much at home."

The archbishop said that when he knew he was coming to New York, he looked in a directory of dioceses to see if there were any orders of contemplative nuns here, and to count the retreat houses.

"They give us the strength, they give us the energy to keep going," he said of facilities like the 98-year-old Manresa.

As the archbishop left to attend a dinner with a Franciscan order in Manhattan, Borough President James Molinaro was among hundreds of people giving him rave reviews.

"He's a real person, if you can say that about an archbishop," Molinaro said. "I think he'll bring a whole new dimension."

Observed Lobaido: "He's making religion cool again."

Link (here) to original article and video of the event