Tears flowed in Milwaukee on Sunday as Archbishop Timothy Dolan bade farewell to his loyal parishioners before heading to New York to replace Edward Cardinal Egan. A standing-room-only crowd of hundreds of worshipers packed the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist to hear Dolan give his final Easter Sunday Mass.
"As excited as I am and as hopeful as I am, this is downright sad," Dolan told the congregation. "It's kind of a little dying and some rising, which is what Holy Week and Easter is all about."
Churchgoers arrived up to an hour early to secure a seat at the 9:30 a.m. service. Some described Dolan as a "rock star" and a "dazzler" who attracts admirers wherever he goes. "He moves you like you never thought you could be moved," said Linda Hillebrand, 57. "New York is so lucky to get him. He's very warm; he's sincere; he means everything he says, and you will feel that."
For many, it will be the personal encounters with Dolan they will remember most: a little handshake or hug or a kind word that reaffirmed their faith in the Catholic Church. "I was buying a hot fudge sundae when I met him; he was wearing shorts and a baseball cap and on his way back from Irish Fest," recalled John Kwass, 56, of Jackson, Wis. "He's given this city so much charm; he's going to take that luck with him to New York."
Dolan's Easter Mass lasted more than an hour. He said he had followed the advice of former President Ronald Reagan and rehearsed his parting words several times to stop himself from breaking down.
Then he received a standing ovation, removed his cloak and watched as his coat of arms was taken down.
"The sadness to leave the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is tempered by the excitement and promise of New York," Dolan said. "Happy Easter; see you soon," he added.
That same bittersweet emotion was reflected in Egan's final Easter Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral as he thanked his congregation for supporting him for the past nine years.
"I've been the recipient of so many blessings and so many kindnesses," he said.
Egan parted with a final message of hope.
He predicted that like the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the country would make a comeback from its economic woes.
"This is what Easter is all about," he said. "The message is as important in good times as in bad times, but in these times, it is a message that perhaps we need to hear with greater intensity and faith."
With St. Patrick's filled to capacity, Egan was cheered by hundreds of people who had gathered outside the historic Fifth Ave. church.
"I think he's done a fine job," said Dawn Kelly, 50, of Tampa. "But change is always a good thing."
Lucy Delgado, a retired nurse from New Jersey, said Egan brought much light to the city during some of its darkest hours.
"I hope people will wake up and see what's important and help one another," she said.
Dolan arrived from Milwaukee at his new residence next to St. Patrick's Cathedral Sunday night. He officially takes over as New York's Catholic leader on Wednesday.
The celebrations begin Tuesday with a solemn vespers prayer service at 6:30 p.m. at St. Patrick's.
Dolan will preside over his first service Wednesday during the Mass of Installation at 2 p.m. He said he also plans to visit Ground Zero later in the week.
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(Source: DNN)