Archbishop Dolan's Thought for the Week

July 1, 2008
Year of St. Paul

Dear Friends united in love and service of Jesus Christ and His Church:

“Years ago I promised that there would be two things in life I would never miss: Sunday Mass and my son Luke’s baseball games.” (Tim Russert, 1950-2008).

Now, there’s a man who had his priorities right, his head on straight: faith and family.

And he was a committed Catholic, not afraid to let people know it.

The days after his sad and untimely death a few weeks ago were perhaps a “high” for the Catholic Church in the United States equal to that of the Holy Father’s visit to us last April.

Everybody was praising Tim Russert; everyone had a story to share, a recollection that stuck, a favorite anecdote. He was an impeccable television journalist, a professional political commentator, a gentleman, a devoted dad and a loving husband, a friend, one of the most influential and prominent celebrities in America -- and a sincere Catholic.

Nobody failed to comment on his faith: he loved his Catholic religion, he was proud of it, he took it seriously and it formed his soul, mind and body.

We Catholics in America, so used to seeing our Church belittled, attacked and snickered-at, so used to hearing the “movers-and-shakers” inform us that they had been “raised Catholic,” but now, so sophisticated and enlightened, had “moved on,” could finally smile, whisper a prayer and thank God for a great man whose life was whole, integrated: faith, family, friends, profession, public life.

What traits did we see in Tim Russert that pointed to his Catholic idenity? Here are a few that stand out for me:

belief: simply put, he was a man of faith, who believed in God, God’s promises and God’s revelation;

joy: tough to picture Tim without a smile. He had a hearty laugh, a big grin. Sure, he took his work, his guests very seriously -- but he didn’t take himself that seriously.

civility: incisive, sharp, demanding in his interviews, but always a respect for his guest, never insulting or belittling them. Call it courtesy, call it charity, call it Catholic.

roots: his dad, his Catholic school upbringing, the Jesuits, the Sisters of Mercy, his parish, the rosary, the sacraments, the Holy Father -- he was proud -- not arrogant or obnoxious -- but proud of his Catholic heritage, and not afraid to say it.

integrity: we all figured we could trust him, because he was a man of his word, for whom honesty and principle were important.

Fourth of July is only a firecracker away. Since we Catholics arrived in this beloved country, there have been boisterous voices telling us that we could never be “genuine Americans.” Our religion was foreign, backward, corrupt, out-of-it, they taunted. America, after all, was founded by Puritans, whose mission was precisely to “purify” religion from the curses of “Romish” superstition. Our loyalties were suspect, our work questioned, our religion at times ridiculed, our motives scrutinized. Could we really be reliable citizens, trusted leaders, respected professionals, upright Americans and still genuinely Catholic?

Tim Russert shows that we can.

A blessed Fourth of July!

God bless America!

God preserve His Church!

God grant eternal rest to Tim Russert!

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan

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