In Rome, on the 50-Yard Line of St. John Paul II’s Papacy

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The following excerpt from “An American Cardinal: Biography of Cardinal Timothy Dolan” by Christina Boyle covers a portion of the chapter devoted to the cardinal’s tenure as rector of Pontifical North American College in Rome. The book, available in hardcover and e-book formats, was published last month by St. Martin’s Press.

 

Being in Rome full-time gave Dolan, as he liked to call it, a fifty-yard-line seat view of Pope John Paul IIs papacy. He saw the pontiff in action during his weekly general audience in Saint Peters Square, and on special occasions he was invited to the popes private chapel for Mass. Dolan often entered to find the pontiff kneeling in deep prayer, as though in a mystical trance, and only afterward did he stand and welcome those present. Dolan led small groups inside the Vaticans palatial reception rooms for a private audience and quick photo op with John Paul. He was in good health when Dolan first became rector, but as he grew increasingly frail in later years, the number of requests he granted diminished. Yet there was always one group of Americans he made time for: the sabbatical priests. They could number up to forty and spent a couple of months each year in the Italian capital. As one groups visit came to an end one year, it transpired they had not yet had their face- to-face meeting with the pope because Dolan had completely forgotten to put in the request. After making a few phone calls to John Pauls personal secretary, the rector was informed he could bring the group in on Tuesday, the day before their departure, and the popes one day off each week. Dolan led the group over to the popes residence at eleven a.m., where they were ushered through a bronze door and at least three ornate rooms filled with people also waiting for their moment in front of the holy man. This man just never stops, Dolan thought. Hes indefatigable. The experience intensified Dolans great respect for the pope and affirmed some of the virtues he already held dear and would come to value increasingly as his own career developed. A fearlessness, a confidence, a sense of joy and peace, and just a sense of telling the truth with love, Dolan said were the qualities that most impressed him about John Paul. “He would never fudge on the truth, but for some reason he could get away with saying tough things because he said it with such genuineness and indefatigability. You know that he never gave up, he never gave you the impression that he never had time for you. Dolan was more than just a passing priest to John Paul, too. When an American bishop had a meeting with the pontiff during a trip to Rome, he told the Holy Father he was staying up the hill at the North American College. You know the rector, Monsignor Dolan? the bishop asked. John Paul was a man of few words but nodded and replied, “Dolan. Good rector. Good rector.”…

 

To let off steam, the men frequently played sports, from tennis and football to basketball, soccer, and softball. One of the pinnacles of the year was an annual sporting fest known as the Spaghetti Bowl around Thanksgiving. It took the form of a hotly contested football game between the New Men and the Old Men, and united the seminarians like little else. Dolan was quick to deflect any concerns other faculty members had about the injuries the men could incur or the propriety of such a contest. He knew it was a critical bonding experience. The remainder of the year, during more casual games, Dolan occasionally took a turn pitching at softball. He was competent, but his real skill was playing chief ragger. You have no chance to be able to hit this curve ball Im about to throw you, he taunted

The night before the Spaghetti Bowl was another opportunity for the men to let off steam. But this time their energies were diverted toward the faculty. The evening was known as the coffeehouse and involved a show by the Old Men and the New Men. They wrote and performed skits and at least half were Dolan-themed. The impersonators took jabs at his waistline, questioned some of his decisions, or mocked his rhetorical style. When Dolan speaks, he never settles for one word if three are possible. He doesnt just want happy priests but priests who are happy, holy, healthy Catholic priests, so the men took that character quirk and ran with it, stringing twenty-six words in a row that all began with the same letter. As the indeterminately long sentence rolled on, Dolans deep, loud guffaw filled the auditorium. He knew he needed to let the guys have their moment and it was good for their morale. He understood the psychology behind humor and criticism and, more important, could take a joke. There were other skits, too. One year a seminarian dragged an exercise bike onto the stage, put on sweats and glasses, and mimicked Dolans distinctive Midwestern twang while swigging a Budweiser and pedaling. After one coffeehouse, when there was a particularly large number of Dolan-themed skits, a student approached the rector warily to let him know they were moving on to a new target now. Monsignor, I wanted to let you know that you are done, the stu- dent said, fearful theyd crossed the line this time. Dolan turned red and stared back. No, youre done, he said fiercely. Then erupted into laughter.