Boy from Missouri becomes N.Y. archbishop

• Tweet

NEW YORK, April 15 (UPI) -- The new Roman Catholic archbishop of New York held his first news conference Wednesday, deflecting many of the questions asked him.

Timothy Dolan, formerly archbishop of Milwaukee, is taking a job that makes him the leader of the church in the United States. A mass of installation was scheduled later Wednesday at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

In a column published in the New York Daily News, Dolan asked, "What is a boy from Ballwin, Mo., doing in the Big Apple?"

"The (pope) made his choice, despite my weaknesses and limitations," he said in answer to his own question. "So in obedience to Jesus Christ and his church, I come to New York with joy, with trust, with enthusiasm -- and yes, with some nervousness!"

At the news conference, Dolan was asked about hot-button issues like abortion and same-sex marriage as well as how he will deal with the Catholic loss of numbers in New York and with unhappiness among priests, The New York Times reported.

Dolan deflected some questions, refusing to say whether he will actively lobby against legalizing same-sex marriage in New York and a bill that would end the statute of limitations on sexual molestation.