February 23, 2006

A signal that O'Malley is here for the long haul

BOSTON (MA)
Boston Globe

By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | February 23, 2006

From the moment Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley arrived in Boston with a reputation as an itinerant troubleshooter, some priests and lay people thought he would settle the abuse lawsuits, close the struggling parishes, and move on.

No more. Many observers said yesterday that they view the selection of O'Malley as cardinal as a strong signal that he will be archbishop of Boston for the long haul and that Boston Catholics should now accept that the unassuming and enigmatic friar is here to stay.

''Boston and O'Malley have to make this marriage work," said James M. Weiss, an associate professor of church history at Boston College. ''It's no secret that O'Malley has expressed discouragement and that lay leaders, clergy, and the local media have expressed unhappiness with him, but this is the Vatican saying to him, 'You're not moving,' and to local Catholics, 'You have to work with him.' "

Posted by kshaw at February 23, 2006 08:13 AM