Cardinal Virtue

My wife and I went to Rome for a week in late June. On our very first afternoon, I noticed a Franciscan that looked vaguely familiar to me in a bookstore. When my wife and I left the bookstore and headed to our hotel near St. Peter's, the Franciscan was in front of us. At that point, I had the "aha" experience. I was nearly certain that the Franciscan was Cardinal O'Malley from Boston.

Never one to be shy, I quickened my pace to catch up with the Franciscan. When I came within earshot, I said "Excuse me. Are you, by chance, from Boston?" When he replied that he was, I asked if he was Cardinal O'Malley. He replied in the affirmative and looked like he was ready for me to harangue him for all of the problems in Boston. Instead, I thanked him for his leadership and that I understood his job was extremely demanding. I introduced myself and my wife. He was amused that we were from the midwest and that I was Catholic and my wife was Lutheran. He even mentioned that our situation was straight out of Lake Wobegon.

Cardinal O'Malley spent several minutes talking with us and even recommended some "non-tourist" things to see in Rome.

When we returned to the U.S., I sent the Cardinal a brief note of thanks for being so friendly to us when we met him in Rome. Yesterday, my wife and I received a handwritten card from Cardinal O'Malley stating that he enjoyed meeting us and would keep us in his prayers. He must have been educated by the good sisters. His handwriting resembles fine calligraphy.

Whenever I read articles demonizing the leadership of the Church (some leaders deserve demonization while others deserve canonization), I will recall Cardinal O'Malley's simplicity and charity to a couple of North American pilgrims in Rome.