I want Redford Bill
Joe, you told me it was Sharon Stone. Sorry, I'm not Sharon Stone
You know, the new guy asked me, what's New York like? Because he was kind of nervous and apprehensive, and especially with the press conference
I said, all I can tell you is this. They have been extraordinarily fair to me
I love them. I've become close friends with many of them. They give you a fair shake
What advice did you give him? I'm honest in saying he's a winner. as kind of forthcoming, as humble, as down to earth
You know what impressed me is he wasn't afraid to tell me
that he was kind of nervous. He said, my God, I've been in Joliet, kind of a small diocese
and coming to New York. So I said to him, you relax, you be yourself
I said, I have come to kind of learn that New York
This whole caricature is this suffocating, impersonal, mean, nasty city. Baloney. Baloney, baloney
You will find the people extraordinarily friendly. And you'll kind of find a sense of interconnectedness in all of New York
Cardinal, I want to ask you, what do you think the issues are that are facing the Archdiocese of New York
What are the most pressing issues? Sure. Because right away I'm thinking immigration. I'm thinking the clergy settlements on the sex abuse
We are so eager and have been for years to finally bring justice to the victim survivors of sexual abuse by people associated with the church
Not just priests, but other victims of sexual abuse by a perpetrator
We're eager to get that done. It's a big challenge for us because we know it's going to be expensive
What your fondest memory of being the Archbishop of New York in your 16 years here All right I could answer that easily No because there so many I meant I could answer that But now I got something new
In the last couple days since the news became public, my fondest memory is the number of people
that come up to me and say to me, we're going to miss you. And they're kind enough to say to me
you've been a good archbishop and we love you and I love them. My Christmas message is what the world needs now is light, light, light
There's a lot of darkness out there. You and your journalistic profession have to report a lot of darkness
This happens to be the darkest time of the year. December, what, two days is the darkest day of the year when the sun is lowest
When the people of old used to say, is the sun going to sink? And we're going to live in darkness
And then gradually it begins to rise. We're celebrating the birth of the one who said, I am the light of the world
We're celebrating the birth of the one who said, and you let your light shine before all
We need light. You've been such a force for the Catholic Church here in New York
Are you going to miss it? Sure. Sure. Do you know me well enough to say I'll miss being the center of attention
I think I was trying to be diplomatic. All right. Well, anyone who knows the cardinal knows exactly what he means
Well, the cardinal will still be here in New York City saying Sunday mass just at a much
smaller church in lower Manhattan. But his presence will still be as large as ever, if less visible publicly
But I don't even know about that. You know, very self-aware, funny, self-deprecating into that interview for sure. Absolutely
Love that. All right, Sharon. Thank you so much