After 16 years of service as archbishop of New York City, Cardinal Timothy Dolan submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV on December 18, 2025.
During his years of service to one of the US's largest cities, Cardinal Dolan oversaw many highs and lows of the Catholic metropolitan population, from Pope Francis's only trip to United States to the COVID-19 church and service shut-down.
One might think that, after years of handling difficult situations like the Church's various sexual-abuse crises and the tense political dynamics of New York City, a cardinal might want to spend his retirement somewhere warm, in a relaxed setting with family and friends.
However, just days after the inauguration of New York City’s new archbishop, Ronald Hicks, it was announced that Cardinal Dolan would do no such thing.
Instead, in a press-release published on Febuary 10, New York City's Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch named Cardinal Timothy Dolan the new co-lead the NYPD’s chaplain unit. According to Tisch, alongside Reverend A.R. Bernard from the Christian Cultural Center, Cardinal Dolan's work in the department will provide spiritual assistance and moral guidance to all members of the force.
Later, in a statement, Tisch praised the moral character of new co-leaders of the chaplain unit.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Reverend A.R. Bernard are two of the most righteous people this City has ever known. They are two men of incredible faith whose life and leadership embody the moral clarity, compassion, and wisdom our officers rely on in their hardest moments.
So for many Catholics, retirement might look like sleeping on a beach or starting a new hobby, but for Cardinal Timothy Dolan, it seems retirement looks like getting back on the front line of duty.
CRT
