Show and tell

Cardinal O'Malley met with Boston reporters this afternoon at the North American College, all decked out in his new red robes.

He said he'd rather be wearing his brown habit, which he called, "my uniform,'' but proudly showed his red socks to reporters, saying, "at least nobody can doubt my sports affiliation now.'' He was less eager to show off the biretta, which his secretary held until I asked the cardinal to display it; then he held it gingerly and for the most part so low it could barely be seen above the microphones.

The archbishop was alternately thrilled and cautious; he said he was "excited" about the day, but demurred at the suggestion that yesterday was the "most momentous" day of his life.

"Well, I like to think that there’s many momentous occasions in a person’s life,'' he said. "Certainly, for me, my religious profession, my ordination as a priest, I think were the most important things. And these other things are great honors, and perhaps much showier, but personally, for myself, the day of my vows, the day of my ordination, were the most important days of my life and will always be."

I asked him how he would put into practice in Boston the pope's homily, urging the new cardinals to "spread far and wide" what the pope called "the principle of love.''

This is how O'Malley responded: "I think (by) trying to help people to understand that love is the very essence of our religion, and that at times the demands of the faith are difficult, but it’s Christ’s love that makes it possible for us.''