As Cardinal Timothy Dolan turns 75, a time of transition begins in the Archdiocese of New York

NEW YORK — New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan turns 75 Thursday. 

Consequently, he has to submit his resignation to the Vatican. For now, it’s just a formality required by church law, but it starts the clock on a time of transition for the Archdiocese of New York. 

Dolan arrived in New York in 2009, and is in his 16th year as archbishop here, leading approximately 2.8 million Catholics. He knows his time leading America’s most prominent archdiocese is drawing to a close. He spoke about turning 75 this week on SiriusXM’s “The Catholic Channel.” 

“You have to submit your letter of resignation, and you don’t know exactly — I know recently it seems to be like between six and eight months. You — they usually, the Holy See would ask you to stay until your successor is appointed, and you don’t know when that will be,” Dolan said. 

“The whole thing is up to the pope”

Potentially, New York could have a new archbishop before the end of the year. 

“It could be days, weeks, months or years before the pope actually acts on it,” AP Vatican correspondent Nicole Winfield said. 

Winfield said Pope Francis sometimes allows close allies, such as Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley, to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 80. 

Dolan was a favorite of Pope Benedict XVI. HIs relationship with Francis is seen as cordial, if not particularly close. 

“The whole thing is up to the pope, in the end,” Winfield said. 

So, too, will the decision as to whether Dolan’s successor will be made a cardinal, which Dolan became in 2012. Under Francis, prominent archbishops in Los Angeles, Milan and Paris have not been given that honor. It’s not a certainty in New York, either. 

“This pope does not feel bound by the tradition of keeping cardinals in the tradition of Cardinal Sees,” Winfield said. 

“I find obedience liberating”

Whenever his resignation is finally accepted, Dolan said he’ll continue to serve the church. He took a vow of obedience. 

“I find obedience liberating. People say, ‘What are you going to do?’ I don’t really know. It ain’t my decision. You just say, ‘Jesus, I trust in thee. And, Holy Father, I trust in you,'” Dolan said. 

Dolan said when the new archbishop is eventually named, he’ll offer any assistance he can provide. He also hopes to lead religious retreats and do some teaching in retirement.