UNITED STATES
CNN
By Daniel Burke, CNN
(CNN) – The nation’s leading Roman Catholic archbishop said Wednesday that Pope Francis was “on a high” from his first international trip as pontiff when he said “Who am I to judge?” gays and lesbians.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who traveled last week to Brazil with the pope for World Youth Day, said the massive turnout – estimates ran as high as 3 million – and ecstatic crowds likely gave Francis hope that he would “revive the church on his home continent of Latin America.”
Francis was the archbishop of Buenos Aires in Argentina from 1998 until his papal election in March.
“The pope was visibly `on a high’ from his first international pastoral visit in Rio,” Dolan said. “Understandably so. Because I was there with him, I can verify that the superlatives being used — `oceanic’ crowds, `frenzied’ welcomes, `inspirational, heartfelt’ words — are not exaggerations at all.”
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