Yes, that was Cdl O’Malley.
I don’t know why O’Malley is popular with the Pope - remember, he was one of only 2 Americans invited to hear about the MP. However, it’s possible that O’Malley’s negative reaction has reduced his popularity a bit. Or perhaps it’s the fact that he’s busy closing as many churches as possible in Boston, and instead of seeking a solution, seems to be planning to just wind up the business and turn the lights off when he leaves.
Perhaps the Holy Father doesn't judge him based on his feelings towards the TLM. No doubt he has other redeeming qualities.
Or perhaps it’s the fact that he’s busy closing as many churches as possible in Boston ..
He is not alone. Here in Albany, the Church closings continue. In the Buffalo diocese, the bishop is closing 30 churches including a Maronite Catholic Church that never switched its corporate papers to the Maronite Eparchy when it was formed in 1966. Many of these churches were built by Polish, Irish, Italian, French and even Lebanese immigrants, when they first arrived in this country. Their descendants have now moved south, necessitating the enormous growth of new Catholic Churches in the Bible belt.
Red hats are not given out willy nilly - they are earned. It is easy to sit on the sidelines and judge the actions of a Cardinal in Boston MA, without having the specifics. Leave the judgment up to our Lord, okay?
I don't even know that he's "popular" with the Pope. I believe he's credited with doing a good job of cleaning up aften the sex abuse scandal in Fall River. In Boston, as far as I can tell, the abuse was pretty well cleaned up before he came -- all over but the lawsuits and settlements.
As for why he was invited to the meeting in Rome, maybe the Pope was aware that he was unsympathetic but thought he was more malleable.
Don’t forget, he’s also selling off pieces of the St John Seminary and so the head of the Seminary resigned in protest...