Trump's journey of faith shows America turning to God in difficult times, Cardinal Dolan said

As Christmas approaches, the message of hope shining through the darkness may feel more relevant than ever. Whether they are motivated by the weight of a corrupt world, personal grief or the darkness that lingers during the short days of winter, people seem increasingly drawn to finding light.

That's the message to take away from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York who leads the midnight mass this Christmas.

Cardinal Dolan shared this sentiment during a special interview with Maria Bartiromo in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, where he showed signs that Americans reject the “caricature” of the faith. “bad, destructive, harmful and old,” which caused the sale of the Bible and other books related to spirituality to increase.

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“There seems to be a new appreciation for the role of faith, especially in our country,” he told the editor of Sunday Morning Futures.

“I think President Trump proved that. I've had conversations with him before. He's been very forthright. [that] He can't say that he was raised as a devout Christian, but he takes his Christian faith seriously. You have a lot of memories of Norman Vincent Peale, the famous preacher here in New York, down… on Fifth Avenue, and I think you mean that.”

He continued, “I think the assassination attempt has been renewed in him, 'There's something beyond me that I think is watching over me, and there's my job.' And what he expresses personally seems to be expressed very much in the whole world and that is part of America.

Maybe there is something something great is being looked at in the world, he suggested, pointing to former President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, two figures whose contributions helped define the latter part of the 20th century. Both survived assassination attempts in close proximity, each going on to help make the world what it is today.

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“When the two met for the first time, Ronald Reagan said to Pope Saint John Paul II, 'Mother Teresa told me that she thinks the Lord saved me because the Lord has something special that I think about, and Pope Saint John Paul. I smiled and said, 'You told me the same thing.' They both believed that, and look what they were able to achieve and the world changed for the better because of them,” he said.

Cardinal Dolan walked the grounds of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Bartiromo, showing him a photo of a painting from imprisoned Hong Kong freedom fighter Jimmy Lai, depicting Christ on the cross.

As billions around the world prepare to celebrate the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays, Dolan says his message at this midnight gathering will focus on “the triumph of light.”

“The Lord always invites us to go out on our own. That gives us hope.”

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