U.S., The “American Pope’s” super diet

01/18/2012

THE ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK, TIMOTHY DOLAN

The Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, has sought the help of a medical “guru” in order to lode weight. “I am not doing this because I was appointed cardinal, but in order to serve the Lord better”

MAURO PIANTA
ROME

He still “carries a lot of weight” within the Catholic Church, despite losing a kilo or so. The Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, who will receive the Cardinals’ biretta next 18 February, a man endowed with such charisma and character that the media have even gone as far as to call him the “American Pope”, is one pretty well-built man. Sixty one year old Dolan, who is one metre and eighty centimetres tall, has a roaring laugh and is a great lover of food, good wine and cigars, has been on a diet for almost a year now.

This was confirmed in recent days, in a statement given to the New York Daily News, by his doctor, Howard Shapiro, the diet guru and cult author of a series of best sellers on the topic: “Yes, our personalised work plan began last February – the doctor said – and I could see immediately that the patient was motivated and focused: in the first two months and half, he lost 25 kilos.” What number did the needle on the weighing scale stop at before the archbishop started the “treatment” and exercises? “I will never reveal the starting weight of the man who will one day become Pope,” Shapiro said with a smile. “Let’s just say – he continued – that in order to achieve his ideal weight he will have to lose another 25 kilos. But I would be over the moon if in the four weeks before he is nominated cardinal he managed to lose about a dozen or so kilos...”

Dolan’s spokesman, Zoe Zwilling has confirmed that the archbishop has been on a diet and an exercise programme since February 2011, but strongly denied that this had anything to do with his upcoming ecclesiastical promotion. “He simply wants to lead a healthier lifestyle.”

Dolan who is a bit of a joker and very popular in the U.S., has always joked about his immense love of food and about the “circumference” of his belly. During a television interview which took place in the tight spaces of the Cathedral of Saint Patrick’s crypts where his predecessors are buried, Dolan himself recalled the lighthearted comment made by Cardinal Edward Egan, New York’s former bishop: “I wonder how they’re going to fit you in there, this place is pretty strapped for space…” The prelate burst into his signature laughter and said: “You mean II might have to rent a space and a half…”

Some time ago, he wrote the following with regards to his diet: “It’s actually about the biblical virtue of stewardship, taking good care of the gifts that the Lord has given us — in this case, my body and my health — so as to better serve Him and others.” This is the word of America’s Pope.

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