Cardinal Dolan on pope visit: "I feel like the father of the bride"

Pope Francis is arriving in America shortly for his first trip here not just as pontiff, but ever in his life. The pope's arrival will shine a big spotlight on New York City's Catholic community when he arrives there for a stay, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, is excited.

Dolan sat down for an interview Tuesday with "CBS This Morning."

Charlie Rose: There is great anticipation.

Dolan: You bet there is and I'm kind of nervous. I hope I'm not showing it. I feel like the father of the bride or something.

Rose: Is he coming with a pastoral visit or is it a visit with a political message?

Dolan: But you had it in the right sequence, Charlie. He's coming as a pastor, as an apostle, as an evangelist but in preaching that gospel message, in handing onto us the teaching of god as revealed in Jesus Christ and the Bible, there's always implications in the moral life and some of those implications are in the encomia and political realm. So even if he doesn't come as a politician or as an economist, obviously in the articulation of basic biblical principles--and he's a pro at that--there are going to be some implications for the economy, for the environment, for morality, for politics. So it's a little bit of both.

Norah O'Donnell: He will address Congress in Washington, and those who've seen his remarks say he will talk about climate change, the need to address immigration reform, but these are issues that are more aligned with Democrats than Republicans. How political will it be?

Dolan: Well, I think we'll see a different reaction on both sides. You could bet the Republicans are going to will be vigorously applauding on some of the things he said while Democrats might be a little somber, and the other, you're gonna see Democrats who are gonna be enthusiastic on some of the things he said while Republicans are sitting on their hands. Because he really doesn't, he really isn't there to please anybody, his job is to please God.

Gayle King: Are you concerned he may alienate someone because of his progressive views?

Dolan: Well look, he's gonna alienate some of the other side too, Gayle. There's a beautiful phrase used by G.K. Chesterton back in the 1930s, he said, "Look, ... the role of a religious leader is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable." He's gonna do a little bit of both. So those who are kind of secure and comfortable who might be tempted to be self-righteous in their beliefs, they're gonna be afflicted. And those who are looking for some consolation and a touch of mercy and grace, they're gonna be comforted.

King: Well, as Charlie said, the anticipation is so huge that people are scalping free tickets to see him.

Dolan: That's not good because everything about Pope Francis is free. Everything about Pope Francis is gracious and inviting. He would cringe if he thought somebody had to pay to see him.

O'Donnell: This is a very aggressive travel schedule. He is 78 years old and he has one lung. Are you worried about him?

Dolan: I am a little, thanks for bringing it up Norah, you're gracious to do so. I am. An exhausting schedule in Cuba, no less hectic in Washington, and in Philadelphia which is the main event for him and we're sandwiched in between all of that. I'm a little worried that he's going to be exhausted.

O'Donnell: There is a report this morning that in the main ISIS magazine, there's a picture of Pope Francis in there. Are you worried about his safety?

Dolan: I'd have to say I'm concerned, there's a big difference between concerned and worried. I've been extraordinarily impressed with the New York Police Department, with the Secret Service. But a little concerned, yeah. But he's not, I should take my cues from him, he's got a big sturdy guardian angel. And he doesn't seem concerned so I guess I should relax.

Rose: What does he hope to accomplish beyond the pastoral, beyond the message, what does he hope will result from this visit?

Dolan: He wants to reawaken spiritual sentiments in all of us. He wants to remind us of God. He wants to remind us that we're created in God's image of likeness and that we're destined to spend all eternity with God. That's a basic raw, meat-and-potato religious message that we very often forget.

Rose: How does he respond to the fact that he's the most famous, the most desirous, that he's the main man?

Dolan: I would say, you see, this has got to be a great paradox for him -- do you notice the more he tries to de-emphasize the prestige and the power of the papacy, the more he tries to kind of trim away the trappings, the more people pay attention to him. I think he finds that unsettling. He doesn't want to be the center of attention; he wants Jesus to be the center of attention so that's got to make him a little nervous. And I know from close up, he's kind of, even if he rises to the occasion, and he loves to be with people if he senses any adulation, he gets a little nervous.

King: Everyone says there hasn't been anyone like him, that's what's fascinating, and people in all faiths want to touch him.

Dolan: Well, that's the appeal too. We call him the Holy Father, who's not just our Holy Father as Catholics, but what my Jewish rabbi friend said, 'hey wait a minute, he's my pope too.'