CBS 2 News This Morning

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Archbishop-designate Timothy Dolan will knock on the doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral on Tuesday to symbolically ask New York Roman Catholics to accept him as their new leader.

The evening ceremony will be the first of two installation services for Dolan as head of the Archdiocese of New York. On Wednesday, a Mass for Dolan will be held in the cathedral. 

Thousands of well-wishers are expected to attend, including city and state officials.

Finishing touches were being added to the cathedral for Tuesday evening's prayers and Wednesday's installation, when Dolan will take the chair of the archbishop.

"To look at the chair and come here brings a tear to my eye and a sense of awe," Dolan said Tuesday.

The 59 year-old Dolan says for him, St. Patrick's represents a dream. Just as it was in 1983 when John J. O'Connor took the helm, and shared the moment with a young John J. O'Connor who'd written him a letter. A youth named Timothy M. Dolan, a second-grader from the Bronx, did likewise and was invited as a special guest of the new archbishop.

"I think it's pretty cool," said the younger Dolan.

Seven year-old Timothy, who attends St. Barnabas Elementary, wrote a letter to the archbishop informing him of their common bond.

"Dear Archbishop Dolan: Would you like to meet each other one day?" the young boy wrote.

Timothy's mother, Darlene, will also attend. "I think it's an honor, a great honor," she said.

Also invited, was Sister Mary Bosco Daly, the archbishop's second grade teacher, now 84 and living in Ireland. Her homespun wisdom touched the bishop, like that of his own mother.

"I've got to listen to my mom. Be yourself and trust in God and you'll get through," he said.

One of Dolan's first visits, later this week, will be to a Bronx community center, where a Catholic Charities mobile food pantry will be set up.

Dolan checked out the massive front door at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Monday, preparing for Tuesday evening's Solemn Vespers.

The tradition involves Dolan knocking on the front door to begin the ceremonies that will make him the leader of more than 2.5 million Catholics in the New York Archdiocese.

The incoming archbishop, who said he wants to be a "parish priest" for all of New York, admitted to being a little nervous about that knock, as he practiced his technique on the great cathedral doors.

"That knock is an important symbol," said Dolan. "Will you let me in? Do you welcome me as your new pastor?"

The job is the most prominent in the American Catholic church. The archdiocese serves 2.5 million Catholics and is the second-largest U.S. diocese after Los Angeles.

The new archbishop says he's humble, but confident as he prepares to take office in a job beyond his wildest dreams.

"Ever since I'm conscious, I wanted to be a parish priest, and here I am, you know, I'm going to be Archbishop of New York," said Dolan on Monday.

Tuesday night for Solemn Vespers, which runs from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Wednesday for the Installation Mass, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., 50th and 51st Streets between Madison and Fifth Avenues will be closed to traffic, and no trucks will be allowed on Fifth and Madison from 49th to 52nd Streets.

More than 2,500 people are expected to pack St. Patrick's on Tuesday night. Officials are still trying to figure out how to make that knock on the front door audible to all those inside.

The 59-year-old Dolan says his new position as Archbishop of New York is so much more than the pomp and circumstance. Dolan says he is eager to defend Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and gay marriage.

"I sometimes think Catholics are caricatured as being unenlightened or not with the times when it comes to some controversial issues and I think we Catholics just need to stand up and say we're above the times, that we're timeless," added Dolan.

From the aftermath of the church sex abuse scandal to dwindling mass attendance, Dolan has his hands full.

"The issue of Catholic schools is very complex. It's not only an issue of finances, but also in many cases demographics. It's the desire of parents and what kind of education they need," Monsignor Raymond Kupke, a professor at Seton Hall University said.

Another issue facing the Church is the shortage of priests. The New York Archdiocese will ordain only three new priests.

"Someone had mentioned the average age is in the 60s. Not a lot of young guys with new blood to take on the public," parishioner Joe Falanga said.

"I'd like to see him reach out to people, encourage them to attend mass, potentially open up to other people," added parishioner Brent Griffith.

For many, the idea of a unifying force is challenge number one.

"If he can bring back the feeling that the church is for everyone and he is here for everyone that will help," parishioner Dottie Ward said.

"He is remarkably optimistic and almost ebullient personality. It's hard to resist him if he raises an issue," Monsignor Kupke added.

And that is a quality many say is needed now, one that will be tested in the weeks and months to come.

New York Catholics will officially welcome Dolan as the new archbishop this Wednesday. Join CBS 2 for special live coverage of the Mass of installation, beginning at 1:30 p.m. 

 Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Solemn Vespers Live Stream
 Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.: Installation Mass Live Stream
 Solemn Vespers Booklet  |  Installation Mass Booklet
 Slideshow: New York's Archbishops |  Street Closures

CBS 2's Magee Hickey and John Slattery contributed to this report.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

• Go! New York For A Healthy Lifestyle
• Got Wit? Play CBS 2's Caption Game!
• 20 Questions
• Celebrities On Twitter
• Celebrity Real Names Revealed
• When It Was Out To Be Out
• Hilarious Movie Blunders
• World's Coolest Fighter Jets