Hi Ruben, This is Your Friend Tim Dolan

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

Tel. 718-991-3161

Hi Ruben, This is Your Friend Tim Dolan

You should know that I have been in the hospital since July 26th recuperating from knee replacement surgery. During this time, there have been so many calls from so many friends and so many text messages from friends - including from some people who I would never think would ever call me.

My biggest surprise was when my cell phone rang yesterday, and I looked at the phone and it said ‘unknown’, and the only ‘unknown’ call I ever receive is when my son, Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., calls me, and I always know it’s him.

This time, thinking that it was my son who was calling, I picked up the phone and surprise, surprise, I heard a voice on the other end that said, “Hi Ruben, this is your friend Tim Dolan.”

Can you imagine: His Excellency, the leader of the Catholic Church in New York State, the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, taking time out of his busy schedule to call a Protestant Evangelical Minister!

You should know, that is the kind of human being, someone filled with compassion, who God has sent to lead New York’s and the United States’ Catholic religion.

Just by the way he started the conversation, “Hello Ruben, this is your friend Tim Dolan,” shocked me and almost made me cry.

You should have seen the expression on my wife Leslie’s face – she happened to be sitting next to me when I responded, “Your Excellency, Cardinal, how are you doing?”

Among the things he said to me are that he is praying for me, and - hold yourself - he ended by saying, “We need you. The Lord has a lot more work for you here in New York.”

Those words gave me such a boost and I took them like a message from God.

Thank you Cardinal Dolan. We are all proud of you.

This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.