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Cardinal Timothy Dolan Holds Mass in Newfoundland After Flight Diversion

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, found himself presiding over a Mass in an unexpected setting this past Sunday. His travel plans to Dublin, Ireland were disrupted after a United Airlines flight he was on was grounded in St. John’s, Newfoundland, due to adverse weather conditions.

The ordeal began on Thursday when Dolan was traveling on United Flight 23 from Newark Liberty Airport. Mid-flight, the plane was diverted due to a medical emergency involving another passenger, prompting the crew to land in Newfoundland around 2:30 a.m. Friday, as confirmed by Flightradar24.

Upon landing, paramedics attended to the ill passenger and transported them to a local hospital. However, this left the remaining passengers and crew—approximately 259 individuals—stranded because high winds prevented the flight from continuing to its destination, and their luggage remained on the grounded plane.

“Thank you to the gracious people of St. John the Baptist in St. John’s, Newfoundland, who took me in after my flight to Ireland was grounded. It was my joy to offer Mass in the cathedral that is said to have inspired Archbishop John Joseph Hughes to build @StPatsNYC!”— Cardinal Dolan (@CardinalDolan) February 16, 2025

During his Mass at the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Dolan expressed his gratitude towards the local parish for their hospitality, mentioning how fortunate he felt to be among them during the unplanned stop. He recounted the sequence of events that led to their extended stay in Newfoundland.

United Airlines responded to the situation by providing hotel accommodations and meal vouchers for the affected passengers. As weather conditions improved over the weekend, the flight was finally cleared to depart for Ireland on Sunday morning.

This situation is not unique; history has shown that passengers diverted to rural airports in northern Canada can face significant delays. St. John’s, while a charming location, is not equipped to handle large aircraft as it typically does not service large Boeing flights, and United Airlines lacks extensive resources there.

A similar incident occurred in 2023 when over 200 passengers from a Delta Airlines flight experienced a lengthy delay at a military base in remote Canada after a mechanical failure forced an emergency landing. Such diversions, though necessary for the safety of passengers and crew, often lead to frustrating experiences due to the unpredictability of weather and the capabilities of the landing airport.

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www.cbsnews.com