10.15am ET – The appointment officially made at Roman Noon, here from Newark's Cathedral-Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the introduction of Cardinal-designate Joe Tobin CSSR as North Jersey's sixth archbishop, beginning with a sweeping mission-statement from the Pope's pick laying out his concept of pastoral leadership:

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Given what's been brewing behind the scenes for the better part of the last month, now you know why the following clip wasn't run here on the late October feast of its "lead"...

...still, when you look at all the pieces in this, 21 years after the fact, its echoes into the current moment – indeed, into tomorrow – just feel all the more extraordinary:



As previously reported, a presser in Newark's Cathedral-Basilica of the Sacred Heart is slated for 10.30am Eastern Monday. Thanks to a furtive last-minute wifi installation in the ethereal French Gothic space, the introduction of the Sixth Archbishop will be livestreamed, and you can find the feed right here at the appointed hour.

In the meantime – with a ton of thanks to everybody who helped keep the shop afloat during the drill-phase of the operation – it bears noting again that these pages are only made possible thanks to your support....

In particular this time, to the many folks in North Jersey who've pummeled this house with no shortage of questions over the last year – and, to be candid, treated this scribe like some kind of free vending machine – with "the goods" you've been waiting for now delivered, in all fairness, this round's especially on you.

This time next week, it's live from Baltimore for The Making of the President... even so, as no shortage of things can (and will) happen in the interim, send prayers.

Long story short, folks, days like these are what this beat's all about... and even as the budget's in your hands, Lord knows how it beats being owned.

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