A brief excerpt from the interview:

Q: I understand that the red hat that you'll get has traditionally symbolized a willingness to shed blood for the church, and I wonder, what does that mean in a contemporary context?

A: The red vestments carry that significance, and one that I think is very powerful for Catholics, for believers. It certainly is for me. I like to think that I'm prepared to suffer for my vocation, for the church, and I hope that God will give me the grace to be faithful to that. It's unlikely that I will experience a bloody persecution, but there's always more subtle forms of persecution that people have to endure for their beliefs and to be able to witness to the Gospel. One of my classmates, it's the one that's bishop in New Guinea, a couple months ago was stripped and beaten by robbers there, in the highlands, and my other classmate that's in Bluefields, they threw a hand grenade into his Jeep and blew off part of his arm and killed the nun that was with him. So, I don't think I'll have to endure those kinds of things in Boston. But our vocation means we should be available for service to the church, even in the most adverse circumstances.

Q: You mentioned that persecution comes in other forms. Do you see the Church as persecuted, either locally or nationally?

A: Well, at times, I think the dominant culture, the secular culture, does trivialize our beliefs, and at times ridicules them. It's not the same as the kind of persecution that people experience in Cuba or, before the fall of the Iron Curtain. There were many worse forms of persecution. But, I think that there are many forms of persecution, and certainly one of them is to be ridiculed.

Q: Is there a place in the church for those who place their faith in Jesus but disagree with teachings about sexuality or even abortion?

A: Well, certainly we don't want to drive people out of the church, but we do want to bring people closer to the truth that is proclaimed in the church, particularly around these issues, which are very important. The church can not allow itself to be assimilated into the secular culture around us, and sometimes I think that some of our Catholics have been so influenced by their culture, and then are upset when the church doesn't follow the same path of assimilation, rather than one of giving prophetic witness to a different message, that is the message of the Gospel. I understand the forces that are out there shaping people. And, of course, for the longest time, the church taught from a basis of authority with people, and, with great simplicity and faith, accepted. And in today's world, we need to use more persuasion and apologetics, as we used to call it when I was in seminary, and explanation. But faith can not always be reduced to some syllogism. And we do believe that there are givens, as revelation that has come to us, and that it's our responsibility to embrace that and to teach it. And hopefully to witness to it, and, if we lead good lives, that helps to make our message more cogent, even to those who disagree.

Domenico Bettinelli offers insightful comments on the interview from a conservative Catholic perspective.