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That New York’s archbishop would be elevated to cardinal comes as no surprise to Catholic observers.

"It would be surprising if he didn’t get it, given the importance of the Archdiocese of New York, but also, he’s very well-respected in Rome,” says Reverend James Martin of America Magazine. “He was the rector of a large, prestigious seminary in Rome for a few years, and he’s been a successful archbishop of Milwaukee, and he’s a very popular guy."

Some saw the timing as a surprise and a break with tradition, however. That’s in part because Dolan’s predecessor, Cardinal John Egan, remains in New York, effectively giving the city two votes for the next Pope. That is, at least until April, when Egan turns 80, the age at which cardinals are no longer eligible to vote in papal elections.

"So it's about six weeks early that he'll be installed as a cardinal, and that's quite a compliment to him. This doesn't happen ordinarily," says Terrence Tilley, chair of the theology department at Fordham University.

Dolan was among a group of 22 cardinals named Friday. Eighteen of them are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote, meaning a chance for Pope Benedict XVI to pick the men who will pick his successor.

Some wondered if the move was a sign of declining health. Pope Benedict, who’s 84, has recently been showing signs of age.

The list includes only one other American and is heavy on Europeans, especially Italians.

"This is very Eurocentric, and many of them are from the Vatican itself, from what’s called the curia. So I think it just shows where Pope Benedict’s interests may lie more,” says Martin. “He may be more of someone who’s focused on Europe than the previous pope."