"The cardinal-designate noted that the Gospel reading for Mass this past Sunday, the day Francis announced the new cardinal appointments, was what he called "the Gospel of the recovering alcoholic or the recovering addict."

The reading, taken from Luke's Gospel, tells of a leper Jesus has cured of the disease falling at Jesus' feet to thank him for the healing miracle.

"He comes back because he's made the connection between his release from a terrible, disfiguring and ultimately an alienating disease that takes him away from who he is and those whom he loves," said Tobin. "And he makes the connection that it's this one; this one is the one who released me.""

Thanks be to God.