Hard to believe, but it’s been five years since Sean O’Malley became the Archbishop of Boston, replacing the notorious Bernard Law, who had left in disgrace several months earlier.

I’ll be up front about this: I’m an O’Malley fan. (It’s hard not to like a man with a red hat who wears a brown robe. He doesn’t go in for the fancy trappings.) His humility and good humor have endeared him to the people of Boston — no small feat, when you consider what they’ve been through.

Anyway…the Boston Globe’s Michael Paulson interviewed O’Malley recently on the occasion of his five year anniversary. Here’s a snip:

Q: I gather you don’t believe – you said this at the beginning when we talked about the 58 priests who had called for Cardinal Law’s resignation – I gather you’re not interested in sort of –

A: Punishing them? No, I’m not even interested in knowing who they were. I think that we are about trying to build up the unity of our community that has been divided so sorely on so many different fronts and calling people to come home and to be a part of the church, and not trying to polarize the situation.

Q: Tell me a little about some of the symbolism that’s so often associated with you. Why do you continue to wear the habit?

A: ‘Cause I continue to be a Capuchin friar. That’s my vocation and it’s who I am. Our way of life is very important to me even though I’m not able to live in our monasteries. I try to participate as much as I can. Certainly, the habit is a symbol, but it’s the commitment that I made many, many years ago, and it’s still very meaningful and important to me.

Q: And what about the car? I know you traded down. You also traded down in terms of where the archbishop lives.

A: Well, part of that is that I am a Capuchin friar. If I had my druthers I would prefer to be living in greater simplicity, but I know that the office of archbishop has certain requirements, so I try to adjust to those.

Q: You have often seemed not thrilled about the public figure aspects of being archbishop of Boston – I think you reflected on that in a piece for the Pilot right at the beginning.

A: Well, I see the bishop’s role as being a pastor, more than being a celebrity. And I suppose that’s what I’m uncomfortable with, not the role of being a leader or a pastor, but the celebrity status is something that I don’t feel terribly comfortable with.

Q: So what do you do about that?

A: Powdermilk biscuits.

Whatever that means…anyway, you can read the rest at the Globe link above.

UPDATE: Michael Paulson has kindly clarified just what the good Cardinal meant when he referred to “Powdermilk Biscuits.” It is, indeed, a Prairie Home Companion reference — and it’s not the first time O’Malley has used that as his own personal solution for Capuchin shyness. Check out his explanation right here.