CATHOLIC COURIER DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER. N.Y. THURSDAY MAY 11,2000 PAGES

Cardinal O'Connor touched lives worldwide NEW YORK (CNS) - Cardihal John J. O'Connor, New York's archbishop for 16 years, died May 3, a litde more dian eight mondis after undergoing surgery last Aug. 31 for a brain tumor. He was 80 years old. His funeral was held May 8, at St. Patrick's Cathedral. A plain-speaking public figure, Cardinal O'Connor often addressed current contro­ versies in his weekly newspaper column, in homilies at St Patrick's Cathedral and in frequent contacts with news media. New \brkers learned of the feisty side of his character widiin die first few montiis of his arrival in 1984 when he became em­ broiled in several controversies diat made national headlines. On Cadiolics and abortion he disagreed vigorously with two of New York's most prominent Democratic Catholic politicians — Gov. Mario Cuomo*and Rep. Geraldine Ferraro. On homosexuality, he risked millions of Reuters/CNS dollars in Catholic social service contracts The casket of Cardinal John O'Connor is carried down the aisle of St. Patrick's when he fought Mayor Ed Koch's executive Cathedral In New York for the funeral Mass May 8. order forbidding city contracts with any ToddPlttt/CNS agency unless it promised not to discrimi­ New York Cardinal John J. O'Connor nate in employment "on the basis of sexu­ receives applause at St. Patrick's military chaplaincy. He retired as Navy a bishop at the Vatican May 27, 1979. al orientation or affectional preference."' Cathedral Jan. 16, 2000, the morning chief of chaplains with die rank of rear ad­ In October 1980 he delivered a major pa­ The cardinal won in court after his 80th birthday. miral in 1979, when he was made an auxil­ per on war and peace in Cadiolic teaching Despite dieir disagreements, he and iary bishop of die U.S. Military Vicariate. at an international meeting of military vic­ Koch became friends. In 1989 they dis­ of and New York Cardinal But before becoming New York arch­ ars, just one month before die U.S. bishops cussed concerns of the city in a bbok diey Terence Cooke. bishop he was dirust into die national spot­ decided to develop a statement addressing co-autiiored, His Eminence and Hvamer. One of his last public acts was to an­ light in die 1980s when he played a key role die morality of nuclear defense. While uncompromising on church nounce this March diat die Vatican had ap­ in die drafting committee diat wrote die He was tiien named to die writing com­ teachings, he reached out todi e larger non- proved his request to open die saindiood U.S. bishops' landmark 1983 pastoral let­ mittee for die bishops' statement headed Cadiolic community. He developed strong cause of , founder of die ter on nuclear deterrence. by Cardinal (dien Cincinnati Archbishop) relations witii Jewish leaders and was noted Cadiolic Worker movement John Joseph O'Connor was born in Joseph L. Bernardin. The 1983 pastoral let­ for his efforts to bring healing and recon­ Calling his military pension more man Philadelphiajan. 15,1920. He attended St ter diat resulted, "The Challenge of Peace: ciliation to situations of racial or etiinic enough to live on, he declined any salary Charles Borromeo Seminary in suburban God's Promise and Our Response," was a conflict or stipends as archbishop. In 1988 he Overbrook and was ordained a priest of die carefully nuanced critique of U.S. defense He launched several programs for peo­ formed a scholarship fund for African- archdiocese Dec. 15,1945. policy. It drew wide international attention ple with AIDS, inaugurated annual cele­ American students, to which he donated He taught high school for seven years af­ and provoked similar efforts by odier reli­ brations with people with disabilities, pro­ all his SocialSecuritY earnings for die rest ter ordination and engaged in advanced gious bodies in the and moted workers' causes, formed three of his life. studies. Fife earned master's degrees in ad­ Cadiolic bishops' conferences in several religious orders, convened an archdiocesan , A native of Philadelphia and priest of vanced ethics at Villanova University in Vil- odier countries. synod and started die canonization causes diat archdiocese, he devoted 27 years to die lanova, Pa., and in clinical psychology at During die special meeting in Chicago The Catholic University of America in at which die bishops approved die pastoral Washington. He later earned a doctorate letter, Bishop O'Connor, tiien 63, learned in political science at Georgetown Univer­ by telephonedia t Pope John Paul had cho­ sity in Washington. sen him to be bishop of Scranton, Pa. Applause sends a message He became a Navy chaplain during die His appointment was announced May NEW YORK (CNS) - The pro-life wit­ state's two U.S. senators, Daniel Patrick Korean conflict in 1952 and served on ves­ 10,1983, and he was installed in die Scran­ ness of Cardinal John J. O'Connor of New Moynihan and Charles E. Schumer. sels in die Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediter­ ton Diocese June 29. He immediately set York continued to resound at his funeral Giuliani has been planning to run ranean, ashore in various U.S. posts, and out to visit every parish in the diocese, be­ May 8 at St Patrick's Cathedral. against Mrs. Clinton to succeed Moyni­ overseas in Korea, Japan and Vietnam. gan preparations for Scranton's first dioce­ A dramatic demonstration arose spon­ han, but the funeral of Cardinal O'Con­ In 1958 he received die Legion of Merit san synod in more tiian a century and taneously when the homilist, Cardinal nor, who died of cancer, may have award for his work in preparing and devel­ made several odier changes. Bernard F. Law of Boston, said Cardinal brought more personal reflections for die oping die Navy Moral Leadership Pro­ But less dian a year later, on Jan. 31, O'Connor's "great legacy" was "his con­ mayor. His fadier died of prostate cancer gram. He received die award again in 1965 1984, he was named archbishop of New stant reminder that die church must al­ and now he has it, too. for "exceptionally meritorious conduct" as York. He was installed there March 19. On ways be unambiguously pro-life." As die two-minute ovation continued, chaplain to die 3rd Marine Division in Viet­ May 25,1985, he became a member of die Some in die cathedral began applaud­ people began standing in a wave diat be­ nam. His 1968 book, A Chaplain Looks at . ing, others joined them and, as the ap­ gan at the back and quickly filled die en­ Vietnam, was based on his experiences Widiin his first few months in New York plause grew in volume, it seemed evident tire church, including die hundreds of diere. it became clear diat he was not afraid of much of die congregation wanted to send priests in the congregation and the In 1972 he became die first Cadiolic taking stands diat would provoke contro­ a message to public officials and candi­ dozens of cardinals, archbishops and bish­ chief chaplain of die VS. Naval Academy in versy. dates for office in die front pews. ops around die altar. Annapolis, Md., and tiiree years later he In June he and Cardinal Bernardin tes­ They included President Clinton and Eventually die Clintons and Gores also became die second Cadiolic in history to tifiedjoindy before Congress, opposing die his wife, Hillary, as well as die main can­ rose to tiieir feet, but did not applaud. be appointed Navy chief of chaplains. deployment of U.S. Pershing and cruise didates for die presidency, Vice President Cardinal Law took die standing ovation He retired from die Navy in 1979 when missiles in Western Europe, questioning Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush. as a sign of Cardinal O'Connor's contin­ he was named auxiliary bishop of die Mili­ die MX missile system and challenging Rea­ Former President Bush sat in a pew uing impact in the cathedral from which tary Vicariate, die nonmilitary ecclesiasti­ gan administration proposals for massive with Cardinal O'Connor's family, New he became a national and international cal structure, which at that time oversaw new expenditures on nuclear weaponry York Gov. George E. Pataki, New York voice. As the applause, died down he re­ Cadiolic chaplains in die armed forces. and space-based defense systems. City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, and die marked: "I see he hasn't left die pulpit." Pope John Paul II personally ordained him Continued on page 6

EXPERIENCE A CATHOLIC MASS Director of Stewardship and Development IN ROCHESTER'S Diocese of Rochester Seeking applicants for a Director that will be responsible for the overall stewardship MOST BEAUTIFUL CHURCH education and fund development for the Diocese of Rochester. Included in the Come join us in the rich tradition of an responsibilities will be educating parishioners and donors on the needs of the English liturgy in historic St. Michael's Church. diocese, and developing new time, talent and financialresource s to meet Worship amid 1890s stained glass windows, present and future needs of the diocese and its parishes. priceless religious, relics, a formal choir accompanied Applicants should possess a demonstrated ability to articulate the philosophy and objectives of the Roman , including the theology of stewardship; be by a 1903 pipe organ and brass instruments. an active member of a Roman Catholic parish; 5-10 years experience as a steward­ Park in a secure monitored lot while attending ship and development professional with demonstrated success in fundraising; -this traditional Mass of mystery and wonder. a minimum of a BA degree in related field; excellent communication skills and Refreshments served following Mass. demonstrated supervisory and managerial skills.lnterested individuals, Every Sunday, 7 p.m. please send a cover letter and resume fayMa y 31,2000 to: HUMAN RESOURCES, DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER S¥* MICHAII^S CHURCH 1150 Buffalo Road • Rochester, New York 14624 869 Clinton Ave. N, Rochester, NY 14605 • 3254040'