Cardinal Egan, retired NY archbishop, dies at age 82

(Associated Press) Roman Catholic Cardinal Edward Egan, the former archbishop of New York, has died. He was 82.

The Archdiocese of New York says Egan died Thursday afternoon at a New York hospital. The cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Pope John Paul II had appointed Egan as leader of the archdiocese in 2000 to succeed the late Cardinal John O'Connor.

Egan was archbishop during the Sept. 11 terror attacks during which he anointed the dead at a lower Manhattan hospital and presided over many funerals for victims.

He was a scholar of church law and spoke Latin fluently. John Paul chose him to help with the massive job of reviewing a revised canon law code for the global church.

A native of Illinois, Egan retired as New York archbishop in 2009.

Link:

• Cardinal Egan, retired NY archbishop, dies at age 82

"List of bishops who responded to Speaker Pelosi"

Updated 8/30:

WDTPRS:

"I said that bloggers must unite in a cause. The cause is keeping the Communion – pro-abortion Catholic politician issue in the public eye.

Diane of Te Deum Laudamus is doing a great service by aggregating the response made by US bishops to Speak Pelosi’s incredible remarks on Meet the Press.

The list of bishops issuing personal statements is growing. I found more and will update this list, as I get them. Check for updates! St. Augustine would be proud (and his feast day is tomorrow). Most of these links are direct to the respective diocese.

• Archbishop Chaput and Bishop Conley of Denver
• Cardinal Egan of New York (probably the strongest statement)
• Archbishop Donald Weurl of Washington D.C.
• Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport on behalf of the USCCB (on USCCB homepage)
• Bishop Sheridan of Colorado Springs
• Bishop Zubik of Pittsburgh (on homepage)
• Archbishop Neinstadt of St. Paul, MN (on homepage)
• Archbishop Gomez and Bishop Contu of San Antonio, TX (on homepage)
• Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, ND
• Bishop Farell of Dallas, TX NEW
• Bishop Murphy of Rockville Centre (Long Island) NEW
• Bishop Listecki of LaCrosse, WI NEW (added Aug 30)

More

Nothing from Niederauer

Prelates around the country react to Pelosi’s abortion comments – but San Francisco archbishop remains conspicuously silent

Bishops from New York to Denver have issued official statements from their chanceries and posted them to diocesan web sites in an attempt to set the record straight about what the Church teaches regarding abortion...

...Notably absent from this episcopal chorus was the voice of the bishop from Pelosi’s hometown, San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer. In a Feb. 4, 2007 interview on KCBS radio published in California Catholic Daily, Archbishop Niederauer told radio host Ed Cavagnaro, “Well, I have met on one occasion, with Speaker Pelosi, before she was Speaker Pelosi. It was last year. And I -- we’ve -- exchanged viewpoints on a number of things. At that time, it was last spring, and it was principally about immigration, because that was very much the hot-button topic of the time. We haven’t had an opportunity to talk about the life issues. I would very much welcome that opportunity, but I don’t believe that I am in a position to say what I understand her stand to be, if I haven’t had a chance to talk to her about it."

Now he knows.

• Link

Statement on Remarks by Speaker Pelosi

August 26, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 26, 2008

STATEMENT OF HIS EMINENCE, EDWARD CARDINAL EGAN CONCERNING REMARKS MADE BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.

We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith. Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name.

Edward Cardinal Egan

Archbishop of New York

August 26, 2008

• Link