Edward Cardinal Egan
Edward Michael Cardinal Egan (born
April 2,
1932) is a
bishop of the
Roman Catholic Church in the
United States. He currently serves as the twelfth bishop and ninth archbishop of the
Archdiocese of New York.
Born and raised in the
Chicagoland region in Oak Park,
Illinois, Egan attended local schools where he received what he described as a calling to
Holy Orders. Egan entered the
University of Saint Mary of the Lake and graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in
philosophy. He left the United States to continue religious studies at the
Pontifical North American College in
Rome,
Italy. He was ordained there on
December 15,
1957. Before returning to the United States, Egan obtained a
license in Sacred Theology from the
Pontifical Gregorian University.
Egan's administrative expertise began when he was appointed curate of
Holy Name Cathedral. He then became private secretary to
Albert Cardinal Meyer,
Archbishop of Chicago and attained the office of assistant chancellor of the archdiocese. In
1960, Egan returned to the Pontifical Gregorian University where he became assistant vice-rector and repetitor of moral theology and canon law. It was in that capacity that he attained his doctorate in canon law. Returning to the Archdiocese of Chicago, Egan was appointed private secretary to
John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago. He also became co-chancellor of the archdiocese. In
1971,
Pope Paul VI appointed Egan to become an auditor (
judge) of the
Sacred Roman Rota, the appelate tribunal of the
Holy See.
With a great wealth of expertise, Egan was appointed
auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York on
April 1,
1985 by
Pope John Paul II. He was ordained to the episcopate on
May 22,
1985 becoming
titular bishop of the
titular see of
Allegheny. Upon the episcopal vacancy in
Bridgeport,
Connecticut, Pope John Paul II appointed Egan
Bishop of Bridgeport on
November 5,
1988, and Egan was officially took up office on
December 14,
1988.
Egan was appointed Archbishop of New York on
May 11,
2000 and installed in that position on
June 19,
2000. He was elevated to
Cardinal on
February 21,
2001, helding the
Titulus Ss. Ioannis et Pauli. He is also a member of the
Board of Trustees at
The Catholic University of America.
In 2002 the "Institución del Mérito Humanitario" with seat in Barcelona (Spain) awards to him with the "Gran Cruz al Mérito Humanitario".
Egan was criticized in
June 2003 for concealing the names of priests who have been accused of child molestation and cleared by the church. His spokesman argued that the innocent should be protected; groups including
Voice of the Faithful were critical because the entire process was out of the public view. (See
Roman Catholic sex abuse cases.)
Egan was one of the
cardinal electors who participated in the
2005 papal conclave that selected
Pope Benedict XVI.
Cardinal Egan will be required to offer his
resignation as archbishop of New York to the
Pope in 2007, when he reaches 75 years of age, as specified in the Code of Canon Law (the Pope is free to delay accepting such a resignation, as he did with Egan's predecessor
Cardinal John O'Connor , who died in office at 80). He will remain a voting member of the
College of Cardinals until he turns 80, at which time he will remain a cardinal and participate in discussions, but will not enter the
conclave to choose a new pope.
