Edward Cardinal Egan

April 2, 1932 – March 5, 2015
May 2000 – May 2009 | Archbishop of New York


We are saddened by the loss of our beloved Archbishop Emeritus,
Edward Cardinal Egan. Please join us in praying for him and his family.  

 

“Having learned with sadness of the death of Cardinal Edward M. Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York, I offer heartfelt condolences to you and to the faithful of the Archdiocese. I join you in commending the late Cardinal’s noble soul to God, the Father of mercies, with gratitude for his years of episcopal ministry among Christ’s flock in Bridgeport and New York, his distinguished service to the Apostolic See, and his expert contribution to the revision of the Church's law in the years following the Second Vatican Council. To all assembled in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for the Mass of Christian Burial, and to all those who mourn Cardinal Egan in the sure hope of the Resurrection, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Lord." - Pope Francis

"My dear people, I am saddened to tell you that our beloved Cardinal Edward Egan, the Archbishop of New York from 2000-2009, has gone home to the Lord. Thank God he had a peaceful death, passing away right after lunch today, with the prayers and  sacraments of his loyal priest secretary, Father Douglas Crawford, in his residence at the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  He was rushed to NYU Langone Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 2:20 pm this afternoon. Join me, please, in thanking God for his life, especially his generous and faithful priesthood. Pray as well that the powerful mercy of Jesus, in which our Cardinal had such trust, has ushered him into heaven. My sympathy to his natural family, who will grieve for their uncle, and to you, his spiritual family here in the Archdiocese of New York. I’ll keep in touch as our arrangements are made. May he rest in peace." - Cardinal Dolan                                   
                                            

"Cardinal Egan was a true son of the Church. He was the good shepherd to his flock, the elder statesman to his peers, and the steady leader of his archdiocese. He was passionate about education, and about improving the lives of the most disadvantaged New Yorkers. Cardinal Egan was a good friend to the Society of Jesus, and held a special place in his heart for Fordham, where he was a frequent and beloved guest. He combined great expertise with great humility, and he was one of the kindest men I’ve ever known. He will be sorely missed by the Church and the city that he loved, and by all who were fortunate enough to cross his path. I know the Fordham Family joins me in keeping Cardinal Egan in their thoughts and prayers as we mourn his passing and celebrate his life and works." - Joseph M. McShane, SJ, President of Fordham University

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Cardinal Edward M. Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York.  On behalf of this Diocesan Church of Arlington and in my own name, I offer profound sympathy and assurance of prayer to His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan and the Church of New York, as well as to the relatives of Cardinal Egan, some of whom reside within this diocese, and the many people to whom he ministered so faithfully.

An overview of Cardinal Egan’s life reveals so strikingly his outstanding service to the Church as a priest of the Chicago Archdiocese; as a member of the faculty of the Pontifical North American College in Rome; as a member of the Roman Rota; as an Auxiliary Bishop of New York; as the Diocesan Bishop of Bridgeport; as the Archbishop of New York; and as a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.  Personally, I am saddened even more because of my relationship with this outstanding man of the Church beginning in 1962 when I entered the North American College where he was a young faculty member.  The Lord blessed us with many shared experiences together during our episcopacies, most notably in my being appointed the successor to Bishop John R. Keating, Cardinal Egan’s close priest-friend.

Archbishop Egan’s gifts were many and varied, and he put them at the service of the Church and of the human family with passionate zeal and enduring pastoral care. May the Good Shepherd take him into His embrace, giving him eternal life! "  -  Bishop Paul S. Loverde 
 

"It was with great sorrow that I learned this afternoon of the sudden death of Cardinal Edward Egan, who has been a friend since 1963. I first came to know him at the Pontifical North American College when I was a seminarian in Rome and then-Fr. Egan was a young teacher at the college working on his graduate studies in canon law. Our paths crossed many times in the 1970s when I was working in Rome for Cardinal John Wright of Pittsburgh at the Congregation for Clergy and Fr. Egan served at the Roman Rota.

As brother bishops, we worked together in a number of capacities over the years, including as members of the board of directors of the North American College and on various committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In addition to being a gifted scholar of canon law, Cardinal Egan conveyed a deep pastoral concern for and dedication to the faithful he served.
 
I offer my prayers and sympathy to Cardinal Egan’s family and friends and the many people whose lives he touched through his ministry over the years as a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and later as Bishop of Bridgeport and Archbishop of New York. May the Lord grant him eternal rest" Cardinal Donald Wuerl

"I was deeply saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Cardinal Edward M. Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York.
 
On behalf of the Church in Philadelphia, I extend prayerful condolences to Cardinal Egan’s family and many friends as well as Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the priests, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of New York.
 
I ask the people of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to offer prayers for Cardinal Egan, and I invite our priests to offer Masses for the repose of his soul. All of us are very grateful for the gifts of his life and service to the Universal Church. May God grant him the gift of eternal life, and give peace and consolation to all those who loved, admired, and respected him. " Archbishop Charles J. Chaput


"The death of Cardinal Egan will leave a deep loss in the hearts of many who saw him as a dear friend and a truly major figure in the American catholic community. He and I were  both named to our final posts around the same time and during those early years of service we were in touch many times. We would call each other from time to time to herald good news or to share mutual sorrow when troubles seem to be on the horizon or the death of a colleague was announced

I recall such a call from the cardinal when he finally brought the budget of the Archdiocese into line after several yeas of truly heroic striving and saving. He told me that he had to share his success with a neighbor who was a real New Yorker and could share his joy. He loved New York, its priests and its people and served them well with all his heart. He was a great preacher and an outstanding administrator. He was very fond of his successor, Cardinal Dolan. He enjoyed being with people of all interests although his total commitment to guaranteeing the Church's financial stability limited his social opportunities and sometimes prevented people from seeing the talented, charming gentleman who loved them all so much ! May he rest in peace."  Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrrick

 

"We at the New York Board of Rabbis express our heartfelt condolences upon the passing of our friend, His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan. We worked closely with him following the tragedy of 9/11 when he was asked by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to bring faith leaders together for a commemorative service at Yankee Stadium. He explained to all of us that this was not a time in our City to build walls to separate us, but rather to build bridges where we could walk closer to one another.

It is said that "the eyes are composed of two parts, the light and dark, but you only see out of the dark." During his lifetime, the Cardinal faced many painful moments in the history of the Church, but he also helped rebuild a community with love and loyalty to his people.

May his memory be a source of blessing." - JP, The New York Board of Rabbis

"The Saint Pio Foundation and all its members are extremely saddened to have learned of the passing of His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan.

We were very honored to meet with Cardinal Egan on February 25th, 2015, and to introduce to him the Saint Pio Foundation, its mission and vision. His Eminence was very impressed with the work of our Foundation, and accepted to become a Member of the Saint Pio Foundation, lending his support to our fundraising concert scheduled for next December 2015 in Westchester County (NY), at which His Eminence had also committed to participate as a Special Guest and to perform two piano pieces for the audience.

More than his personal support, we were so fortunate to learn from him that while he was at the Pontifical North American College (from 1960 to 1964), he had what he recalled to be "a life changing experience".  He recounted that he had the honor to meet Padre Pio personally, and to receive confession from our beloved Saint, an experience that he was looking forward to sharing with us during our Christmas concert in Mamaroneck, NY, next December 13th, 2015. 

For this reason, and as a sign of gratitude to His Eminence for his willingness to support the Saint Pio Foundation, the Christmas concert will be entitled "A Tribute to His Eminence Cardinal Egan" in his memory and honor!" The Saint Pio Foundation Team

NY Daily News Editorial: "A cardinal’s legacy, Edward Cardinal Egan"

The New York Times: "Crypt at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Is Made Ready to Receive a Cardinal"

American Jewish Committee (AJC): "AJC Mourns Passing of Cardinal Edward Egan"