NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Cardinal O'Connor

His Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor, (January 15, 1920 – May 3, 2000) was the eleventh bishop (eighth archbishop) of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New York, serving from 1984 until his death in 2000. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Template:Faiuse File links The following pages link to this file: John Cardinal OConnor ... Template:Faiuse File links The following pages link to this file: John Cardinal OConnor ... Jump to: navigation, search January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events WIKIPEDIA EATS VAGINA January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the year 2000. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop heading a diocese of particular importance due to either its size, history, or both, called an archdiocese. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... In some Christian churches, the diocese is an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop, sometimes also referred to as a bishopric or episcopal see, though more often the term episcopal see means the office held by the bishop. ... Jump to: navigation, search State nickname: The Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York City Governor George Pataki (R) Senators Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 kmÂ² or 54,556 square miles (27th) - Land... Jump to: navigation, search This page is about the year 1984. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the year 2000. ...

Background

He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a family of Irish descent, and ordained a priest on December 15, 1945. He was initially assigned to St. James High School in Chester, Pennsylvania. He obtained a master's degree in advanced ethics from Villanova University and a doctorate in political science at Georgetown University in 1970 where he wrote his dissertation under future United Nations Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick and took classes at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. During his career he also performed the rite of exorcism. Jump to: navigation, search Independence Hall, as it appears today. ... Holy Orders in the modern Roman Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, and Independent Catholic Churches, includes three degrees: bishop, priest, and deacon. ... Jump to: navigation, search Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... Jump to: navigation, search December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The majority of my childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood was spent within spitting distance of this notorious spot. ... Jump to: navigation, search Ethics is the branch of axiology â€“ one of the four major branches of philosophy, alongside metaphysics, epistemology, and logic â€“ which attempts to understand the nature of morality; to define that which is right from that which is wrong. ... Villanova University is a private university in Villanova, Pennsylvania, a part of Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania Main Line. ... Jump to: navigation, search Political science is a social science discipline that deals with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behavior. ... Jump to: navigation, search Note: This institution should not be confused with Georgetown College Georgetown University is a major research university in the United States. ... Jump to: navigation, search The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945. ... Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick (born November 19, 1926) is an American conservative political scientist and member of the neoconservative movement. ... Jump to: navigation, search Father Edmund A. Walsh, S.J. - Founder and first dean The Bunn Intercultural Center, Washington, D.C. - Home of the School of Foreign Service The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (commonly abbreviated SFS) is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, DC, United States. ... Jump to: navigation, search Exorcism is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities which are supposed to have possessed (taken control of) a person or object. ...

He joined the United States Navy in 1952 as a Korean War chaplain, often entering combat zones in order to perform mass and administer last rites to soldiers. He rose through the ranks to become rear admiral and chief of Navy chaplains. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1979 and ordained a bishop on May 27, 1979 with the titular see of Curzola. He was appointed Bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania on May 6, 1983 and installed in that position June 29, 1983. He was appointed Archbishop of New York, New York on January 26, 1984 and installed in that position on March 19, 1984. He was elevated to Cardinal on May 25, 1985. Jump to: navigation, search The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search The Korean War (Korean: í•œêµì „ìŸ/éŸ“åœ‹æˆ°çˆ), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ... A chaplain is a priest or a member of the clergy serving a group of people who are not organized as a mission or church. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ... An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial... The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, also known as the Military Ordinariate, provides the Catholic Churchs pastoral and spiritual services to those serving in the United States armed forces or other federal services overseas. ... Jump to: navigation, search Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), born Karol JÃ³zef WojtyÅ‚a (May 18, 1920 - April 2, 2005), reigned as pope of the Catholic Church for almost 27 years, from 16 October 1978 until his death, making his the third-longest pontificate in the history of the... Jump to: navigation, search April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search This page refers to the year 1979. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search This page refers to the year 1979. ... When first appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu in Hawaii, Joseph Anthony Ferrario became a titular bishop of the titular see of the ancient Egyptian city of Cusae. ... Jump to: navigation, search Scranton is a city located in Lackawanna County in Northeastern Pennsylvania. ... May 6 is the 125126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search This page is about the year 1984. ... Jump to: navigation, search March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search This page is about the year 1984. ... A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope and appointed by him as a member of the College of Cardinals during a consistory. ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the year. ...

Archbishop of New York

As Archbishop of New York, O'Connor was a complex figure. He proved very media-savvy with his effective use of the soundbite and his ability to charm journalists. Nevertheless he was a stern critic of New York's political leaders. He was also a close associate of President Ronald Reagan and was an outspoken critic of abortion and gay rights. He strongly opposed violence, the death penalty, and abhorred war, regularly questioning the unchecked military spending of the 1980s. He was vocal in his opposition to abortion, speaking out in the defence the rights of the unborn. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... In film and broadcasting, a soundbite is a very short piece of footage taken from a longer speech or an interview in which someone with authority or the average man on the street says something which is considered by those who edit the speech or interview to be a most... Jump to: navigation, search Ronald Wilson Reagan, (February 6, 1911 â€“ June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981â€“1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967â€“1975). ... The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also... Jump to: navigation, search // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ...

As Archbishop he skillfully used the power and prestige of his office to uphold traditional Catholic doctrine in a frequently hostile world. Known as a close friend of the labor movement and trade unions, he earned the sobriquet: "The Patron Saint of the Working Man." Sobriquet, a nickname or a fancy name, usually a familiar name given by others as distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise. ...

Ecumenicalism

O'Connor was active in interfaith and ecumenical relations. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs called him, "a true friend and champion of Catholic-Jewish relations, but as a humanitarian who used the power of his pulpit to advocate for disadvantaged people throughout the world and in his own community." He strongly denounced anti-Semitism, and wrote a moving apology to Jewish leaders in New York for past harm done to the Jewish community. The word ecumenical comes from a Greek word that means pertaining to the whole world. ... Jewish Council for Public Affairs, JCPA, is self described as the representative voice of the organized American Jewish community. It attempts to formulate a cohesive policy that all major Jewish organizations can accept. ... The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ...

Relations with the Gay Community

Cardinal O'Connor opposed every gay-related bill considered on the city and state level during the 16 years of his tenure as Archbishop of New York. He condemned proposed legislation backed by "Catholic" Mayor Rudolph Giuliani that would grant homosexuals, lesbians, and unmarried couples the same legal rights, including the right not to be discriminated against in housing accommodations, as married couples. He also strongly opposed Mayor Ed Koch's executive order requiring all social service agencies, including those run by the Church, to provide equal services to homosexuals. The cardinal refused on the grounds that it would make the Church appear to be sanctioning homosexual practices and lifestyle. He also prohibited a pro-homosexual group from meeting in New York parishes, while at the same time celebrating Mass with Father John Harvey's Courage, a ministry to homosexual men and women who seek to live by the Church's teachings on human sexuality. He supported and defended efforts of the Ancient Order of Hibernians to prevent groups representing gay Irish people from marching in New York's St. Patrick's Day parade. Rudolph William Louis Rudy Giuliani III, KBE (born May 28, 1944) served as the Mayor of New York City from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 2001. ... Ed Koch Edward Irving Koch, LL.B (born December 12, 1924) was the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. ... Jump to: navigation, search Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) presiding at the 2005 Easter Vigil Mass in place of the dying Pope John Paul II. Mass is the term used of the celebration of the Eucharist in the Latin rites of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Shield of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) is an Irish-Catholic fraternal organization. ... St. ...

HIV and Contraception Controversy

The Cardinal opposed condom distribution as an AIDS-prevention measure, viewing it as being contrary to the Church's teaching that contraception is a sin. Some have criticized this position on the grounds that condoms distributed to gay men are not contraceptives, since gay men cannot conceive. O'Connor's response was that using an "evil act" was not justified by good intentions, and that the Church should not be seen as encouraging its members to perform sinful acts, regardless of the situation. He also agreed with the Church's position that the only sure way to prevent infection is sexual abstinence, as condoms at the time were shown to be only 90% effective against HIV transmission, and therefore claimed that any sexual activity by an HIV positive individual was a violation of the sixth commandment, Do not murder. HIV activist group ACT-UP was appalled by the Cardinal's apparent opinion that it was sinful for an HIV positive person to use a condom to prevent transmission of HIV to his HIV negative partner, an opinion they believe would translate directly into more deaths. This caused many of the confrontations between the group and the Cardinal. Jump to: navigation, search Sexual abstinence is the practice of voluntarily refraining from sexual intercourse and (usually) other sexual activity. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Ten Commandments on a monument in the grounds of the Texas State Capitol This 1768 parchment (612x502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated 1675 decalogue at the Esnoga synagogue of Amsterdam The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, is a list of religious and moral imperatives which, according... ACT-UP, or the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals . ...

Early on in the AIDS epidemic, he approved the opening of a specialized AIDS unit to provide specialized medical care for the sick and dying in St. Clare's Hospital in Manhattan, the first of its kind in the state. He often nurtured and ministered to dying AIDS patients, many of whom were homosexual. Even though he refused to condone the actions of homosexuals (many of whom had invaded his St. Patrick's Cathedral to angrily interrupt services), he would not allow his moral differences to interfere with ministering to them. As USA Today reported, he "washed the hair and emptied bedpans of dying AIDS patients, some too sick to know who he was." Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo once said "No place in the country are they working more aggressively to help AIDS patients than in the archdiocese." O'Connor was one of the members of President Ronald Reagan's 1987 presidential commission on AIDS, serving alongside 12 other members with no expertise on the subject, including Richard DeVos and Penny Pullen. The commission was considered an embarrassment by medical authorities, and a fiasco by members of the Reagan Administration. O'Connor's tenure earned him the enmity of New York's gay community, which had become radicalized in the late 80s and early 90s by government inaction on AIDS. O'Connor was a favorite object of scorn and ridicule in ACT-UP's demonstrations. Michael Petrelis, a founding member of ACT UP, indicated that the group "came to St. Patrick's in 1989 to repel the church's destructive intrusion into public policies concerning AIDS, gay civil rights and women's reproductive rights." The USA Today logo USA Today is a national American newspaper published by the Gannett Corporation. ... Cuomo making a speech in mid 2004, (C-Span). ... Jump to: navigation, search Ronald Wilson Reagan, (February 6, 1911 â€“ June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981â€“1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967â€“1975). ... The President’s Commission on the HIV Epidemic was a commission formed by then-President Ronald Reagan in 1987 to investigate the AIDS epidemic. ... Richard DeVos (1926-) is one of the founders of Amway, reorganized as Alticor in 2000, which now distributes more than US$ 4. ... Jump to: navigation, search President Reagan, with his Cabinet and staff, in the Oval Office (February 4, 1981) Headed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989, the Reagan Administration was conservative, steadfastly anti-Communist and in favor of tax cuts and smaller government. ...

Abortion

A staunch foe of abortion (he was characterized by Jerry Falwell as "a pro-life hero"), O'Connor also testified in favor of New York state legislation which sought to make human cloning research a crime punished by up to seven years of prison, presenting what the Daily News called "an apocalyptic vision" of clones as drones or slaves. The legislation was ultimately withdrawn. Jump to: navigation, search Jerry Lamon Falwell (born on August 11, 1933) is an American Baptist pastor, televangelist, founder of the Moral Majority & Liberty University, and a prominent Conservative activist. ... Jump to: navigation, search Pro-life is a self-descriptive term used in English-speaking countries, and especially the United States of America for those who hold life, or the sanctity of life, or the right to life to be universal values, and seek their enforcement by legislation or constitutional...

Because of a rise in the number of people who were looking for help from demonic attack in 1992 the Cardinal appointed Father James J. LeBar as chief exorcist of the archdiocese of New York and three other priests as exorcists. When he reached the bishops' retirement age of 75 in January 1995, he submitted his resignation to the pope as required, but the pope did not accept it. Jump to: navigation, search 1992 was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... James J. LeBar Roman Catholic priest who was the chief exorcist of the Archdiocese of New York being appointed by the late Cardinal John OConnor. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search The pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Catholic Church. ...

Illness and Death

In 1999 O'Connor was diagnosed as having a brain tumour. On March 7, 2000 O'Connor was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by unanimous support in the United States Senate and only one vote against the resolution in the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Ron Paul, a Republican from Texas, opposed on the grounds that awarding the medal was not among the powers of Congress listed in the Constitution. Cardinal O'Connor died of a brain tumour in the Archbishop's residence, and is interred in the crypt under the altar of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Jump to: navigation, search 1999(MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... A brain tumor is any mass created by an abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells either found in the brain (neurons, glial cells, epithelial cells, myelin producing cells, etc. ... Jump to: navigation, search March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the year 2000. ... Congressional Gold Medal presented to Navajo Code talkers in 2000 The Congressional Gold Medal of Honor is the highest award which may be bestowed by the Legislative Branch of the United States government. ... Jump to: navigation, search Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Jump to: navigation, search Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the Senate. ... Jump to: navigation, search Representative Ron Paul Ronald Ernest Paul, MD (born August 20, 1935), a physician and Texas politician, is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Texass 14th Congressional District (map) and a former Presidential Candidate of the United States Libertarian Party. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... ... Jump to: navigation, search St. ...

Cardinal O'Connor was posthumously awarded the Jackie Robinson Empire State Medal of Freedom by the Governor of New York, George Pataki on December 21, 2000. Jump to: navigation, search Brooklyn Dodger infielder Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball in 1947. ... Jump to: navigation, search George E. Pataki George Elmer Pataki, J.D. (born June 24, 1945) is the current Governor of the State of New York (since January 1995). ... Jump to: navigation, search December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the year 2000. ...

The strong feelings that Cardinal O'Connor's campaigning against gay civil rights inspired were evoked at his passing, when Time Out New York, a weekly city entertainment guide, described his death as one of the best things to happen to the gay community in 2000, saying "The press eulogized him as a saint, when in fact, the pious creep was a stuck-in-the-1950s anti-gay menace. Good riddance!". The resulting cries of outrage forced the magazine to apologize.

Brendan Fay, of the Catholic gay group DignityUSA, summarized that "O'Connor will certainly not be remembered as a friend or advocate at our time of greatest need." This, even though beginning in 1995, O'Connor held a dialogue with the group twice a year. Jeff Stone, a spokesman for Dignity, did note, "We are saddened by his death." DignityUSA is a U.S. organization that works for respect and justice for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the Catholic Church and the world through education, advocacy and support. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dignity in humans involves the earning or the expectation of personal respect or of esteem. ...

With O'Connor's death the controversy surrounding his high-profile and vocal advocacy of the traditional and orthodox views of the Vatican has left, at best, a mixed legacy. Lauded by some traditionalists, demonized by many in the gay community, he was without a doubt one of the most controversial American clerics of the late 20th century. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

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