The priests who anonymously called for Edward Cardinal Egan's
removal need a lesson in humility and in judging character.
The cowardly scribes have unfairly compared Cardinal Egan with
his predecessor, the late John Cardinal O'Connor. I have dealt
with both and found them to have singular personalities except
when it came to their identical dedication to the parishes and
schools in the Archdiocese of New York.
While O'Connor may have been regarded as the most experienced in
dealing with the New York press, Cardinal Egan is inaugurating
what is probably the most innovative method of introducing the
Catholic perspective to the entire world. He has created the
Catholic Channel, which will make its debut soon on Sirius
Satellite Radio's channel 159. Its goal is far more expansive
than the usual religious programming.
Its mission statement says it all: "The Catholic Channel
addresses issues in the news, and in the minds of listeners -
everything from what's happening in the church today to the
headline stories of current events and politics, to the latest in
the world of entertainment, the arts and sports. … Bringing
the Catholic perspective to the world around us - that's the
Catholic Channel."
How does it plan to do this? "Together with the Archdiocese,
we have assembled an exceptional cast of hosts whose talent and
experience will produce some of the most compelling
Catholic programming on the air," the CEO of Sirius, Mel
Karmazin, said in a recent statement. "The Catholic Channel
will be an important component in a Sirius lineup that offers
listeners the best radio on radio."
Well, for some reason, I've been asked to host a three-hour talk
show that will cover the hot topics in the news, and I plan to
interview the fascinating people that I've had the honor of
meeting since writing for The New York Sun - with the possible
exception of Vice President Cheney.
The other hosts on the channel include Dave and Susan Konig -
he's a great comedian and she's author of bestselling books; Lino
Rulli, the popular comic known as ‘the Catholic Guy;' Bob
Dunning, a columnist and radio host based in Sacramento, Calif.;
Gus Lloyd, a well-known Floridian radio host, and Mike Hayes of
BustedHalo.com, an online magazine for people in their 20s and
30s seeking spiritual guidance.
There will also be priests offering guidance and a Mass. In fact,
there's something for everyone, and having met the other hosts
and become enchanted by their sense of humor and professionalism,
I hope that I can provide that same level of performance.
I'm a writer, not a radio host, and although I still can't
understand why I was recruited, I also know there is a real need
for this kind of programming. There are too many issues in the
news that are getting short shrift from the mainstream press. The
truth about embryonic stem cell research and the dangers of drugs
such as RU-486 get glossed over. So often we hear of politicians
who claim a Catholic identity but are anything but observant of
church dogma. Quite a few deserve to be excommunicated, but I'll
leave that up to the bishops to decide.
Cardinal Egan in his quiet way has made a giant leap into closing
the gap between the truth and what the public learns about
societal issues and today's morality.
Cardinal O' Connor was tireless in his pro-life campaign and
would not back down under Mayor Koch's efforts to force the
church to approve an agenda contrary to church teaching. He
threatened to shut down the church institutions rather than
surrender its principles.
I remember marching with him down Madison Avenue to an abortion
clinic in a prayer rally that ending up looking like a civil
rights march in Selma, Ala. Men and women shouted curses at us,
screaming vile messages. Women on the rooftops bared their
breasts, shouting,"Get your rosaries off my ovaries."
He was a brave man loathed by the gay and lesbian communities and
abortion advocates.
He did not like having to spend so much of his time raising money
to keep the Archdiocese afloat, and consequently Cardinal Egan
inherited a sinking ship. In addition, the priest sex scandal
landed on Cardinal Egan's doorstep. By all rights, that should
have capsized the Archdiocese, but the pope picked the right man
for the job. While some priests may not like his personal style,
I've always found him to be a warm and kindly gentleman.
At present, he is recuperating from knee surgery, and I've been
told by some who had the same surgery that recovery can be quite
painful.
Probably not as painful, though, as the backstabbing he received
from fellow priests. For shame!