Religious Figure. He was a product of his native Philadelphia, one of five children. He graduated West Catholic High School operated by the Christian Brothers. Ordained a priest on Dec 15, 1945, his first assignment was to St James High School in Chester, Pa. He continued work on advanced degrees, first a master's in advanced ethics from Villanova University and a doctorate at Georgetown in political science. He joined the Navy in 1952 in response to a call for more chaplains during the Korean War. When he retired 27 years later, he had risen to rear admiral and chief of Navy chaplains. After retirement, he was assigned to the Scranton, Pennsylvania area where he became a bishop. In January of 1984, he was named to succeed New York's Terence Cardinal Cooke, who had died. He was elevated to cardinal 18 months later. Diagnosed with brain cancer and even during the terminal stage, Cardinal O'Connor continued to conduct Mass and execute his duties as head of the archdiocese of New York. He died in the early evening in his small bedroom at his residence in the rear of St Patrick's. in Manhattan. With him were family members and close friends from the clergy. Four days of farewell was undertaken at St. Patrick's Cathedral culminating in a 40 minute service attended by 3,500 mourners. In attendance, President Bill & Hilary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and nearby sat the two George Bushes with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The Mass opened with a procession of 1,000 of O'Connor's fellow clergy. At the end of the service, O'Connor's dark wood casket was carried down a narrow staircase beneath the altar, where all previous archbishops of New York are buried. Sixteen years of service at St. Patrick's had come to a close.
Religious Figure. He was a product of his native Philadelphia, one of five children. He graduated West Catholic High School operated by the Christian Brothers. Ordained a priest on Dec 15, 1945, his first assignment was to St James High School in Chester, Pa. He continued work on advanced degrees, first a master's in advanced ethics from Villanova University and a doctorate at Georgetown in political science. He joined the Navy in 1952 in response to a call for more chaplains during the Korean War. When he retired 27 years later, he had risen to rear admiral and chief of Navy chaplains. After retirement, he was assigned to the Scranton, Pennsylvania area where he became a bishop. In January of 1984, he was named to succeed New York's Terence Cardinal Cooke, who had died. He was elevated to cardinal 18 months later. Diagnosed with brain cancer and even during the terminal stage, Cardinal O'Connor continued to conduct Mass and execute his duties as head of the archdiocese of New York. He died in the early evening in his small bedroom at his residence in the rear of St Patrick's. in Manhattan. With him were family members and close friends from the clergy. Four days of farewell was undertaken at St. Patrick's Cathedral culminating in a 40 minute service attended by 3,500 mourners. In attendance, President Bill & Hilary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and nearby sat the two George Bushes with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The Mass opened with a procession of 1,000 of O'Connor's fellow clergy. At the end of the service, O'Connor's dark wood casket was carried down a narrow staircase beneath the altar, where all previous archbishops of New York are buried. Sixteen years of service at St. Patrick's had come to a close.
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JOHN CARDINAL O'CONNOR
1920 - 2000
ARCHBISHOP
1984 - 2000
Family Members
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