USA: EDWARD EGAN BECOMES ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK

Описание: (19 Jun 2000) English/Nat

Edward Egan has been installed as archbishop of New York during a prayer service at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
As archbishop of New York, Egan is the spiritual leader of nearly two and a-half (m) million Catholics and is considered the most prominent Catholic in America.

He replaces Cardinal John O'Connor, who died in May.

Three thousand worshippers gathered beneath St Patrick Cathedral's immense stone arches and high stained-glass windows on Sunday to witness the majestic ceremony.

It began with a procession of 11 tall banners, one for each of the 10 counties in Edward Egan's new jurisdiction, plus one embroidered with flags representing the native lands of New York's Catholics.

Then, the cathedral's massive wooden doors were thrown open as Egan, eight cardinals and dozens of bishops, priests and others walked up the centre aisle.

Egan is the 12th man to head the New York archdiocese since its founding in 1808.

The archdiocese covers Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Sullivan Putnam and Ulster counties.

The previous archbishop - John Joseph O'Connor - died of cancer 11 days before Egan was appointed on May 11.

O'Connor had led the archdiocese for 16 years.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Small wonder that my heart is filled with gratitude to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the great grace of coming to serve in the archdiocese of New York; small wonder that I seize the opportunity whenever I can to thank the Holy Father Pope John Paul II for this assignment; small wonder that I humbly stand before you, each and every priest, deacon, religious and member of the laity, this beautiful service to announce that I come only to serve you and all of the community in the three boroughs and seven counties of the archdiocese of New York, I come with joy to serve to the best of my ability."
SUPER CAPTION: Edward Michael Egan, new archbishop of the New York archdiocese

68-year-old Egan led the diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, for 12 years before replacing O'Connor, but he also served for three years in New York under O'Connor in the 1980s.

In Bridgeport, Egan was hailed for reorganising parochial schools, increasing local recruits into the priesthood, and fund-raising.

But his tenure also included two dozen lawsuits against the diocese alleging sexual abuse by local priests.

All but one case predated Egan's arrival, but the incidents raised embarrassing questions about whether the abuse was covered up.

There will be a more elaborate installation Mass on Monday.

The 45-minute procession of 700 priests will take place before an audience of politicians and other dignitaries, including eight cardinals; First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton; her Republican opponent in the New York Senate race, Representative Rick Lazio; U-S Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas; Governor George Pataki; Senator Charles Schumer and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

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