USA: NEW VATICAN CARDINAL APPOINTMENT: REACTION

Описание: (11 May 2000) English/Nat

Bishop Edward M. Egan said in a press conference in New York City on Thursday that he's ready to take the helm of the nation's most visible Roman Catholic archdiocese.

He succeeds the influential Cardinal John O'Connor, who succumbed to cancer last week.

The appointment, which comes one week after O'Connor's death, was announced on Thursday morning at the Vatican by Pope John Paul II.

Egan, head of the Connecticut diocese in Bridgeport since 1988 and a former auxiliary bishop in New York, is known as a conservative, backing the pope's condemnation of abortion, homosexual acts and contraception.

At the press conference he expressed sympathy and support for New York' Mayor Rudy Giuliani, following Giuliani's recent announcement that he is suffering from prostate cancer, and Wednesday's revelation that he will be separating from his wife.

Egan has also raised controversy for his staunch defence of the church in the face of a sexual molestation suit against local priests.

Asked about his thoughts on the issue of abortion, Egan related a conversation he once had with Cardinal O'Connor, and expressed support for the Cardinal's position.

Egan is widely expected to be elevated to cardinal the next time the pope selects new "princes" of the church.

The diocese, third-largest in the United States with 2.4 million Roman Catholics, is traditionally headed by a cardinal.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The Archdiocese of New York is an extraordinary community of faith. To be invited to serve this splendid Archdiocese, as it's shepherd, is quite humbling. The responsibility has however been accepted with great joy. Returning to what Pope John Paul the Second once described as the Capital of the World, could be nothing else. For this our Holy Father, Pope John Paul the Second, who is loved and honoured across the World, has my heartfelt gratitude. He will always have as well, my obedience, and my loyalty."
SUPERCAPTION: Bishop Edward M. Egan, successor to John Cardinal O'Connor of New York

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"He (Mayor Giuliani) has my prayers, and he will always have my support and my sympathy. The other problem that you're mentioning is the problem of family kind. And again I assure you that that's a torture for a person in a private life, or person in a public life. And I hope that here in New York the Catholic community and all that share the viewpoint of the Catholic community, would have the greatest sympathy for this good human being who is struggling through too very very serious situations."
SUPERCAPTION: Bishop Edward M. Egan, successor to John Cardinal O'Connor of New York

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"When the Cardinal got out of the car and he came over to me and he said, 'Do you know what this man has been trying to do to me for the last five or ten minutes ?' and I said 'No your Eminence', 'He's trying to convince me that abortion is wrong, and I said 'Your Eminence, we do our best when anyone comes in to put them on the straight and narrow. So the Cardinal loved that, let me get away with it, and I think that the Cardinal will be on my side."
SUPERCAPTION: Bishop Edward M. Egan, successor to John Cardinal O'Connor of New York

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