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	Priests' Letter Berates Egan Anonymous Letter from Priests Severely Scolds Cardinal By Gary Stern Journal News [New York] October 13, 2006 http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061013/NEWS02/610130378/1028/NEWS12 Cardinal Edward Egan will meet with his priests council Monday to discuss an explosive letter circulating from an anonymous group of priests that calls for a vote of "no confidence" in Egan's leadership. The letter from "A Committee of Concerned Clergy for the Archdiocese of New York" was the talk of the archdiocese yesterday after it was posted by a popular blog that reports news and rumors from across the Roman Catholic Church. The harshly worded letter urges groups of priests who represent different regions of the archdiocese to hold secret ballots on Egan. A series of no-confidence votes, the letter suggests, might influence the papal nuncio and the pope to accept Egan's resignation in April, when he turns 75, the age when bishops generally submit retirement papers. The letter, addressed to priests, says the morale of New York's priests is the lowest it's been in recent history, adding that Egan's relationship with his priests is hopelessly fractured. "During the last six years, the Cardinal's relations with the Priests of New York have been defined by dishonesty, deception, disinterest and disregard," the letter says. "Far too many of our brothers can speak personally of the arrogant and cavalier manner in which they have been treated by the Cardinal." In particular, the letter cites the "cruel and ruthless" way in which Egan dismissed priests from the faculty of St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers early in his tenure as archbishop. Joseph Zwilling, Egan's spokesman, said Egan called a meeting of his priests council, an advisory group, shortly after learning about the letter Tuesday. "The cardinal immediately called the presbyteral council to come meet with him because of the kind of harm that this kind of anonymous letter might cause," Zwilling said. "We have no way of knowing if one person, two people, five people are behind this. We have no idea. The cardinal wanted to meet with the council right away to address this." This is not the first time that New York priests have critiqued their bishop in a letter. In 2004, about 75 priests signed a letter that protested a lack of due process in New York for priests accused of sexual abuse. As a result, Egan invited the priests of New York to a two-day conference at a Catskills resort later that year. The Rev. Edward Byrne, pastor of St. Ann's Church in Ossining, who helped organize the 2004 letter to Egan, said he did not know who was behind the new, aggressively worded letter. "I don't think this is the way to go," Byrne said. "There is a need for additional dialogue, it's true, but not like this." The new letter reflects criticisms of Egan that priests often make privately, but almost never publicly. It claims that Egan has focused his attention on financial concerns at the expense of the spiritual needs of priests and the laity. It charges that Egan works almost alone, without seeking advice or counsel from his priests. The letter says Egan demonstrates an "unnatural fear of the media" and has forfeited the opportunity to address modern questions of faith. "It is unthinkable," the letter reads, "that in this millennium a Successor to the Apostles would shrink from such a valuable opportunity for evangelization and hide himself within the walls of his residence." The letter also criticizes Egan for leaving New York too soon after Sept. 11, 2001. Egan had been chosen by Pope John Paul II to serve as general relator, a significant role, for a synod of bishops that opened in Rome on Sept. 30. Zwilling did not want to comment on specific criticisms in the letter. "I think the cardinal will discuss that with the priests council," he said. Egan, born and raised in Chicago, was named the ninth archbishop of New York in 2000, shortly after the death of Cardinal John O'Connor. He was promoted to cardinal the following year. For priests to publicly criticize their bishop is an extremely sensitive matter. When they are ordained, priests take an oath of loyalty to their bishop and all of his successors. In addition, a bishop who leads a diocese has final say over a priest's assignments. The letter was posted on the blog Whispers in the Loggia, which is written by Rocco Palmo, American correspondent for "The Tablet," an international Catholic weekly. Palmo's blog has become daily reading for many priests and bishops. Palmo said the letter about Egan generated tremendous interest. "Even anonymously, for a step like this to be taken is a monumental move," he said. "It's no secret to anyone who knows anyone in the Archdiocese of New York that there has been long-simmering discontent. As long as these questions are not addressed by the cardinal, it was only a matter of time before something like this came to pass."
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