PICAYUNE —
Former Archbishop Philip Matthew Hannan, who gave the eulogy for President John F. Kennedy and later served more than three decades as the head of the New Orleans Roman Catholic Archdiocese, died Thursday. He was 98.
The archdiocese said he died peacefully shortly after 3 a.m. He had been in declining health for years.
Hannan was the 11th archbishop in New Orleans history and one of the most active. When he turned 75 and had to retire as archbishop, he became president of WLAE-TV, the public television station he founded.
Assigned to New Orleans in 1965 from Washington, where he had been auxiliary bishop since 1956, he found the old St. Louis Cathedral, in the middle of an area of the French Quarter a-swarm with tourists, street performers, tarot card readers and musicians, had a unique pleasure for a churchman.
"This is the only city where an archbishop can walk into his cathedral while a band outside in Jackson Square is playing 'When the Saints Go Marching In,'" he said.
When Kennedy was assassinated Nov. 22, 1963, his widow, Jacqueline, asked Hannan to deliver the eulogy because of his close personal relationship with the president, which dated back to the 1940s. Then-Father Hannan became friends with Kennedy by smoothing over a misunderstanding that Kennedy had with a Jesuit priest.
He also officiated at a quiet reburial of two Kennedy infants in 1964 so their bodies could be near their father's in Arlington National Cemetery.
"We did it in the middle of the night, and so quietly that we caught everyone off guard," Hannan said in 1965. "Not even the Army chauffeurs knew where they were going when they picked us up."
In 1968, Hannan returned to Washington from New Orleans to give the graveside eulogy for Sen. Robert. F. Kennedy.
When Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died of cancer in 1994, Hannan was again at Arlington to preside at a brief service preceding her burial.
As New Orleans' archbishop, Hannan combined conservative politics and service to the poor.
Highlights of his tenure as archbishop included the 1987 visit of Pope John Paul II — a visit that Hannan began angling for in 1984. After a while, said Hannan, "Every time he saw me, he'd simply say, 'New Orleans! New Orleans!'"
Hannan lost a struggle to block the "no nukes" pastoral letter approved by the nation's Catholic bishops in Chicago in 1983. He argued that the politics inherent in the letter could not help disarmament talks.
"Obviously, if the Russians think that 50 million Catholics are going to believe that we must say a 'no' to nuclear war ... then, of course, we have no strength from which to argue for disarmament," he said.
Despite what were labeled conservative views, Hannan had few peers in liberal social action.
He said he decided to push the diocese to serve the poor when he walked through the city's squalid public housing projects in 1965, shortly after his transfer from Washington.
Hannan created what was at the time the largest housing program for the elderly — 2,780 units — of any U.S. diocese. The archdiocese also operates one of the biggest Catholic Charities in the nation. When Hannan stepped down, its $20 million budget was helping more than 47,000 people a year.
Under his guidance, the church set up a hospice for AIDS patients. He said there was no contradiction in a ministry for homosexuals and drug addicts.
"We disapprove, too, of people being alcoholics or drinking too much. But we sure try to take care of them if they have that problem," he said.
Hannan was born in Washington, D.C., the fourth of eight children born to an Irish immigrant and a fourth-generation Washingtonian. His late sister, Dr. Mary Mahoney, once was president of the National Conference of Catholic Women.
He was ordained in Rome in 1938 and served two years at a church in Baltimore, then volunteered as a paratroops chaplain in World War II, getting the nickname "The Jumping Padre."
When U.S. troops took the city of Cologne, Germany, Hannan dodged through front lines to the cathedral, had himself appointed temporary pastor, and, when the fighting passed, posted Army guards to prevent looting or more damage.
In 1945, Hannan helped liberate a camp of starving prisoners from the German prisoner of war camp at Wobbelin. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of major.
After the war, he served in the Washington archdiocese, moving up to auxiliary bishop in 1956.
Decades after he left Washington, Hannan still chuckled about the time President Truman, a card-playing Baptist, called him for a discreet visit to the Oval Office.
"Harry Truman had just been bawled out by his pastor ... for proposing an ambassador to the Holy See. Now he was calling in a priest to bless a huge St. Christopher medal for a new presidential airplane."
Religion Feature
Related Photos
-
In this Aug. 20, 2009 file photo, Archbishops Francis Schulte, 82, left, and Phillip Hannan, 96, talk in St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the installation mass of Archbishop Gregory Aymond. Hannan, who gave the eulogy for President John F. Kennedy and later served more than three decades as the head of the New Orleans Roman Catholic Archdiocese, died peacefully early Thursday morning, Sept. 29, 2011. He was 98. AP Photo/Judi Bottoni, File
Former archbishop who gave JFK eulogy dies at 98
- Religion Feature
-
-
Men’s Fellowship Conference 2013
The Men’s Fellowship Conference is scheduled for Friday, April 12, through Saturday, April 2013. The theme of the conference is “Leave No Man Behind!”
-
Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis
Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope Wednesday and chose the name Francis, becoming the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium.
Looking stunned, Francis shyly waved to the crowd of tens of thousands of people who gathered in St. Peter’s Square, marveling that the cardinals needed to look to “the end of the earth” to find a bishop of Rome. -
World Day of Prayer service held March 1
The United Methodist Women of Picayune First United Methodist Church hosted their annual World Day of Prayer Service and Luncheon on Friday, March 1.
Men and women of several faiths attended, and were joined throughout the world by others who came together with the common purpose of observing the importance of prayer. The guest speaker, Robin Smith Moody, a former member of FUMC, gave her testimony by sharing her witness and through her music. Robin is a member of Barn Church of Poplarville. -
World Day of Prayer service set
The United Methodist Women (UMW) of First United Methodist Church of Picayune invite the public to attend a World Day of Prayer service and luncheon on Friday, March 1.
Robin Smith Moody, a former member of First Methodist, will be the speaker. She states that she and her husband, Buddy Moody, both know that God has called them to minister in Jesus’ name in their day-to-day lives. -
Senior Living Chaplains help aging clients, over-stressed care givers
The recent U.S. Census Bureau report shows the U.S. population aging over the last ten years as Dallas-based Marketplace Chaplains has begun an innovative strategic service, Senior Living Chaplains.
A subsidiary of Marketplace Chaplains, Senior Living Chaplains care for the needs of clients nationally like Bickford Senior Living, Central Management Company, Diversicare Management Services, Touchstone Communities and EBY Development & Management Company, who serve the senior population and their caregivers. -
‘Marriage Matters’ program strengthens relationships
Carey Robertson knows a little about a successful marriage.
The Executive Pastor at Resurrection Life Worship Center, who has been married for 58 years says, “You know, divorce is something that every family is affected by. Our state leads the nation per capita for divorces. We are number one in churches as well, so we have to ask ourselves ‘Are churches doing their job?’” -
Last call, ya’ll!
This is The final call for articles and photos for
this year’s Pearl River County Today “Progress” edition. all churches and religious organizations can email their articles and photos to…
picayuneitem@bellsouth.net. -
Jack Fowler at Unity of Gulfport this Sunday
Motivational speaker and New Thought musician, Jack Fowler will be performing at Unity of Gulfport this Sunday, Jan 27th for the 10:30 a.m. service.
-
Bishop Morin doing well after heart surgery
By Sun Herald/AP Exchange
Most Rev. Roger Morin, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, was doing well Monday night after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery, officials with the diocese said.
-
Three-day Bible Conference at Trinity Outreach Ministry
From staff reports
Trinity Outreach Ministries, 502 Jarrell St. in Picayune, will host a three-day Bible Conference January 27-29, 2013.
Guest speaker will be Dr. Bill Morris. Morris will be speaking Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 11 a.m. and Monday and Tuesday, January 28-29 at 7 p.m. - More Religion Feature Headlines
-
Men’s Fellowship Conference 2013
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
Obama: US Has Helped Syrian Rebels
Afghan Forces Take Afghanistan Security Lead
Raw: 100K Protesters Flood Brazilian Streets
California Cops Cruise on Stand-up Paddle Patrol
Transgender Candidate Running in NYC
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
Man Who Disrupted Flight Ranted About CIA
Feds: 7-Eleven Stores Exploited Immigrants
Fla. Teen Catches Ride With Whale Shark
Iran's Rowhani Urges 'Path of Moderation'
Investigators Probe Origin of Colo. Wildfire
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Family Tweets Say Kim Kardashian Gives Birth
