US: Irish American Cardinal James Hickey (84) has died in Washington following a long illness. He was Archbishop of Washington DC for 20 years. Known for his work with the poor and homeless and for an expansion of church education, health and legal services in the Washington area, he was ordained 58 years ago, writes Patsy McGarry
Later, he became Auxiliary Bishop of Saginaw, Michigan, then Rector of the North American College in Rome, and later Bishop of Cleveland. He was appointed Archbishop of Washington in 1980 and became a cardinal eight years later. He served until 2000.
As Bishop of Cleveland, he was a leading advocate of racial unity and social justice issues, which included calls for an end to US military aid to El Salvador in the 1980s. He attended the funeral in San Salvador of the murdered Archbishop Oscar Romero.
Asked once how he would like to be remembered, he said: "First, I'd like them to say he was always loyal to his Church. Second, that he was a friend to Catholic education. And third, if they don't want to say the first two, at least I would hope they would chisel on the stone, 'He served the poor.'"
His funeral is on Saturday.