Famous Churchmen I Have Known

In reading Facebook entries, I see notes saying like or friend or other connections; I had thoughts about the title and decided to put them down for history's sake.

One of my favorite pictures was taken back in 1958 when staying at the Bradford Hotel. I suddenly saw what turned out to be all the priests in the Boston area walking up to the ballroom. My curiosity was aroused, so I followed them and found that Cardinal Spellman of New York was to be the main speaker that morning as then Archbishop Cushing was being honored as he left for Rome to be ordained Cardinal of Boston.

Cardinal Spellman was very entertaining as he spoke to about 800 priests and me in that memorable occasion. In some manner, the two of them agreed to take the time to pose for the picture you see here accompanying my blog. So I liked the conversation, and would call them my friends.

When I was the Volunteers in Corrections coordinator at the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center, I recruited more than 700 volunteers that had no Catholics involved. I became acquainted with then Cardinal May through this and he made arrangements to provide a group, who were recognized after almost a year of service by the Cardinal as he said mass in the prison chapel.
 
I am in the Monsignor Hildner KC Fourth Degree Assembly of Washington, named after the great Franklin County priest who was a leader in Conservation work in the State and noted for the fact that during World War II, not one of the many citizens who served were killed in that war. I led a group in a tour of our St. Louis County farms at which he personally blessed many of our area farms.
 
Because again as a friend and a like, I headed a committee to contact Archbishop, now a Cardinal Justin Rigali, of St. Louis to present our findings for him to initiate the process of Sainthood for our good Fr. Hildner. We had a great hearing at the time, but he did not go along with us, but we remained friends in Facebook talk. And now he has resigned at the age of 76, so all these great people are either dead or retired.
 
Perhaps I should include another Archbishop of St. Louis, now Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, who has been promoted to the Vatican as chief Legal Officer as well as the head of many important functions of the Vatican. 
 
In one of his visits to , I spoke with him at a dinner function and the memorable item in the talk about his work was his reply,  "George, please pray for me." Usually, it is the other way around, but someone must be doing it, as I feel I will soon be in remission of my illness.