Cardinal Egan Needs Pacemaker; Easter Week Plans Unclear

Edward Cardinal Egan, who had been planning to wind down his leadership of the New York Archdiocese this week, was hospitalized yesterday with stomach pains—and then doctors recommended the 77-year-old receive a pacemaker.

The NY Archdiocese released two statements. The first explaining that the Cardinal would receive a pacemaker today, after checking into St. Vincent's for stomach pains on Saturday night: Egan was "awake and alert, and his stomach pains have decreased," and was disappointed "at not being able to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick."

The second then said the pacemaker surgery was not an emergency and thus put on hold indefinitely, to give Egan a chance to regain his strength. Pacemaker recipients are asked to take it easy for a week or two after surgery; Egan was scheduled to participate in a number of Easter Week services, but now a spokesman says, "It is our hope that he'll be back in the cathedral for Holy Week and Easter Sunday. But we thought it prudent to let the doctors do their work. We have not ruled out Easter Sunday but we have no way of telling."

It's unclear whether there's a connection between the stomach pains and pacemaker suggestion, the Times reports, which also added Egan was seen walking with a cane for the first time this past Thursday (Egan said he had post-polio syndrome). In yesterday's mass, Bishop Dennis Sullivan said, "I ask all of you to please offer a prayer this morning ... for the cardinal, so that healing can come to him."

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By Jen Chung in News on April 6, 2009 9:19 AM

Comments [rss]

Guest

So the Catholic body can accept a pacemaker but it can't accept a condom over its penis? I will NEVER understand people that use religion as a scapegoat for their own ignorance and stupidity.

virgilstarkwell

wow - you're really quite stupid.

i'm no friend of catholicism (or those who are anti-choice, anti-birth control, etc.) but wtf does a pacemaker have to do with a belief that birth control is wrong?

Guest

It has to do with the human body and the fact that Catholics (and just about every other religion) like to downplay science unless it somehow benefits them or their dogma.

If you want a war of words, then have at it. Just be prepared to lose to someone you believe to be stupid. What will that make you?

Guest

It has to do with the human body and the fact that Catholics (and just about every other religion) like to downplay science unless it somehow benefits them or their dogma.

If you want a war of words, then have at it. Just be prepared to lose to someone you believe to be stupid. What will that make you?

Rob T Firefly

Egan is my favorite Ghostbuster.

FJF

Ha! I almost choked on my lunch when I read this.

tom traubert

Who cares.

virgilstarkwell

apparently, you do - at least enough to read the post and then add your 'oh-i'm-so-cool-and-above-it-all' comment.

douche.

Snoopy

Perhaps when you suffer the same affliction others will say the same thing, but seeing there are many practicing Catholics in NYC there are quite a few who care about his condition and recovery.