Cardinal Avery Dulles SJ - RIP

Avery Cardinal Dulles S.J.

24 August 1918 – 12 December 2008

Friday morning, Avery Cardinal Dulles passed away from effects dating back to childhood polio. Cardinal Dulles was well known for his prolific amount of theological writings among many other things. He passed away at 6:30 AM Friday in his room at the Jesuit infirmary at Fordham University. His death was announced at 9:30 AM by the New York Province of the Jesuits.

Cardinal Dulles came from a very illustrious family. He was the son of John Foster Dulles who served in the Eisenhower administration as Secretary of State. His uncle was Allen Welsh Dulles, a director of the CIA. His great-grandfather John W. Foster and great-uncle Robert Lansing also served as U.S. Secretary of State. Raised a Presbyterian, he converted to Catholicism in 1940. That year he graduated from Harvard College & went on to Harvard Law School but never graduated. While there he founded the St. Benedict Center. He enlisted in the Navy during WW II & ended up with the rank of Lieutenant. He was awarded the French Croix de guerre.

After the war he joined the Jesuits & was ordained a priest in 1956. In 1960 he was awarded the doctorate in Sacred Theology by the Gregorian University in Rome. He spent the rest of his life writing & as a professor.

He was a part of the faculty of Woodstock College from 1960 to 1974. He then went to The Catholic University of America & was there from 1974 to 1988. He was a visiting professor at: The Gregorian University (Rome), Weston School of Theology, Union Theological Seminary (New York), Princeton Theological Seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Boston College, Campion Hall, Oxford, the University of Notre Dame, the Catholic University at Leuven, Yale University, and St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie. He wrote over 700 articles on theological topics. He was the author of 22 books.

He was Past President of both the Roman Catholic Theological Society of America and the American Theological Society and Professor Emeritus at The Catholic University of America, Cardinal Dulles served on the International Theological Commission and as a member of the United States Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue. He was also a consultant to the Committee on Doctrine of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Over his life, his awards included Phi Beta Kappa, the Cardinal Spellman Award for distinguished achievement in theology, the Boston College Presidential Bicentennial Award, the Christus Magister Medal from the University of Portland (Oregon), the Religious Education Forum Award from the National Catholic Educational Association, America magazine's Campion Award, the F. Sadlier Dinger Award for contributions to the catechetical ministry of the Church, the Cardinal Gibbons Award from The Catholic University of America, the John Carroll Society Medal, the Jerome Award from the Roman Catholic Library Association of America, Fordhams Founders Award, Gaudium Award from the Breukelein Institute, and thirty-three honorary doctorates.

In 2001 Pope John Paul II named him a cardinal. Normally that would include being ordained a Bishop as well. At the request of Cardinal Dulles, the Pope granted him a rare exception. He was named Cardinal Deacon of SS. Nome di Gesù e Maria in Via Lata.

On 1 April 2008 he gave his Farewell Address as Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society. Because he was unable to speak it was read by former President of Fordham University Father Joseph O'Hare, S.J.. That same day he was also awarded the University's President's Medal & his last book, Church and Society: The Laurence J. McGinley Lectures, 1988-2007 (Fordham University Press, 2008) was published. On 19 April 2008, Papa Benedetto had a private audience with him during his US visit.

It isn't often that I can write a memorial about a leader in the Catholic Church & be able to say that I had the pleasure of meeting him. This is 1 of those very rare exceptions. On 19 March 1998 he came to Loras College to give the Monsignor James Barta Distinquished Lecture. His topic was Orthodoxy & Social Change. In it he challenged the Magisterium to stand firm & not give in to popular opinion. After the talk I had a chance to spend a couple of minutes to thank him for his encouraging & challenging words. It was a pleasure to talk to him. He was very down to earth with no airs that you often see in people with his knowledge & education. (Cardinal O'Connor was the same way when I met him when he spoke at Loras.)

ETERNAL REST GRANT UNTO HIM O LORD!

& LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON HIM!