Pro-Life Loses Another Star

On Saturday 24 January 2009 Reverend Monsignor William B. Smith, professor of Moral Theology at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., host of numerous series on EWTN including “Catholic Morality and the Catechism,” and a regular guest on “Mother Angelica Live,” entered into Eternal Life. May he rest in peace.1

Msgr. Smith entered the hospital Jan. 13 with double pneumonia on Jan. 13, which subsequently affected his heart. Monsignor died peacefully of heart complications on Saturday morning, according to Sister Sara Butler, M.S.B.T. of St. Joseph’s Seminary.1

Smith was born and raised in Yonkers, ordained a priest in 1966 by Francis Cardinal Spellman and, after being chosen by Terence Cardinal Cooke to pursue a doctorate in moral theology at the Catholic University in Washington, assumed his position at St. Joseph's Seminary. While at the seminary, apart from being a teacher or mentor to most of the priests serving in the Archdiocese of New York today, he was an adviser on questions of moral theology and ethics to Cardinals Cooke, O'Connor and Egan.2

Fr. Smith helps out in various other works within the diocese; he assists at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Scarsdale, New York on Sundays, works as Vice-Chancellor-of the Archdiocese during the summer, and serves as chaplain for the South Bronx house of the Missionaries of Charity, a work which brought him to Calcutta, India to preach retreats to Mother Teresa and her sisters during Christmas of 1983.3

(I)t was in recognition of his service that, at the recommendation of Cardinal O'Connor, Pope John Paul II conferred the title of Monsignor upon William Smith in March of 1986. This honor singles out Msgr. Smith for his loyalty to the Church and loyalty to duty.3

Monsignor Joseph Giandurco, who served with Msgr. Smith on the seminary faculty for 12 years and is now pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Suffern, NY, commented in a Journal News report, "He was a top-notch moral theologian, highly regarded in the United States and in Rome. He corresponded with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now of course Pope Benedict XVI, on a number of sensitive issues over the years."2

"I feel, and other priests have said, that we lost another clear teaching voice that will be extremely hard to replace," Giandurco said. "Monsignor Smith was always cool, calm, and collected and sharp as a tack. He had such great knowledge of the teachings of the church."2

Mnsr. Giandurco is right. Whenever he was on EWTN he always made the teachings of the Catholic Church understandable to the average person. & never with an air of superiority on his part. The LifeSiteNews report describes his EWTN appearances thus: "(H)e was well known for his ability to clearly explain difficult theological and ethical concepts, as well as for his direct and expansive sense of humor."2 He was always humble, but would give no ground when it came to what the Church clearly taught.

An good example of Msgr. Smith's straightforward approach to ethical questions can be found in his reproof of the New York State Catholic Conference's endorsement of the use of abortifacient "emergency contraception" in Catholic hospitals for rape victims.

Msgr. Smith emphatically ruled out the use of abortifacients at Catholic hospitals. "It's wrong to say you can use anything that has abortifacient properties. Emergency contraception is double talk. It's what I call verbal engineering. Catholic hospitals are not free to proscribe or provide anything with abortifacient properties without contradicting their witness."2

His death comes way too soon after the recent deaths of Fordham University theologian Avery Cardinal Dulles, and prolific pro-life activist and intellectual giant Rev. Richard John Neuhaus. Their deaths will leave an intellectual gap in the US Church that will be hard to fill. (As I am writing this, the image crossed my mind of those 3 getting together with St. Thomas Aquinas & St. Augustine to hold a Heavenly Roundtable.)

(Note: Tuesday (27 Jan 2009) EWTN ran a repeat of a Mother Angelica Live episode on which he appeared. It was an excellent example of his ability to answer difficult questions, remaining faithful to the Catholic teachings & showing that faithfulness & compassion do go together.)

Sources: 1. Reverend Monsignor William B. Smith Dies

2. Distinguished Theologian, Moral and Medical Ethicist Monsignor William B. Smith Dies At Age 69

3. EWTN Bio