Terence Cardinal Cooke (1921-1983)

The son of Irish immigrants, Terence Cooke was born in Manhattan. He studied at Cathedral College, Manhattan, and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. He was ordained by Archbishop Francis Spellman on December 1, 1945. Shortly after his ordination he was sent to Catholic University for a degree in social work. Cooke moved up the ladder quickly: became secretary to Cardinal Spellman, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Vicar General. In 1965, at age 45, he was named an Auxiliary Bishop. In a move that surprised many, Pope Paul VI named him to succeed Cardinal Spellman as Archbishop of New York. He was named a Cardinal in 1969. Under Cardinal Cooke, the Catholic Church cared for sixty percent of the abandoned and neglected children in New York City. Always an advocate for the young and aware of the growing problem of New York’s homeless and at-risk youth, he strongly supported Covenant House and other institutions that cared for the thousands of teenagers who would otherwise become prey to drug addiction and prostitution. Diagnosed with cancer in 1965 and considered terminal from 1975 onward, Cardinal Cooke endured surgery and then chemotherapy for years. Despite this he kept to his hectic schedule and gave of himself to all who needed him. Seeing the needs of others as paramount, he prayerfully accepted his own problems as a share in the sufferings of Christ. His Episcopal motto, Fiat Voluntas Tua (Thy will be done), says it all. These words, which proclaim a joyful surrender to the will of God, were never a mere motto to Terence Cooke; they were the bedrock of his profound spirituality and the source of his strength. Although his health continued to worsen, he continued to live life joyfully, fully, and for others, trusting completely in the love of God. Until the end Cardinal Cooke struggled for those who could not help themselves: the poor, the young, the elderly, the immigrant and life’s cast-offs. From its inception, he stood at the forefront of the pro-life movement, unwavering in his conviction that life is God’s most beautiful gift. Even in his final days, he could joyfully declare: “Life is no less beautiful when it is accompanied by illness, weakness, hunger or poverty, physical or mental diseases, loneliness or old age.”
(Adapted from terencecardinalcooke.org)