New Orleans pays final respects to Archbishop Philip Hannan
Archbishop Philip M. Hannan, as 1,000 mourners inside St. Louis Cathedral and thousands more elsewhere saw his casket slowly lowered beneath the sanctuary in St. Louis Cathedral to rest near eight predecessors. “We thank God this day for Philip M. Hannan,” said toward the end of a two-hour, 15-minute ceremony filled with prayer, sacred music, gratitude for Hannan’s presence and a little affectionate laughter over his foibles
The service ended four days of rites for Hannan, a native of Washington, D.C., who died Sept. 29 at the age of 98 — 46 years to the day after his appointment to New Orleans, which he permanently embraced as his adopted city.
From the choir loft a trumpeter blew taps for the former chaplain who ministered to GIs in the Belgian snow during the Battle of the Bulge.
Full slate of dignitaries
A few feet away public officials such as Gov. Bobby Jindal, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Jefferson Parish President John Young and dozens of legislators, judges, and municipal officials looked on.
Rabbi Ed Cohn, Iman Rafiq Nu’man, the Rev. Will Mackintosh, Bishop J.D. Wiley and others represented Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Orthodox and other faiths.
Among them was Edward Curtis, 82, a veteran himself who appreciated Hannan’s military service, and something more:
Hannan’s words ring out
“The words of Scripture came alive and incarnate through the working of Archbishop Hannan,” said Monsignor Clinton Doskey, one of Hannan’s oldest New Orleans friends, in his eulogy.
They include agencies like Christopher Homes, the Second Harvest Food Bank, battered women’s shelters, community centers and care centers for the elderly — including Chateau de Notre Dame, where Hannan died last week as the senior bishop in the American Catholic hierarchy.
At his older brother’s instruction, Jerry submitted a brief letter, read aloud by Aymond, in which Hannan posthumously thanked all those who had worked with him to make those antipoverty programs a reality.
“I have come to believe that only when we actually get to Heaven will we truly understand what we have accomplished here on earth,” wrote Hannan, “especially when it concerns the priesthood.
“If we don’t feel that way we certainly have not served the cause of Christ as we were meant to.
‘How to die in peace’
A few, like Aymond himself, Hannan had ordained as priests years ago.
In brief remarks at the conclusion of the Mass, Aymond marveled at the richness of Hannan’s long career as priest, bishop and archbishop.
“He prayed for the poor, but he also heard their cry. And he provided food, housing, care for the elderly and medical care. …”
Enduring force
Doskey recalled that after Hannan moved into Doskey’s Lakefront rectory eight years ago, the two old bachelors split kitchen duty: Doskey cooking and Hannan doing pots, pans and dishes. And when a visiting missionary dared to load the dishwasher himself, encroaching on Hannan’s turf, the 90-something archbishop waved the guest away with a firm executive reprimand:
Aymond, meantime, reminded the audience of what he said two years ago when he was installed as archbishop of New Orleans — that so long as Hannan lived, Hannan would remain for many “the archbishop.”
Hannan’s knowing answer to Aymond: He’d better get installed again.
