With voice reduced to a whisper, retired bishop still has much to say

Published: 2004-08-10

ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- Parkinson's disease has robbed him of the vigor of his voice, but retired Bishop Edward J. O'Donnell of Lafayette, La., still has plenty to say. The debilitating disease has weakened him physically. He finds it hard to move about, and can't speak much above a whisper. Yet his message of faith in the church, its clergy and laity remains stronger than ever. Since his 2002 retirement after eight years in Lafayette, Bishop O'Donnell has lived in his native St. Louis, where he was an auxiliary bishop from 1984 to 1994. He also was editor of the St. Louis Review archdiocesan newspaper, and was archdiocesan spokesman. In a recent interview with the Review, the bishop never once failed to credit the laity when discussing his many accomplishments as a priest. He said he agreed with Father Andrew Greeley's response when the priest was asked if lay people were really that important in his church. "His response was, 'Well, we'd look pretty stupid without them.' And that kind of fits my way of thought, too." In retirement the bishop has kept a fairly low profile. After a short stay at a local hospital, he lived for several months at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood. He now lives in a condo in Clayton. His sister, Eileen Cochran, her husband, Jerry, and their 10 children help care for him.

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