Retired Miami Archbishop McCarthy dies

Published: 2005-06-08

MIAMI (CNS) -- Retired Miami Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy, whose gentleness, humility and zeal for evangelization characterized his 18-year tenure in south Florida, died in his sleep June 7 at the age of 87. The archbishop, who marked 62 years as a priest May 29, also was founding bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix. A funeral Mass was planned for June 13 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Miami. Visitation and a wake service were to be held June 12 at the cathedral. Archbishop McCarthy was born in Cincinnati on April 10, 1918. Out of five siblings, he was one of four who entered religious life. After studies at St. Gregory Seminary and Mount St. Mary Seminary in Norwood, Ohio, he was ordained for the Cincinnati Archdiocese in 1943, a year ahead of schedule because of the shortage of priests during World War II. He was named an auxiliary bishop of Cincinnati in 1965. Four years later, in 1969, he became founding bishop of Phoenix.

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