U.S. bishop in Brazil, known for service to poor, dies during surgery

Published: 2006-03-20

NEW YORK (CNS) -- U.S. Bishop John J. Burke of Miracema do Norte, Brazil, died March 14 in Brazil during surgery to stop massive internal bleeding. The bishop, a member of the New York-based Holy Name province of the Franciscans, was buried in Brazil March 16, on what would have been his 71st birthday. The native of Teaneck, N.J., had served in Brazil since 1964. In 1995, days before his ordination as bishop, he told Catholic News Service that the diocese where he was appointed was "on the frontier" of lawlessness, like America's Old West. He said the diocese was three times the geographic size of New Jersey, with a population of 200,000. The rich diversity of ethnicities there included Indians of the Xerente and Krao tribes and people of Portuguese and African backgrounds, he said. When he took over the diocese, which relied on aid from churches outside Brazil, Bishop Burke said he needed to focus on developing an indigenous clergy and dealing with widespread malnutrition.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .