Msgr. Champlin, best-selling author, cathedral rector, dies at 77

Published: 2008-01-22

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (CNS) -- Msgr. Joseph Champlin, a Syracuse priest who was known nationally as an author, speaker and liturgist, died Jan. 17 at University Hospital in Syracuse after a long battle with Waldenstrom's disease, a rare form of bone cancer. He was 77. His funeral Mass was to be celebrated Jan. 23 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse. His remains were not to be present, however, because he chose to donate his body to Upstate Medical Center, in line with the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that it is a "noble and meritorious act" for people to donate their bodies to science. A prolific writer, Msgr. Champlin wrote more than 50 books with more than 20 million copies in print. He circled the globe, traveling 2 million miles lecturing, conducting retreats and sharing his expertise on liturgy and pastoral care. Syracuse Bishop James M. Moynihan said that with Msgr. Champlin's death "the Diocese of Syracuse has lost a great servant. He epitomized the definition of a gentleman and a priest." Diagnosed with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia in 2002, Msgr. Champlin turned his diagnosis into a personal learning and spiritual experience. He shared the news with parishioners in hopes that they could glean some useful information for themselves.

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