Bevilacqua was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Luigi (1884–1961) and Maria (née Codella, 1893–1968) Bevilacqua, who were Italianimmigrants.[1] One of eleven children, he had four brothers, Michael, Angelo, Rocco, and Frank; and six sisters, Josephine (died of meningitis at age 2), Isabella, Virginia, Mary Jo, Gloria, and Madeline. Bevilacqua's father was born in Spinazzola and worked as a bricklayer, and his mother was born in Calitri. Luigi immigrated to the United States in 1910, and was soon followed by his wife and oldest son, Michael. The family lived in New Rochelle; Hartford, Connecticut; and Brooklyn before settling in Woodhaven, Queens, where Luigi operated a hair dying shop and shoe shine shop.[2]
In 1983, DetroitSister of MercyAgnes Mary Mansour, who administered Michigan'sMedicaid program in her position as the director of Michigan Department of Social Services, was directed by Detroit Archbishop Edmund Szoka to declare her opposition to public financing of abortion.[7] When Mansour refused, Bevilacqua was appointed by the Vatican to demand that she immediately resign either her religious vows or her position as Director of Social Services. Mansour chose to sign the papers Bevilacqua had provided to request dispensation from her perpetual vows, leaving her religious order.[8]
John Paul II appointed Bevilacqua Archbishop of Philadelphia on December 8, 1987. He succeeded Cardinal John Krol, and was installed on February 11, 1988.
During a fifteen-year stewardship of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Bevilacqua is remembered for his frequent visits to churches in the diocese, his knowledge of fiscal matters, his conservatism, and his closing of schools (such as Saint James in Chester). Organizationally he divided the Archdiocese into six vicariates, each with a general vicariate, and subdivided the central administration into six secretariats. From 1995 to 2000, he hosted a live weekly radio call-in program, Live with Cardinal Bevilacqua, which aired on WZZD-AM in Philadelphia. In 2002, he was named to the PoliticsPA "Power 50" list of politically influential personalities.[10]
In 2005, the Philadelphia district attorney’s office issued a report harshly critical Bevilacqua and his predecessor, Cardinal John Krol, for failing to protect children from sexual abuse by priests.[9]
In 2012, Monsignor William Lynn, former secretary for clergy at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was convicted of a count of child endangerment regarding his oversight of now-defrocked priest Edward Avery, who had sexually fondles a twelve year old boy. Lynn was acquitted of conspiracy and a second endangerment count.[11] His lawyers had argued that the case should be thrown out based on a 1994 memo which they said showed that Lynn had informed his superiors and had prepared a list of thirty-five abuse cases for his superiors, which they said Cardinal Bevilacqua had ordered the late Msgr. James Molloy to destroy.[12]
During the trial of Monsignor Lynn, on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 (), it was revealed that Monsignor Michael Picard, a local Pastor (St. Andrew Church, Newtown, Pennsylvania), was punished by Cardinal Bevilacqua, who did not tolerate even the appearance of dissent from his priests. He was not, strictly speaking, canonically censored. He did not have any of his priestly faculties removed or changed; he was not suspended, removed from the priesthood, or laicized; and was not excommunicated or interdicted. He is now a priest in good standing and was finally named a monsignor much later than usual in 2010. He was ordered to apologize and spend two weeks on a contemplative retreat for raising concerns about a priest assigned to his parish. He viewed what he did as simply questioning orders, not outright disobedience. The priest was transferred to another parish in 1996. The Archdiocese said it had received no complaints about his work in 15 years of service to 3 parishes. In 2005, the priest rejected by Monsignor Picard was accused of having sexually assaulted a minor in 1982. That priest died in 2006.[13]
On August 14, 2018, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a grand jury report detailing sex abuse in six Pennsylvania Diocese, including Pittsburgh. The report showed a 1985 memo written by that Bevilacqua where he rejected a request to reassign Father Joseph D. Karabin after two children told the Diocese he had sexually molested them.[14] The diocese report against Karabin was never reported to the police.[14] The same year, Bevilacqua sent a written request to reassign Father John O'Connor to the Diocese of Camden in New Jersey after it was reported that he molested a 14-year old boy during two sleepovers.[15] O'Connor was arrested before the transfer could take place, but never saw trial after agreeing to undergo rehabilitation therapy at Southdown Institute, a clinic near Toronto run by the Canadian Catholic Bishops Conference.[15] After leaving Southtown, O'Connor was reassigned by Bevilacqua to serve as a hospital chaplain.[15]
Retirement and death
Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in June 1998, Bevilacqua submitted his letter of resignation to John Paul II, who allowed the Cardinal to continue in his post. He lost the right to participate in a papal conclave when he reached the age of 80 in June 2003. His resignation was later accepted by the Pope on July 15 of that year,[9] and he served as Apostolic Administrator of Philadelphia until the installation of his successor, Justin Francis Rigali, on October 7, 2003.
In retirement, Cardinal Bevilacqua lived at his home on the grounds of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood. In February, 2011 it was reported that Cardinal Bevilacqua was suffering from cancer and dementia.[16]
In November, 2011, Cardinal Bevilacqua gave a seven-hour deposition in a sealed hearing on the subject of the sexual abuse scandal in the archdiocese. His testimony was videotaped.[17]
^Bevilacqua also facing a verdict; Even after his death, he has been a key figure in the trial. The outcome could shape his legacy, John P. Martin Philadelphia Inquirer, 3 June 2012
Glenn, Francis A. (1993). Shepherds of the Faith 1843-1993: A Brief History of the Bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh: Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.
