USD Magazine, Winter 1998

M onsignor Isaac Brent Eagen was first a priest. Though he was a spiritual leader who served all four bishops of San Diego in high-ranking religious, educational and civic roles, he didn't focus on his many accomplishments. His focus and concern went instead to the people he served. Of all his pastoral duties, Monsignor Eagen cherished minis– tering to people. In doing so, he developed a network of friends that reached around the world. His address file comprised 1,300 names, but it wasn't volume that interested him. It was individuals. He took great care to remember each person's name from the first meeting. He gave his full attention to every conversation, whether it was with the bishop, a student or a family friend. He truly lis– tened and cared earnestly about others, remembering details about their families and lives. "He had a great gift of friendship," says USO President Alice B. Hayes. "I think that of the thousand people at his funeral, every one of them thought he was their best friend." Monsignor Eagen died Oct. 14 at Mercy Hospital in San Diego of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 6 7. A prayer vigil was held Oct. 18 in Founders Chapel and his funeral Mass took place on Oct. 19 at The Immaculata Church.

As in his life, Monsignor Eagen wouldn't have seen a crowd in The Immaculata, where members of the USO and San Diego community gathered to celebrate his life. He would have seen individuals. There was the priest who as a fifth-grader was inspired by Monsignor Eagen to enter the religious life. There was the USO communications student who counted Monsignor Eagen as one of the biggest supporters of her journalism studies. There was the nun with whom Monsignor Eagen shared count– less conversations about life in the church and the university's educational mission, and with whom he shared the emotion of poignant student encounters. "He was intensely human and humane," says Father Barry Vinyard '68, who worked closely with Monsignor Eagen in uni– versity ministry. "His kindness was his hallmark." For the People That kindness and humanity permeated Monsignor Eagen's life. Born Dec. 14, 1929, in San Bernardino, Calif., he graduated from St. Francis Seminary, where he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy, and Loyola University, where he earned a master's degree in English and education. He was ordained in 1956 by Bishop Charles Francis Buddy, San Diego's first bishop and one of USD's founders. After a short assignment as assistant pastor at St. Joseph Cathedral in San Diego, Father Eagen returned to San Bernardino to serve as associate pastor at his parents' parish, Holy Rosary. "His example of priestly ministry, and the enthusiasm and joy which he brought to the priesthood, first inspired me to think about becoming a priest myself," remembered Monsignor Richard F. Duncanson '68 in his homily at the Founders Chapel prayer vigil. Monsignor Duncanson was in grade school at Holy Rosary during Father Eagen's tenure. "Everyone could tell that he loved people and really loved being a parish priest." In 1960, Father Eagen joined the faculty of the San Diego College for Men, where he taught theology, speech, English and American literature. In 1964, he was named the director of school relations for the college, with responsibilities for public relations and fund-raising. In 1968, Father Eagen was named secretary of the university's board of trustees and chancellor of the Diocese of San Diego, positions he held for more than 20 years. On behalf of the board of trustees, Monsignor Eagen played an integral role in the 1972 merger of the College for Men and the College for Women into the University of San Diego. "If you look at the documents of the merger between the colleges, there are two names on those documents: (President Emeritus) Author Hughes and I.B. Eagen," says Hayes. "He was deeply involved in the history of the university." While Monsignor Eagen was chancellor of the diocese and serving USD's board, he also was assigned the pastorship of the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, a post he accepted with joy and anticipation of ministering to a parish once again. He took on several special projects on behalf of the mission, most notably the fund-raising for and long-needed renovation of the mission - California's oldest - founded in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra. When Monsignor Eagen left the mission on the last day of 1992 to become the vice president for mission and ministry at

Prayer vigil for Monsignor Eagan in Founders Chapa), Oct. 18.

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