USD Magazine, Winter 1998

USD, he was filled with emotion. A San Diego Union-Tribune reporter asked what he would miss most after 22 years as pastor at the mission. "Most of all, the people," Monsignor Eagen responded as tears trickled down his cheeks. "I'll really miss the people." Spiritual Guardian But in no time, Monsignor Eagen was ministering to a new flock, this time the USD community. The new post of vice president for mission and ministry was his to create, and he took that responsi– bility very seriously. "He brought to that position a fullness that justified the title," says Hayes. "In addition to ministering to students, he saw his role as involving faculty, people in the community, alumni and friends of the university. He visualized his spiritual guardianship as extending to all of the people, not just to the students." Monsignor Eagen's work reflected this tenet. With the School of Business Administration, he initiated a business certifi– cation program for administrators of religious institutions. He had the university's mission statement translated into several languages so everyone on campus can read and understand it. He put together a prayer book for the university, and the first printing quickly sold out at the bookstore. He developed a spiritual mentor pro– gram in which faculty and staff of faiths other than Catholic serve as religious contacts for students of their faiths. Long a believer in civic involvement, the monsignor's work was not restricted to campus. Outside of his daily responsibilities, Monsignor Eagen held more than a dozen professional and civic roles and was a member

Monsignor Eagen and William Dayle, 1979.

"The All-Faith Service isn't just another program," says Sister Irene Cullen, associate minister in university ministry. "It is symbolic of what he believed in personally - the importance of respect and quality conversation among the different faiths. It was his understanding that a Catholic university should be a place where

other religions and faiths would sit down to the table together and talk about our common values and our com– mon concerns for the sake of the world." Rabbi Wayne Dosick, who affectionately called his friend of 22 years Brother Isaac, was privileged to participate in the All-Faith

of another dozen organi– zations over the last three decades. A favorite for the sports fan was his role as chaplain to the San Diego Chargers, a position he held for nearly 20 years.

Ifju.1t a .1ingle legacy were attributed to

Mon.1ignor Eagen - and ,nany have been noted .1ince hu pa.1.1ing - it wouLJ be the .1pirit of

ecunienu,n that he brought to the canipw.

Monsignor Eagen

believed strongly in reaching out to all faiths.

Service and was appreciative of his friend's efforts to reach out to all people. Rabbi Dosick points out as a typical example a booklet produced by Monsignor Eagen's office that lists a variety of faith services in San Diego. "That booklet is testimony to his great concern for students of all faiths," notes Rabbi Dosick, adjunct lecturer in USD's theo– logical and religious studies department. "He was a servant of God, of the church and of the people. He brought a sense of goodness, compassion, faith and love to the community." Simply Father As a servant of the people who referred to himself simply as Father Eagen, he cherished the personal relationships he built through his work and ministry. Monsignor Eagen especially loved getting to know the students. Sister Cullen recalls a conversation she had with the monsignor shortly after he returned to the uni-

If just a single legacy were attributed to Monsignor Eagen - and many have been noted since his passing - it would be the spirit of ecumenism that he brought to the campus. "He accepted people, whoever they were: male, female, black, white, Protestant, Jew, Catholic," says President Emeritus Author E. Hughes, who turned to Monsignor Eagen frequently as a mentor during his 24 years as president. "A basic spirit of ecu– menism was just a part of him. It was very unusual to see some– one so totally accepting of people." Not only did he accept, Monsignor Eagen reached out. With a long history of collaborating with religious administrators of other faiths in San Diego, Monsignor Eagen wanted to provide a venue for the many faiths at USD to pray together. First held nearly five years ago, the annual All-Faith Service launches the spring semester with a corporate prayer, represented by the many religious tradi– tions of USD students, faculty, staff and administrators.

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