Eugene V. Clark
Eugene V. Clark (January 26, 1926 – April 11, 2012) was a prelate of the Archdiocese of New York.<ref name=NYT /[1] He was a vocal and prominent proponent of traditional values and practices in the Catholic Church.
Life
Clark studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York. He was ordained by Cardinal Francis Spellman. He then served as a teacher at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx, New York. Following this, he served as Spellman's private secretary.
Church of the Annunciation, Crestwood New York
Clark was appointed pastor of the Church of the Annunciation in 1980 by Cardinal Terence Cooke. He was a successful homilist and a connoisseur of art, especially religious art (through the 1990s, he also hosted shows on Catholic television). With his eye for the aesthetic, he refurbished much of the magnificent sculpture in the lower church, and moved several pieces to the upper church — including a Pieta and an enormous crucifix that now hangs in the back of the upper church. Clark oversaw a major restoration of the sanctuary of the upper church, this included a large marble altar, the altar stairs, and marble facade redesigned to face forward — replacing the “portable” altar used for several years previously. The altar is now dedicated to the memory of Richard and Regina Fay.
A hand-made papier-mâché Christmas creche imported from Italy was acquired at this time as well — with the help of the Mark and Alicia Barry Family, in Memory of Frank and Catherine Gleason — this work of art graces St. Joseph’s Altar — redecorated for Christmas to this day. Later his successor, the Rev. Eugene Carrella, commissioned the addition of a manger, which replicates the marble columns of the main altar and the green marble facade behind the altar.
Clark was the first pastor to institute a Finance Council in the parish (the full Parish Council would come later). He was also dedicated to the parish school, and a more diverse curriculum. Under his stewardship and with Kevin Scanlon as the school principal for more than a decade, the school excelled in every way. The school also expanded with the creation of a kindergarten program.
Clarke later served as an official spokesman for Cardinal Cooke.
St. Agnes Parish, New York, New York
After Annunciation, Clark became pastor of St. Agnes Parish and High School in Manhattan. It was during this time that St. Agnes became a center for Catholic study in Manhattan, drawing professionals from architects to medical doctors to financiers and lawyers from all over Manhattan, who not only attended Mass but also attended regular classes in philosophy and theology, especially on St. Thomas Aquinas.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
In 2001 Cardinal Edward Egan selected Clark to be Rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of the archdiocese. His duties as rector included running its day-to-day business, and he would preside at the main Mass on Sundays when the cardinal was unavailable.
Clark was a leading fund-raiser for Catholic causes. He was Vice President of the Homeland Foundation, an organization which supports Catholic projects, and established the first American chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, a preservation group.[2]
Resignation
Clark resigned on August 11, 2005, as rector of the cathedral in response to allegations in the press of adultery with his secretary, Laura DiFillipo.[3] He strenuously denied the allegations for the rest of his life. DiFillipo's husband had been seeking to divorce his wife and made video and photographs he collected widely available to the news media. None of the allegations of impropriety appear to have been proven.
In 1999 and 2000 he taped for the Catholic Eternal Word Television Network a series of programs titled Relationships which made Clark better known outside of the Archdiocese of New York.
Death
Clark retired to East Hampton, New York, where he died.
References
- ↑ "Obituary: Eugene V. Clark". The New York Times. May 11, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
- ↑
- ↑ "Accusation of an Affair Leads Priest to Resign". The New York Times. August 12, 2005.