ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Friday was cool but comfortable outside Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown.
The morning sun strained to peek through gauze-like clouds. Birds chirped in leafy trees along 18th Street. Passersby smiled and offered a friendly greeting.
But Friday was not just another day.
- Bishop Edward P. Cullen was celebrated with a Mass of Christian Burial at Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown on Friday
- Cullen, 90, died on May 9
- Cullen was remembered by those at the funeral as a caring, spiritual man
An appreciative community packed St. Catharine’s to bid farewell to Bishop Edward P. Cullen, 90, who died May 9 at Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Cedar Crest campus.
Cullen was the third Bishop of Allentown, having served from 1998 until his retirement in 2009 at age 76. He was the predecessor to Bishop John Barres, who led the diocese from 2009 to 2016.
“Bishop Cullen was a wonderful representative of the Church and our diocese,” said Brenda Riley, of Allentown, who was among many visitors who paid their last respects prior to the Mass of Christian Burial.
“He was a man of God.”
A visitation also was held at St. Catharine's on Thursday.
A funeral on the anniversary of his ordination
Archbishop Nelson Perez, of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was celebrant of the Mass.
Among those in attendance were members of Bishop Cullen’s family: brother John; nephews Edward, Ryan, Tim and the Rev. James Brady; and nieces Joan Love and Maureen Persin.
Also in attendance were bishops from throughout Pennsylvania and priests from the Diocese of Allentown.
Each of the 36 Catholic schools in the diocese also were represented by a group of students, per tradition and request by Philip J. Fromuth, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the diocese.
Coincidentally, Cullen’s funeral was held on the same date — May 19 — as his ordination in 1962 at the Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia.
Cullen’s casket was situated on the church aisle, just in front of the altar in St. Catharine’s, the mother church of the diocese. Members of several area Knights of Columbus councils stood vigil.
Cullen wore a miter and vestments. Rosary beads wound though both hands.
Three lighted candles stood at attention on each side of the casket. A floral basket including yellow roses, white snapdragons and tulips was perched on a riser at the foot of the casket.
The Allentown Diocesan Choir was backed by an orchestra and performed hymns from the balcony.
'In love with the Holy Trinity'
Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert, an Easton native, was the homilist. He shared a message of heartfelt condolences from Pope Francis on the passing of Bishop Cullen.
“He was spiritually in love with the Holy Trinity."Bishop Alfred Schlert, Diocese of Allentown
“Above all, if you’re looking at the qualities of Bishop Cullen, it’s important for us to say he was spiritual,” Schlert said. “He was spiritually in love with the Holy Trinity.
“When I visited him on Sunday [May 7], his next-to-last day on Earth, he told me, ‘Al, I’ve received all the sacraments … if the doctor came in and told me I was dying tonight, I’d be OK with it.’”
Cullen was credited with significantly increasing protections for children and young people, forged bonds of cooperation with law enforcement, and enhanced care for victims of abuse, the diocese said.
Tim Cullen, a nephew, remembered his uncle as very supportive, intelligent and devoted to the Church.
“I’ve heard stories about him being a great athlete when he was young,” he said. “But ultimately, he’ll be remembered as someone who devoted his life to God."
Cullen’s niece, Amy Herron, remembered him as being very holy. Another niece, Allison Latzo, said what impressed her most was his dedication.
“People, family, parishioners,” Latzo said. “Those who were most important to him. He just loved to serve people.”
'Monignor, don't leave me hanging'
After Archbishop Perez was ordained to the priesthood in Philadelphia in May 1993, he was called to a meeting with then-Monsignor Cullen.
“I was a scared, young priest,” said Perez, who honored Cullen by carrying his pastoral staff during the Mass. “He was a monsignor. He asked me if I knew what I was doing yet. I told him, not a bit.
“Then he asked me what I needed. I told him money. He never asked how much. He told an aide to open a bank account for me and to put money in.
“I said, ‘Now, monsignor, don’t leave me hanging.’ And he never did.”
Cullen was born on March 15, 1933, in Philadelphia, and grew up in nearby Yeadon, Delaware County. He was the second of five children to the late Edward P. and Julia (Leahy) Cullen.
He attended West Catholic High School, where he excelled in football and track.
Cullen received a bachelor's degree at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 1958 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1974. He got a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970; a masters at LaSalle University in 1971; and completed the Human Services Management Executive Program at Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1986.
In 1968, Cullen was appointed an assistant director of Catholic Social Services, which became the springboard to two decades of service in social work. He continued to serve as the agency’s assistant director until 1983 and was director from 1983 through 1988.
Not without controversy
Cullen’s long career was not without controversy.
A January 2011 Philadelphia grand jury report said in 1993, before he was Bishop of Allentown, Cullen helped protect the Rev. Edward Avery, who in February 2011 was charged with raping a 10-year-old altar boy in 1998.
The grand jury said Cullen, in carrying out Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua's policy, helped deceive parishioners when an accusation surfaced about Avery in 1993.
The grand jury cited a memo in which Cullen instructed a monsignor to tell Avery's congregation that he was being reassigned for health reasons, “rather than inform parishioners of the truth — that the priest had molested at least one altar boy, and could not be trusted around adolescents.”
No charges were filed against Cullen, who as vicar for administration was the Philadelphia Archdiocese's No. 2 man under Bevilacqua, because the statute of limitations had expired.
“I don’t believe for a minute the Bishop should be blamed for any of that,” Margaret Bernal said after the Mass. “We knew him as a good, decent man. That’s who he was.”
Following Friday’s funeral, Cullen was entombed in a mausoleum in Resurrection Cemetery, Allentown.
Managing producer Stephanie Sigafoos contributed to this report.
