Remembering ‘El Padre Juan’ | Opinion
Updated Feb 04, 2021;
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By Juan Cartagena
John “Jack” Egan transitioned to the heavens last Friday night. He was 86 years young, vibrant, inspiring. He was a shining light to me, my family, and all of Puerto Rican, Latino, Jersey City when I was growing up.
A (former) priest, pacifist, activist, author, humanist, Jack Egan had to constantly deal with his name in the community he served so well from St. Boniface Church. “It’s OK, but I’m no longer a priest,” he would have to repeat thousands of times to Latino parishioners who would say, “I will always call you ‘Padre Juan.’”