Cardinal Timothy Dolan led a funeral mass for Pat Quinn at Saint John the Baptist Church on Dec. 2 as Yonkers said goodbye to Quinn, who died from ALS at the age of 37 on Nov. 22.
Yonkers Avenue was closed infront of the church, as a Police line and pipers paid their respects to the co-founder of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Quinn helped raise more than $100 M to find a cure for ALS.
Cardinal Dolan spoke about Pat on his podcast. “I had known Pat and met him and talked to him about helping to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He dies at the age of 37 and batteld the disease for years.”
“I was honored when his parents called and said that Pat asked for me to preside over the funeral, and I was honored to do so and came to Yonkers. Father Bill Cleary, (Pat’s Uncle) from Yonkers seminary and who knew Pat, preached a magnificent homily and Pat’s cousin Matt Keane, gave a masterful eulogy,” said Dolan.
“Both mentioned that when Pat first got ALS, he wanted a cure now, and would say, I’m going to raise money to help me now. But as time went on he grew and said that his prayers were now focused on I need the healing of my soul, and to have patience, and to wait for God’s answer. He had the courage to go on and raise money and find a cure for future sufferers even if I don’t benefit from it.”
“That is a wonderful message in the advent spirit, that Lord Jesus will answer in ways we may not understand. God Bless Patrick Ryan Quinn, may the lord have mercy on him,” said Cardinal Dolan.
Pat’s friends Matt Downs and Billy Keane gave readings at the funeral, and the pallbearers were made up of Pat’s friends who grew up with him on Hyatt Street and from the Rugby team at Iona College.
