McGann leaves Newman Center

Rev. Tom McGann, the director of the Penn Newman Center, was transferred out of his position Monday by the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. But the Newman Center does not know why. "The way the Archdiocese works, we really don't know why he was transferred," said Newman Center Assistant Director Robert Cardie. "They don't consult us here and that's basically all we know." But, Cardie did dismiss rumors that McGann was transferred because of his alleged liberal views. Replacing McGann is 35 year-old Rev. Mark Hunt, who will become the Center's fourth director in just a little more than a year. Cardie said the multiple director transitions have been "very difficult" for the Newman Center, because the Center needs to constantly help the new priests "adjust to what it's like at Penn, a secular university." "The issues that Catholics are challenged with here are definitely unique for Philadelphia," Cardie said. "No other place in Philadelphia can be compared to the experience at Penn, [and] it takes awhile for a person to adjust to that situation." The final decision to transfer McGann was probably based on the needs of the parish and what the Archdiocese "felt was best for Father Tom," Cardie said. Rev. William Lynn, secretary for clergy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said that in general, priest assignments are made using three considerations, including "the diverse needs of the many parishes, schools and facilities?of Philadelphia" and "the particular abilities and desires of the priest who is being reassigned." He did not say exactly why McGann was transferred though. Hunt recently completed a three-year assignment in Rome, Italy, doing doctoral studies in the area of patristic theology. Hunt said yesterday that coming to the University is a "big change" for him, but that it is a "very exciting and wonderful opportunity." "It's something different for me," he said. "I'm technically going from being a student to working closely with students." Hunt said right now he is mostly "doing a lot of listening" about the Newman Center. He added that he sees "a lot of flexibility and a lot of room for dynamic creativity" in the job.