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Father Joseph P. McAndrew, who served as a chaplain at St. Anthony’s Community Hospital in Warwick and New York University Medical Center in Manhattan, died April 23. He was 90.
He was chaplain at St. Anthony’s from 2000 until his retirement in 2007 and at NYU Medical Center, 1989-1992.
He was parochial vicar of Holy Rosary parish, Greenwood Lake, 1999-2000; in the Bronx at Holy Family, 1994-1999 and Our Lady of the Assumption, 1992-1994, and at Blessed Sacrament, Staten Island, 1985-1989.
Auxiliary Bishop Edmund Whalen offered the Funeral Mass April 28 in the main chapel of the John Cardinal O’Connor Pavilion in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. The homilist was Father Michael P. McLoughlin, pastor of St. Columba’s parish in Hopewell Junction.
Father McLoughlin said when he was named pastor of St. Stephen parish in Warwick in 2002 he was “delighted to discover that the hospital and nursing homes had a chaplain—Father Joe McAndrew—and we hit it off right from the start. What a blessing Father Joe was.
“It was such a comfort to know that Father Joe was there and on call. He faithfully and beautifully ministered to the sick, the aged and the dying.
“I spent many a day and night with Father Joe comforting families and giving last rites to the dying. You could count on him to be there and walk with our people through so many challenging times.”
Father McAndrew was “very aware” his ministry extended to the hospital staff, Father McLoughlin said. He also was “very attentive” to the moral challenges faced by hospitals and could always be counted on to uphold Catholic teaching.
“His priesthood was solid in every way,” Father McLoughlin said. “He was a faithful and good priest who taught and lived the faith.”
Born in New Rochelle, he attended Holy Family School and Blessed Sacrament High School there. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Iona College in New Rochelle and enjoyed a successful, 25-year career in banking for Bankers Trust Co.
He also served in the U.S. Army for two years.
He was ordained in 1985 at age 53 by Cardinal John O’Connor after studies at St. John Neumann Residence, the Bronx, and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie.
Burial was at St. Stephen Cemetery, Warwick.
