Msgr. John J. Egan, assistant to the president for community affairs at DePaul University, died Saturday morning at the rectory of Holy Name Cathedral. He was 84 years old.

A force for lay Catholic spirituality and lifelong civil rights activist, Msgr. Egan held leadership positions in the Archdiocese of Chicago from his ordination to the priesthood in 1943 until his retirement in 1987. From 1987 until his death, Msgr. Egan headed DePaul’s office of community affairs.

Msgr. Egan worked closely with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the civil rights movements in the 1960s and was one of the first Catholic priests in the country to march in Selma, Ala. His biography, “An Alley in Chicago: The Ministry of a City Priest,” was published by Sheed & Ward in 1991.

In 1992, DePaul established the Egan Hope Scholars program to create another generation of people committed to the work to which Egan dedicated his life. To date, 40 scholarships valued at $10,000 each have been awarded. The Egan scholarships are given annually to minority students who might not otherwise attend college because they lack role models or graduated from disadvantaged elementary and high school programs. Eligible students must be active community service volunteers during high school and at DePaul.

DePaul’s Egan Urban Center also is named after Egan. The Center offers opportunities for DePaul faculty, students and staff to collaborate with local community organizations to address critical urban problems, alleviate poverty and promote social justice through teaching, service and scholarship.

“I had great affection for Jack, not only for his kind words and good works but also because he was always willing to challenge whether we could make things better for other people,” said the Rev. John P. Minogue, C.M., president of DePaul. “He was a noted champion for social justice and civil rights. At DePaul, he was an outstanding catalyst for furthering the university’s community service mission. Throughout his long and fruitful priesthood, his primary concern was the Christian ideal of love for others—particularly the poor and disadvantaged people.”

Egan began his education at DePaul and ended his lifetime of service at the university. He was a graduate of DePaul Academy and attended at DePaul University before beginning his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. Following his ordination to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served as associate pastor of St. Justin Martyr parish on Chicago’s South Side until 1947. From 1947 to 1958, he directed the Cana Conference of Chicago, a marriage preparation and enrichment program that became a significant influence in the lives of Catholic couples across the nation.

From 1958 to 1969, he directed the Archdiocese Office of Urban Affairs, a center of activity for urban development, racial harmony and community organization. From 1966 to 1970, he served as pastor of Presentation Parish on Chicago’s West Side. From 1970 to 1983, he was the special assistant to the president and director of the Institute for Pastoral and Social Ministry at the University of Notre Dame. He returned to Chicago in 1983 when the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin named him the director of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Human Relations and Ecumenism. He held that position until his retirement in 1987. In 1995, he was made an Affiliate of the Vincentian Community by the Superior General of the Congregation, Rev. Robert Maloney, C.M.

Msgr. Egan was president of the Association of the Catechetical Training Aids and a board member of the Industrial Areas Foundation, the Metropolitan Planning Council, and the Chicago Dwelling Association. He also was a member of the advisory committee of project CARITAS of the Catholic Charities of the United States. Founder and past chairman of the Catholic Committee on Urban Ministry and past chairman of the Association of Chicago Priests, he was also a member of St. Xavier University (Chicago) Advisory Council and a board member of the National Catholic Reporter from 1968 to 1986.

Msgr. Egan was a recipient of numerous awards and honors recognizing his pioneering efforts for social justice. DePaul awarded him its St. Vincent de Paul Medal in 1979 for “serving God through the needs of humanity” and presented him with an honorary degree in 1985. He also received honorary doctorates from Notre Dame University, the University of Chicago, the College of Holy Cross, St. Mary’s College (Ind.), Loyola University (Chicago) and St. Xavier University.

He was the first recipient of the Reinhold Niebuhr Award from the University of Notre Dame, and his other honors included the John XXIII Award for Excellence in Ministry from the Association of Chicago Priests; the Founders Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, Chicago and Northern Region; the Victor B. Larson Award; the American Jewish Committee Chicago Chapter Award; and the Religious Leaders Award from Operation PUSH; the Development of People Award from the Campaign for Human Development; the Chicago Anti-Defamation League Human Relations Award, and the Religion Award at the annual Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Awards and Tribute.

Since 1983, Egan has resided at Holy Name Cathedral. He is survived by his sister, Kathleen Egan Martin of Rockford.

Monsignor Egan’s body will lie in state at Holy Name Cathedral on Monday, May 21, and Tuesday, May 22, from 3 to 9 p.m. His funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 23, at Holy Name Cathedral. His body will be interred at All Saints Cemetery, 700 N. River Road, in Des Plaines.