Father Philip Eichner has resigned as chairman of the board of the Catholic League. A new chairman will be chosen shortly.
Fr. Eichner held this position since 1992 and was largely responsible for hiring Bill Donohue the next year as president and CEO. Donohue worked closely with him, and offered the following statement regarding his resignation.
“When I took over in 1993, the league had several financial and organizational problems. I had the good fortune of relying on Fr. Eichner for counsel on many issues. His advice proved to be unfailingly accurate.
“He knew how to run an organization: he had commanded Chaminade High School, the most prestigious Catholic secondary school in the New York metropolitan area, and he also founded—against all odds—Kellenberg Memorial High School. He remains president of Kellenberg.
“To the public, I am the face of the Catholic League. But to those who know the organization, Fr. Eichner has been its guiding hand. When conflicts arose, he never shied away, offering his usual wise perspective.
“To cite one example, in 1999-2000, when some evangelicals in Washington sought to block the appointment of the first priest to become House Chaplain, Fr. Eichner encouraged me not to fold. It led to some ugly exchanges with the opposition, but in the end justice was done and the priest got the job.
“Fr. Eichner served with distinction and it has been my good fortune to have worked with him.”
