Fr. Kevin David O'Rourke, OP
1927-2012

The patriarch of Catholic health care ethics and one of the giants in the field. Probably no other ethicist has had a greater influence on Catholic health care and Catholic health care ethics than Kevin O'Rourke. During his career, he authored or coauthored nearly a dozen books on health care ethics, headed a theological institute, served as CHA ethicist for some six years, consulted on some of the nation's most complex ethical cases around end-of-life decision making, gave hundreds of presentations nationally and internationally, founded a health care ethics center (at which time he initiated Health Care Ethics USA) and authored dozens of articles on bioethical issues. He brought intellectual rigor and deep pastoral sensitivities to his work, as well as a passion for pursuing the truth and a love for and commitment to the Church. His work in moral theology was grounded in and in response to lived experience and the realities of the clinic. Deeply spiritual, Fr. O'Rourke was a marvelous human being, humble and with a great sense of humor and a hearty laugh. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy remains.

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