Cardinal John Krol's beginnings as a butcher were humble, his aspirations never lofty. All he wanted to do was be a priest and serve people.
He never lost that human touch as he rose to become the archbishop of Philadelphia, leading the nation's sixth-largest Roman Catholic archdiocese for 27 years.Krol, a leading conservative in the church who spoke out for nuclear disarmament and helped revamp Vatican finances, died Sunday at home from diabetes-related kidney problems. He was 85.
"I only wanted to serve as a priest," he said when he retired in 1988. "I like people. I like youngsters. And I have a conviction that actual presence in meeting people on the scene is something which is indispensable to my work."
He expanded schools, parishes and services for refugees, the elderly, youths and the hungry. About 100 new churches were built during his tenure.