Brendan O’Rourke, 7; Boy With AIDS Received Papal Embrace

Brendan O’Rourke, a boy with AIDS who was embraced by Pope John Paul II when he reached up to tug the Holy Father’s ears, died Friday of AIDS-related illness. He was 7.

A photograph of the Pope reaching through a crowd to embrace Brendan during the 1987 papal visit to the United States was printed in newspapers worldwide. Brendan’s father, John O’Rourke, later explained that Brendan liked to hold the ears of people he likes and therefore reached for the Pope.

“That picture tells a great story,” said Msgr. James P. McKay, who until two months ago was the priest at Brendan’s church, St. Cecilia’s in San Francisco.

“When the Pope embraced him, it was sort of a symbol, an expression of acceptance and compassion and encouragement and support for him and all the things he represented: children, the disadvantaged.”

Brendan later went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, where a grotto spring is believed to have healing powers.

McKay said he last saw Brendan at a party at the end of June when the monsignor left the parish church.

“He was fine. He was full of zip. He was zipping around the auditorium,” McKay said.

But the monsignor said that the boy was well aware of his illness.

“He knew he wasn’t going to have a long, normal life. And he seemed to be able to deal with that rather well for somebody of his age. For somebody even 10 times his age.”