The priests who anonymously called for Edward Cardinal Egan’s removal need a lesson in humility and in judging character.

The cowardly scribes have unfairly compared Cardinal Egan with his predecessor, the late John Cardinal O’Connor. I have dealt with both and found them to have singular personalities except when it came to their identical dedication to the parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of New York.

While O’Connor may have been regarded as the most experienced in dealing with the New York press, Cardinal Egan is inaugurating what is probably the most innovative method of introducing the Catholic perspective to the entire world. He has created the Catholic Channel, which will make its debut soon on Sirius Satellite Radio’s channel 159. Its goal is far more expansive than the usual religious programming.

Its mission statement says it all: “The Catholic Channel addresses issues in the news, and in the minds of listeners — everything from what’s happening in the church today to the headline stories of current events and politics, to the latest in the world of entertainment, the arts and sports. … Bringing the Catholic perspective to the world around us — that’s the Catholic Channel.”

How does it plan to do this? “Together with the Archdiocese, we have assembled an exceptional cast of hosts whose talent and experience will produce some of the most compelling

Catholic programming on the air,” the CEO of Sirius, Mel Karmazin, said in a recent statement. “The Catholic Channel will be an important component in a Sirius lineup that offers listeners the best radio on radio.”

Well, for some reason, I’ve been asked to host a three-hour talk show that will cover the hot topics in the news, and I plan to interview the fascinating people that I’ve had the honor of meeting since writing for The New York Sun — with the possible exception of Vice President Cheney.

The other hosts on the channel include Dave and Susan Konig — he’s a great comedian and she’s author of bestselling books; Lino Rulli, the popular comic known as ‘the Catholic Guy;’ Bob Dunning, a columnist and radio host based in Sacramento, Calif.; Gus Lloyd, a well-known Floridian radio host, and Mike Hayes of BustedHalo.com, an online magazine for people in their 20s and 30s seeking spiritual guidance.

There will also be priests offering guidance and a Mass. In fact, there’s something for everyone, and having met the other hosts and become enchanted by their sense of humor and professionalism, I hope that I can provide that same level of performance.

I’m a writer, not a radio host, and although I still can’t understand why I was recruited, I also know there is a real need for this kind of programming. There are too many issues in the news that are getting short shrift from the mainstream press. The truth about embryonic stem cell research and the dangers of drugs such as RU-486 get glossed over. So often we hear of politicians who claim a Catholic identity but are anything but observant of church dogma. Quite a few deserve to be excommunicated, but I’ll leave that up to the bishops to decide.

Cardinal Egan in his quiet way has made a giant leap into closing the gap between the truth and what the public learns about societal issues and today’s morality.

Cardinal O’ Connor was tireless in his pro-life campaign and would not back down under Mayor Koch’s efforts to force the church to approve an agenda contrary to church teaching. He threatened to shut down the church institutions rather than surrender its principles.

I remember marching with him down Madison Avenue to an abortion clinic in a prayer rally that ending up looking like a civil rights march in Selma, Ala. Men and women shouted curses at us, screaming vile messages. Women on the rooftops bared their breasts, shouting,”Get your rosaries off my ovaries.” He was a brave man loathed by the gay and lesbian communities and abortion advocates.

He did not like having to spend so much of his time raising money to keep the Archdiocese afloat, and consequently Cardinal Egan inherited a sinking ship. In addition, the priest sex scandal landed on Cardinal Egan’s doorstep. By all rights, that should have capsized the Archdiocese, but the pope picked the right man for the job. While some priests may not like his personal style, I’ve always found him to be a warm and kindly gentleman.

At present, he is recuperating from knee surgery, and I’ve been told by some who had the same surgery that recovery can be quite painful.

Probably not as painful, though, as the backstabbing he received from fellow priests. For shame!

acolon@nysun.com