 In 1969, he sued the board of directors of Sacred Heart Hospital to prevent a corporate merger with Allentown Hospital during the formation of the Allentown-Sacred Heart Hospital Center, in an effort to maintain the Catholic identity of Sacred Heart.After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, McShea resigned as Bishop of Allentown on February 3, 1983.McShea, long ill from diabetes and other ailments, later died at age 84.