NOVELTY - Preparation (p1) of an oxygen reducing cathode catalyst (c1) involves mixing a carbon source with a transition metal precursor to form a metal precursor loaded carbon substrate free of precious metals; adding a nitrogen precursor compound to the metal precursor loaded carbon substrate to form a carbon-metal-nitrogen precursor; and pyrolyzing the carbon-metal-nitrogen precursor at an elevated pressure of 2-100 bar.    USE - For the preparation of an oxygen reducing cathode catalyst, which is useful in low temperature fuel cell, and for making a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell (claimed). Also useful as non-precious metal electrochemical cathode catalysts for the reduction of molecular oxygen, e.g. in a fuel cell.    ADVANTAGE - The carbon-metal-nitrogen catalyst requires no precious metal such as Pt, and also provides benefits such as controlled deposition of catalytically active nitrogenous compounds that increases the catalytic activity of the catalyst when compared to gaseous deposition of nitrogen to the surface of the carbon support. The cathode catalyst material produced by using the present method lowers the cost for producing the catalyst material and follows a simple synthesis method compared to platinum/carbon catalysts and other non-precious metal catalysts conventionally used in fuel cell designs.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) a low temperature fuel cell comprising the oxygen reducing cathode catalyst (c1);    (2) making a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, involving providing an ionomeric membrane having a first side and a second side; applying an anode catalyst on at least a portion of the first side of the ionomeric membrane; and applying a cathode catalyst on at least a portion of the second side of the ionomeric membrane, where the cathode catalyst is synthesized by carrying out the method (p1) and mixing the oxygen reducing cathode catalyst with a recast ionomer; and    (3) making a cathode catalyst coated diffusion layer for a fuel cell, involving providing a gas diffusion layer; and applying cathode catalyst (c1) on at least a portion of the gas diffusion layer.