Former Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch, Monsignor John Jerome Cunneen was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 5, 1932, and received his early education at St. Joseph's Primary School in Ashburton and St. Bede's College in Christchurch. For his priesthood training, he attended the Holy Name Seminary in Riccarton between 1947 and 1950, the Holy Cross Seminary in Mosgiel from 1951 until 1952, and the All Hallows College in Dublin from 1952 till 1956.
Ordained priest in Ashburton on July 8, 1956, at 24 years of age, by Bishop Edward Michael Joyce, successively Father John served in a number of parishes including the Chatham Islands, Timaru North, Mount Magdala, Rangiora, Oxford, Dallington, the Cathedral, Addington, Bishopdale and Burnside. He was also highly involved with Christchurch's Samoan community.
Furthermore, he served as chancellor, ordinary confessor to Sisters of Mercy at Villa Maria, administrator of the Holy Cross Chapel, diocesan consulter and pastoral assistant to Bishop Basil Meeking.
At 60 years of age, Cunneen was appointed Auxiliary of the Diocese of Christchurch by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Eanach Dúin on November 30, 1992, from Bishop John Basil Meeking, assisted by Cardinal Thomas Stafford Williams and Archbishop Thomas A. White.
Following the resignation from office of Bishop Meeking, Cunneen was named as his successor as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch on December 15, 1995, taking possession of his See on March 19, 1996. He was a participant at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Churches in North, Central and South America. On February 23, 1995, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" - the agency of the Holy See responsible for the Church's charitable activities.
In July 2003, towards the end of his episcopate, Bishop John suffered a stroke and spent three months in hospital. He retired from the pastoral government of his See on May 4, 2007, at 75 years of age, and was succeeded by Msgr. Barry Philip Jones.
In 2006, Bishop John celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood, and in 2007, a Thanksgiving Mass was held for him. He delivered a homily at the Mass, in which he described his calling to the priesthood as a Form 3 boarder at St Bede's College.
"Sixty one years ago, I was in this beautiful cathedral for a rally of the Holy Name Society. Bishop Lyons announced that the four New Zealand Bishops had purchased a property in Riccarton Road. They invited the Australian Jesuits to staff there a Minor Seminary, a National Secondary School for possible prospective priests. I believe that occasion was important for me hearing the call of the Good Shepherd to consider that the Lord might want me however unworthily to become a priest".
Bishop John Cunneen passed away peacefully away at Nazareth House on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, aged 78. In his later years, he was living in retirement at St. John Fisher House until being admitted to Nazareth House a few months short of his demise.
Ordained priest in Ashburton on July 8, 1956, at 24 years of age, by Bishop Edward Michael Joyce, successively Father John served in a number of parishes including the Chatham Islands, Timaru North, Mount Magdala, Rangiora, Oxford, Dallington, the Cathedral, Addington, Bishopdale and Burnside. He was also highly involved with Christchurch's Samoan community.
Furthermore, he served as chancellor, ordinary confessor to Sisters of Mercy at Villa Maria, administrator of the Holy Cross Chapel, diocesan consulter and pastoral assistant to Bishop Basil Meeking.
At 60 years of age, Cunneen was appointed Auxiliary of the Diocese of Christchurch by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Eanach Dúin on November 30, 1992, from Bishop John Basil Meeking, assisted by Cardinal Thomas Stafford Williams and Archbishop Thomas A. White.
Following the resignation from office of Bishop Meeking, Cunneen was named as his successor as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch on December 15, 1995, taking possession of his See on March 19, 1996. He was a participant at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Churches in North, Central and South America. On February 23, 1995, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" - the agency of the Holy See responsible for the Church's charitable activities.
In July 2003, towards the end of his episcopate, Bishop John suffered a stroke and spent three months in hospital. He retired from the pastoral government of his See on May 4, 2007, at 75 years of age, and was succeeded by Msgr. Barry Philip Jones.
In 2006, Bishop John celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood, and in 2007, a Thanksgiving Mass was held for him. He delivered a homily at the Mass, in which he described his calling to the priesthood as a Form 3 boarder at St Bede's College.
"Sixty one years ago, I was in this beautiful cathedral for a rally of the Holy Name Society. Bishop Lyons announced that the four New Zealand Bishops had purchased a property in Riccarton Road. They invited the Australian Jesuits to staff there a Minor Seminary, a National Secondary School for possible prospective priests. I believe that occasion was important for me hearing the call of the Good Shepherd to consider that the Lord might want me however unworthily to become a priest".
Bishop John Cunneen passed away peacefully away at Nazareth House on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, aged 78. In his later years, he was living in retirement at St. John Fisher House until being admitted to Nazareth House a few months short of his demise.
Former Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch, Monsignor John Jerome Cunneen was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 5, 1932, and received his early education at St. Joseph's Primary School in Ashburton and St. Bede's College in Christchurch. For his priesthood training, he attended the Holy Name Seminary in Riccarton between 1947 and 1950, the Holy Cross Seminary in Mosgiel from 1951 until 1952, and the All Hallows College in Dublin from 1952 till 1956.
Ordained priest in Ashburton on July 8, 1956, at 24 years of age, by Bishop Edward Michael Joyce, successively Father John served in a number of parishes including the Chatham Islands, Timaru North, Mount Magdala, Rangiora, Oxford, Dallington, the Cathedral, Addington, Bishopdale and Burnside. He was also highly involved with Christchurch's Samoan community.
Furthermore, he served as chancellor, ordinary confessor to Sisters of Mercy at Villa Maria, administrator of the Holy Cross Chapel, diocesan consulter and pastoral assistant to Bishop Basil Meeking.
At 60 years of age, Cunneen was appointed Auxiliary of the Diocese of Christchurch by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Eanach Dúin on November 30, 1992, from Bishop John Basil Meeking, assisted by Cardinal Thomas Stafford Williams and Archbishop Thomas A. White.
Following the resignation from office of Bishop Meeking, Cunneen was named as his successor as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch on December 15, 1995, taking possession of his See on March 19, 1996. He was a participant at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Churches in North, Central and South America. On February 23, 1995, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" - the agency of the Holy See responsible for the Church's charitable activities.
In July 2003, towards the end of his episcopate, Bishop John suffered a stroke and spent three months in hospital. He retired from the pastoral government of his See on May 4, 2007, at 75 years of age, and was succeeded by Msgr. Barry Philip Jones.
In 2006, Bishop John celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood, and in 2007, a Thanksgiving Mass was held for him. He delivered a homily at the Mass, in which he described his calling to the priesthood as a Form 3 boarder at St Bede's College.
"Sixty one years ago, I was in this beautiful cathedral for a rally of the Holy Name Society. Bishop Lyons announced that the four New Zealand Bishops had purchased a property in Riccarton Road. They invited the Australian Jesuits to staff there a Minor Seminary, a National Secondary School for possible prospective priests. I believe that occasion was important for me hearing the call of the Good Shepherd to consider that the Lord might want me however unworthily to become a priest".
Bishop John Cunneen passed away peacefully away at Nazareth House on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, aged 78. In his later years, he was living in retirement at St. John Fisher House until being admitted to Nazareth House a few months short of his demise.
Ordained priest in Ashburton on July 8, 1956, at 24 years of age, by Bishop Edward Michael Joyce, successively Father John served in a number of parishes including the Chatham Islands, Timaru North, Mount Magdala, Rangiora, Oxford, Dallington, the Cathedral, Addington, Bishopdale and Burnside. He was also highly involved with Christchurch's Samoan community.
Furthermore, he served as chancellor, ordinary confessor to Sisters of Mercy at Villa Maria, administrator of the Holy Cross Chapel, diocesan consulter and pastoral assistant to Bishop Basil Meeking.
At 60 years of age, Cunneen was appointed Auxiliary of the Diocese of Christchurch by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Eanach Dúin on November 30, 1992, from Bishop John Basil Meeking, assisted by Cardinal Thomas Stafford Williams and Archbishop Thomas A. White.
Following the resignation from office of Bishop Meeking, Cunneen was named as his successor as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch on December 15, 1995, taking possession of his See on March 19, 1996. He was a participant at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Churches in North, Central and South America. On February 23, 1995, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" - the agency of the Holy See responsible for the Church's charitable activities.
In July 2003, towards the end of his episcopate, Bishop John suffered a stroke and spent three months in hospital. He retired from the pastoral government of his See on May 4, 2007, at 75 years of age, and was succeeded by Msgr. Barry Philip Jones.
In 2006, Bishop John celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood, and in 2007, a Thanksgiving Mass was held for him. He delivered a homily at the Mass, in which he described his calling to the priesthood as a Form 3 boarder at St Bede's College.
"Sixty one years ago, I was in this beautiful cathedral for a rally of the Holy Name Society. Bishop Lyons announced that the four New Zealand Bishops had purchased a property in Riccarton Road. They invited the Australian Jesuits to staff there a Minor Seminary, a National Secondary School for possible prospective priests. I believe that occasion was important for me hearing the call of the Good Shepherd to consider that the Lord might want me however unworthily to become a priest".
Bishop John Cunneen passed away peacefully away at Nazareth House on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, aged 78. In his later years, he was living in retirement at St. John Fisher House until being admitted to Nazareth House a few months short of his demise.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
