David Frederick Cunningham
Encyclopedia
David Frederick Cunningham (December 3, 1900—February 22, 1979) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Syracuse
from 1970 to 1976.
, Montana
, to David and Mary Ann (Fitzgerald) Cunningham. He was raised in Oswego
, New York
. He attended St. Michael's College
in Toronto
, Canada
, before returning to New York and studying at St. Bernard's Seminary
in Rochester
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on June 12, 1926. He then served as a curate
at St. Ambrose Church in Endicott
, and was afterwards sent to further his studies at the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
, from where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law
in 1930. Between 1930 and 1950, he served as secretary
to Bishops Daniel Joseph Curley
, John A. Duffy
, and Walter Andrew Foery
. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate
in 1941. He also served as an assistant at Loretto Rest Nursing Home and at St. John Church in Camden
. In 1946 he was named pastor
of St. John the Baptist Church and vicar general
of the Diocese of Syracuse
.
On April 5, 1950, Cunningham was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Syracuse and Titular Bishop
of Lampsacus by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following June 8 from Cardinal Francis Spellman, with Bishop Walter Foery and Archbishop Bryan Joseph McEntegart
serving as co-consecrators
. He was the first priest from the Syracuse Diocese to become a bishop. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
between 1962 and 1965. He was named Coadjutor Bishop
of Syracuse by Pope Paul VI
on June 16, 1967. He was appointed diocesan chancellor
on September 1, 1969. Following the resignation of Bishop Foery, Cunningham succeeded him as the sixth Bishop of Syracuse
on August 4, 1970.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned as bishop on November 9, 1976. He later died at his residence in Syracuse, aged 78. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in DeWitt.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Syracuse
Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
The Diocese of Syracuse is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Syracuse, New York, USA. The current bishop is the Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham. The Diocese of Syracuse includes 350,000 Catholics residing in seven counties of Central and South Central New York State...
from 1970 to 1976.
Biography
David Cunningham was born in WalkervilleWalkerville, Montana
Walkerville is a town in Silver Bow County, Montana, United States. The population was 675 at the 2010 census. Walkerville is a suburb of Butte.Part of Walkerville is included in the Butte-Anaconda Historic District...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, to David and Mary Ann (Fitzgerald) Cunningham. He was raised in Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He attended St. Michael's College
University of St. Michael's College
The University of St. Michael's College is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1852 by the Congregation of St. Basil of Annonay, France. While mainly an undergraduate college for liberal arts and sciences, St. Michael's retains its Roman Catholic affiliation through its postgraduate...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, before returning to New York and studying at St. Bernard's Seminary
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry is a Roman Catholic theological school in Rochester, New York. It was founded in 1893 as a seminary, and was one of the first US seminaries to accept laity. It is the official repository for the writings and papers of the noted evangelist and author,...
in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on June 12, 1926. He then served as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Ambrose Church in Endicott
Endicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,038 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B...
, and was afterwards sent to further his studies at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, from where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law is the title of an advanced graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law...
in 1930. Between 1930 and 1950, he served as secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
to Bishops Daniel Joseph Curley
Daniel Joseph Curley
Daniel Joseph Curley was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Syracuse from 1923 until his death in 1932.-Biography:...
, John A. Duffy
John A. Duffy
John Aloysius Duffy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Syracuse from 1933 to 1937, and as Bishop of Buffalo from 1937 until his death.-Early life and ministry:...
, and Walter Andrew Foery
Walter Andrew Foery
Walter Andrew Foery was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Syracuse from 1937 to 1970.-Biography:...
. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1941. He also served as an assistant at Loretto Rest Nursing Home and at St. John Church in Camden
Camden, New York
Camden, New York may refer to:* Camden , New York, a township of Oneida County* Camden , New York, a village within Camden township...
. In 1946 he was named pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. John the Baptist Church and vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Diocese of Syracuse
Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
The Diocese of Syracuse is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Syracuse, New York, USA. The current bishop is the Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham. The Diocese of Syracuse includes 350,000 Catholics residing in seven counties of Central and South Central New York State...
.
On April 5, 1950, Cunningham was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Syracuse and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Lampsacus by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following June 8 from Cardinal Francis Spellman, with Bishop Walter Foery and Archbishop Bryan Joseph McEntegart
Bryan Joseph McEntegart
Bryan Joseph McEntegart was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Ogdensburg , Rector of the Catholic University of America , and as Bishop of Brooklyn .-Biography:Bryan McEntegart was born in New York City to Patrick and Katherine McEntegart...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He was the first priest from the Syracuse Diocese to become a bishop. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
between 1962 and 1965. He was named Coadjutor Bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Syracuse by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on June 16, 1967. He was appointed diocesan chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
on September 1, 1969. Following the resignation of Bishop Foery, Cunningham succeeded him as the sixth Bishop of Syracuse
Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
The Diocese of Syracuse is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Syracuse, New York, USA. The current bishop is the Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham. The Diocese of Syracuse includes 350,000 Catholics residing in seven counties of Central and South Central New York State...
on August 4, 1970.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned as bishop on November 9, 1976. He later died at his residence in Syracuse, aged 78. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in DeWitt.