John Stephen Cummins
Encyclopedia
John Stephen Cummins is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Oakland
from 1977 to 2003.
, to Michael and Mary (née Connolly) Cummins. His parents were both Irish
immigrants, and his brother Bernard was also a priest
who served as superintendent
of schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco
. He received his early education at the parochial school
of St. Augustine's Church in Oakland
. He began his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph's College (California) in Mountain View
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1949. He completed his theological studies at St. Patrick's Seminary
in Menlo Park
, earning a Master of Divinity
degree in 1953.
a priest by Bishop Hugh Aloysius Donohoe
at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption
. His first assignment was as a curate
at Mission Dolores Basilica
in San Francisco, where he remained for four years. He also served as chaplain
at the Newman Centre
of San Francisco State University
. He taught at Bishop O'Dowd High School
in Oakland from 1957 until 1962, when he became chancellor
of the Diocese of Oakland
. He was named a domestic prelate
in 1963.
In addition to his duties as chancellor, Cummins coordinated the Social Justice and Ecumenical
Commissions, and oversaw the diocesan insurance program. He also served as the diocesan liaison to the three Catholic theological schools (Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
, Franciscan School of Theology
, and Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University) of the Graduate Theological Union
in Berkeley. Cummins continued to serve as chancellor until 1971, when he was named executive director of the California Catholic Conference. In that capacity, he channeled the functions of the conference by providing liaison with state departments and with the state legislature
, disseminating information to Catholic associations and organizations and to other state conferences and the United States Catholic Conference
, and coordinating interdiocesan activities in the areas of education and welfare.
of the Diocese of Sacramento
and titular bishop
of Lambaesis
by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 16 from Bishop Alden John Bell
, with Bishops Floyd Lawrence Begin
and Hugh Donohoe serving as co-consecrators
, at the Memorial Auditorium. As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as executive director of the California Catholic Conference, a position which he held until 1977.
on June 30, 1977. His installation took place on June 30 of that year.
As a member of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
, Cummins served as chairman of the Liturgy Committee (1981-84), Laity Committee (1988-91), and Migration & Refugee Services Committee (1995-98). From 1992 to 1995, he was co-chair of the Roman Catholic-Reformed Presbyterian
Dialogue Commission and a consultant of the Ecumenical
and Religious Committee. He was president of the California Catholic Conference from 1988 to 1997. He was chairman of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) from 1995 to 1999, and served as a delegate to several synod
s in Rome
.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Cummins resigned as Bishop of Oakland on October 1, 2003.
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 Oakland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California. The diocese comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area...
from 1977 to 2003.
Early life and education
John Cummins was born in Berkley, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to Michael and Mary (née Connolly) Cummins. His parents were both Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants, and his brother Bernard was also a priest
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....
who served as superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It covers the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Marin and San Mateo...
. He received his early education at the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
of St. Augustine's Church in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. He began his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph's College (California) in Mountain View
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1949. He completed his theological studies at St. Patrick's Seminary
Saint Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park
Saint Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California is a Roman Catholic post-graduate seminary whose primary mission is the formation of clergy for Western and Pacific Rim dioceses, orders, religious congregations and secular institutes...
in Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
, earning a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree in 1953.
Priesthood
On January 24, 1953, Cummins was ordainedHoly 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....
a priest by Bishop Hugh Aloysius Donohoe
Hugh Aloysius Donohoe
Hugh Aloysius Donohoe was an American Roman Catholic clergyman.Born in San Francisco, California, Donohoe was educated at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1930. He then served as a...
at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption
Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, also known locally as Saint Mary's Cathedral, is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco in San Francisco, California...
. His first assignment was 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 Mission Dolores Basilica
Mission San Francisco de Asís
Mission San Francisco de Asís, or Mission Dolores, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions...
in San Francisco, where he remained for four years. He also served as chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at the Newman Centre
Newman Centre
Named in honour of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Newman Centers are residence and Catholic ministry centers at non-Catholic universities throughout the world. They were inspired by Newman's writings encouraging societies for Catholic students attending secular universities.In 1888 the...
of San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
. He taught at Bishop O'Dowd High School
Bishop O'Dowd High School
Bishop O'Dowd High School is a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school in Oakland, California, administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and named for the late auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, James T. O'Dowd . About 44% of students are non-Catholic...
in Oakland from 1957 until 1962, when he became 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....
of the Diocese of Oakland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California. The diocese comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area...
. He was named a 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 1963.
In addition to his duties as chancellor, Cummins coordinated the Social Justice and Ecumenical
Catholic Church and ecumenism
The Catholic Church has been heavily involved in the ecumenical movement since the Second Vatican Council .- Before the Second Vatican Council :...
Commissions, and oversaw the diocesan insurance program. He also served as the diocesan liaison to the three Catholic theological schools (Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology is a Roman Catholic college, seminary, and graduate school in Berkeley, California. It is located at 2301 Vine Street in Berkeley....
, Franciscan School of Theology
Franciscan School of Theology
The Franciscan School of Theology is a Roman Catholic graduate theological school, owned and operated by the Province of Saint Barbara of the Order of Friars Minor...
, and Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University) of the Graduate Theological Union
Graduate Theological Union
The Graduate Theological Union ' is a consortium of nine independent theological schools, and eleven centers and affiliates. Eight of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962. It maintains the Graduate Theological Union Library, one of the most...
in Berkeley. Cummins continued to serve as chancellor until 1971, when he was named executive director of the California Catholic Conference. In that capacity, he channeled the functions of the conference by providing liaison with state departments and with the state legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
, disseminating information to Catholic associations and organizations and to other state conferences and the United States Catholic Conference
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
, and coordinating interdiocesan activities in the areas of education and welfare.
Sacramento
On February 26, 1974, Cummins was appointed auxiliary bishopAuxiliary 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 the Diocese of Sacramento
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States...
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 Lambaesis
Lambaesis
Lambaesis, or Lambaesa, is a Roman ruin in Algeria, southeast of Batna and west of Timgad, located next to the modern village of Tazoult.-Remains:...
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...
. 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 May 16 from Bishop Alden John Bell
Alden John Bell
Alden John Bell was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento in the state of California from 1962-1979...
, with Bishops Floyd Lawrence Begin
Floyd Lawrence Begin
Floyd Lawrence Begin was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Oakland from 1962 until his death in 1977.-Early life and education:...
and Hugh Donohoe 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...
, at the Memorial Auditorium. As an auxiliary bishop, he continued to serve as executive director of the California Catholic Conference, a position which he held until 1977.
Oakland
Following the death of Bishop Begin, Cummins was named the second Bishop of OaklandRoman Catholic Diocese of Oakland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Northern California. The diocese comprises Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area...
on June 30, 1977. His installation took place on June 30 of that year.
As a member of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
, Cummins served as chairman of the Liturgy Committee (1981-84), Laity Committee (1988-91), and Migration & Refugee Services Committee (1995-98). From 1992 to 1995, he was co-chair of the Roman Catholic-Reformed Presbyterian
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America , a Christian church, is a small Presbyterian denomination with churches throughout the United States, in southeastern Canada, and in a small part of Japan. Its beliefs place it in the conservative wing of the Reformed family of Protestant churches...
Dialogue Commission and a consultant of the Ecumenical
Catholic Church and ecumenism
The Catholic Church has been heavily involved in the ecumenical movement since the Second Vatican Council .- Before the Second Vatican Council :...
and Religious Committee. He was president of the California Catholic Conference from 1988 to 1997. He was chairman of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) from 1995 to 1999, and served as a delegate to several synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
s in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Cummins resigned as Bishop of Oakland on October 1, 2003.