Edgar Moreira da Cunha

Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V. (born August 21, 1953) is a Brazilian-born American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Fall River in Massachusetts since 2014. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark in New Jersey and is a member of the Vocationists.

Biography

Early life Edgar M. da Cunha was born on August 21, 1953, in Nova Fátima, Bahia State, in Brazil. Deciding to become a priest as a teenager, he entered a minor seminary in Riachão do Jacuípe, Brazil that was run by the Vocationists. He professed his vows to the order on February 11, 1975.

Priesthood Da Cunha was ordained into the priesthood for the Vocationist Fathers in the Church of St. Michael in Newark, New Jersey, on March 27, 1982, by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Francis.

The Vocationist Fathers in 1998 appointed da Cunha as the master of novices and director of their House of Formation in Florham Park, New Jersey. They also appointed him as secretary of the Council of the Delegation of the Society of Divine Vocations. Da Cunha left Saint Nicholas in 2000 to become pastor at St. Michael's Parish in Newark, where he started a Portuguese language mass for Brazilian immigrants.

Auxiliary Bishop of Newark Da Cunha was appointed an auxiliary bishop of Newark and titular bishop of Ucres on June 27, 2003, by Pope John Paul II. Da Cunha was consecrated at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on September 3, 2003, by Archbishop John J Myers, with Bishops Nicholas DiMarzio, and Arthur J. Serratelli serving as co-consecrators. Da Cunha became the first Brazilian-born Catholic bishop in the United States.

In October 2003, Myers appointed da Cunha as the regional bishop for Essex County, New Jersey. In 2005, Myers named him as vicar for evangelization and in 2013 as vicar general for the archdiocese.

In May 2019, da Cunha suspended from ministry Reverend Bruce Neylon, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Fall River. The diocese had received credible accusations that Neylon had sexually abused a minor during the 1980s. On January 7, 2021, the diocese released a list of 75 priests who had been credibly accused or publicly accused of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. At that time, Da Cunha made this statement:As your bishop, I am deeply and profoundly sorry for the abuse that was perpetrated by priests within this diocese and have recommitted myself to do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again.”