Robert Joseph Cunningham

Robert Joseph Cunningham (born June 18, 1943) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse in Upstate New York from 2009 to 2019. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Ogdensburg in Northern New York from 2004 to 2009.

Biography Early life and education Robert Cunningham was born on June 18, 1943, in Buffalo, New York, to Cecil and Grace Cunningham; he has a brother, Patrick, and a sister, Eileen. He attended St. John the Baptist Parish School and the Diocesan Preparatory Seminary, then entered St. John Vianney Seminary in East Aurora, New York. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees from St. John Vianney.

Ordination and ministry Cunningham was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Buffalo by Bishop Bernard McLaughlin on May 24, 1969, in St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo. After his ordination, the diocese assigned Cunningham as associate pastor at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Kenmore, New York. In 1972, he was named assistant pastor at his home parish of St. John the Baptist, also in Kenmore.

In January 2002, Cunningham was named pastor of St. Louis Parish in Buffalo. He served as administrator of the diocesan College of Consultors from 2003 to 2004. Cunningham had board memberships for Christ the King Seminary, Catholic Charities, Baker Victory Services in Buffalo, and the Cantalician Center for Learning in Depew, New York. In 2015, when those statements became public, Cunningham said he wished he phrased his response differently. "It is obvious that my choice of words should have been better. Bottom line is, I cannot go back and change my words but I can assure you that I did not believe the individual involved in the case was at fault."

He also repeatedly reiterated that he didn't believe children were responsible for being abused. On September 21, 2012, the Vatican appointed Cunningham as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Rochester after the retirement of Bishop Matthew Clark. Pope Francis accepted his resignation on June 4, 2019. Cunningham served as apostolic administrator of the diocese until Reverend Douglas Lucia was consecrated a bishop on August 8, 2019.

Honors

Niagara University In Lewiston, New York, awarded Cunningham an honorary doctorate in humane letters in 1991. A charter member of the Kenmore Mercy Hospital Foundation Board, he was given the Sister Mary Mechtilde Memorial Award by the board in 2004. In 2007, Cunningham was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from St. John's University in Staten Island, New York.