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Alphonsus Cullinan

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The Most Reverend, Dr.

Alphonsus Cullinan

SThD
Bishop of Waterford and Lismore
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseWaterford and Lismore
Appointed2 February 2015
Installed12 April 2015
PredecessorWilliam Lee
Previous post(s)Parish priest of Rathkeale
Chaplain at Limerick Institute of Technology and Limerick Regional Hospital
Orders
Ordination12 June 1994
by Jeremiah Newman
Consecration12 April 2015
by William Lee
Personal details
Born (1959-05-07) 7 May 1959 (age 65)
Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland
ResidenceThe Bishop's Palace, Waterford
ParentsChristy and Rita Cullinan
Alma materPontifical Lateran University
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
MottoDeus atque audacia
(God and daring)
Coat of armsAlphonsus Cullinan's coat of arms

Alphonsus "Phonsie" Cullinan (born 7 May 1959) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore since 2015.

Early life and education

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Cullinan was born in Lahinch, County Clare on 7 May 1959, one of ten children to Christy and Rita Cullinan. He moved with his family to Limerick, where he attended the Salesian Primary and John F. Kennedy National Schools, and secondary school at Crescent College Comprehensive.[1][2]

Cullinan studied primary teaching at Mary Immaculate College, completing a Bachelor of Education in 1981. His first teaching appointment was in Castleconnell, where he taught for six years, during which time he also worked part-time for the Bunratty Castle Entertainers, before moving to Spain, where he taught English for two years in Colegio Peñalba in Valladolid.[1]

Cullinan began studying for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth in 1989, completing a two-year course in philosophy before completing further studies in theology. As a student, he occasionally visited events in Dublin organised by Opus Dei and the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross.[3][4][5]

Cullinan was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Limerick on 12 June 1994.[1]

Presbyteral ministry

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Following ordination, Cullinan completed a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in St Patrick's College, Maynooth, before returning to the Diocese of Limerick in 1995, where he was appointed curate in St Munchin's parish, Limerick. The following year, he was appointed chaplain to the local regional hospital.[1]

Upon completion of doctoral studies in moral theology, with a focus on moral utilitarianism, Cullinan was awarded a Doctorate of Sacred Theology from the Alphonsianum in Rome, Italy, in 2004. He returned to the Diocese of Limerick in 2004, where he was appointed chaplain to the local institute of technology.[1]

Cullinan was subsequently appointed parish priest in Rathkeale in 2011.[1]

Episcopal ministry

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Cullinan was appointed Bishop-elect of Waterford and Lismore by Pope Francis on 2 February 2015.[6]

He was consecrated by his predecessor, William Lee, on 12 April in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford.[7][8]

Controversies

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Same-sex marriage

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In his first pastoral letter to the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore in May 2015, Cullinan questioned whether a Yes vote in a referendum on permitting same-sex marriage was "pandering to the desires of adults over the rights of children", emphasising that "children are different to adults just as the union of a man and a woman is different to any kind of relationship between two men or two women".[9]

HPV vaccination

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Cullinan caused controversy in September 2017 over comments he made on the HPV vaccination programme in Irish schools,[10] which led to criticism from a number of sources, including the then-Minister for Health, Simon Harris.[11] He subsequently apologised if his remarks were misinterpreted outside of their respective context.[12][13][14]

Abortion

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Cullinan made headlines on 31 October 2017, over comments he made referring to abortion as "not a medical treatment".[15]

Speaking on Déise Today on WLR FM on 2 February 2018, he claimed that contraception was "morally wrong" and had promoted promiscuity in Ireland. He added that abortion was not the answer for women suffering from suicidal ideation whose pregnancies have been as a result of rape. Such claims were rejected by the chairperson of the Oireachtas committee on abortion, Catherine Noone.[16]

Following the passing of a referendum on liberalising abortion laws on 25 May 2018, Cullinan stated on Déise Today on WLR FM on 1 June 2018 that Catholics who voted Yes in the referendum must acknowledge that they have sinned and repent before receiving Communion,[17] and that by legislating for abortion access, Ireland "had effectively accepted euthanasia".[18]

Exorcism

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Speaking on Déise Today on WLR FM on 9 October 2018, Cullinan supported comments made by Pope Francis saying that the devil was responsible for the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, and announced plans to establish an exorcism ministry in the diocese to deal with evil spirits.[19][20] Such claims were subsequently condemned by political leaders.[21]

Yoga and mindfulness

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In a letter sent to Catholic primary schools in the diocese on 10 October 2019, Cullinan stated that yoga and mindfulness were "not Christian" and unsuitable for practice during periods of religious education.[22][23][21] Such claims were disputed by a number of sources,[24] including former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.[25]

Bibliography

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  • Cullinan, Alphonsus (2004). The Church and utilitarianism: a criticism of the utilitarianism of Peter Singer in the light of the Catholic anthropology of Karol Wojtyła (Thesis). Academia Alphonsiana. OCLC 954837867.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Pope Francis appoints Father Alphonsus Cullinan as Bishop of Waterford & Lismore". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  2. ^ McGann, Colin (2 February 2015). "Lahinch man new Bishop of Waterford and Lismore". The Clare Champion. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  3. ^ Barry, Cathal (16 April 2015). "A shepherd with the 'smell of his sheep'". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  4. ^ McGarry, Patsy (30 August 2022). "Bishop criticises synthesis report sent to Rome on behalf of Irish Catholic Church". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  5. ^ Capplis, Conor (4 September 2022). "Church at a crossroads: Bishops, priests, and lay Catholics speak out". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  6. ^ McGarry, Patsy (3 February 2015). "Clareman appointed new Catholic Bishop of Waterford & Lismore". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Episcopal Ordination of Father Alphonsus Cullinan as Bishop of Waterford & Lismore". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  8. ^ Ward, Colm (19 April 2015). "Fr Phonsie 'humbled' to be ordained Bishop of Waterford & Lismore". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  9. ^ Mac Donald, Sarah (11 May 2015). "Every child should have its 'mammy and daddy'". CatholicIreland.net. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  10. ^ Cullen, Paul (27 September 2017). "Catholic bishop claims cervical cancer vaccine 'only 70% safe'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Minister berates bishop for 'ignorant' vaccine comments". RTÉ. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Statement by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan on HPV vaccines". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  13. ^ McGreevy, Ronan; Cullen, Paul (2 October 2017). "Bishop apologises for controversial HPV vaccine remarks". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  14. ^ Power, Claire (2 October 2017). "Bishop of Waterford apologises for controversial HPV vaccine comments". WLRFM. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  15. ^ Murphy, Sandra (31 October 2017). "Controversial Irish bishop insists that abortion is 'not a medical treatment' - Extra.ie". Extra.ie. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  16. ^ Smyth, Julie (3 February 2018). "Senator rejects Bishop's abortion claims". WLR FM. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  17. ^ Nugent, Ryan (2 June 2018). "Catholics who voted Yes must repent to be worthy of communion: bishop". Irish Independent. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  18. ^ Bongini, Jacopo (2 June 2018). "Il vescovo irlandese Cullinan: "Si confessi chi ha votato sì all'aborto"". ilGiornale.it (in Italian). Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  19. ^ Power, Claire (9 October 2018). "Bishop tells of new group to fight evil spirits..." WLR FM. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  20. ^ Kane, Conor (9 October 2018). "Bishop is setting up team of exorcists, warns against 'evil spirits' in Reiki and other healing methods". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  21. ^ a b Mahmood, Basit (22 October 2019). "Bishop orders schools not to teach yoga because it's not Christian". Metro. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  22. ^ "'Not of Christian origin': Bishop of Waterford writes to schools criticising yoga in the classroom". Waterford News & Star. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  23. ^ Skelton, Darren (18 October 2019). "Catholic bishop warns against yoga and mindfulness in schools". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  24. ^ Power, Claire (18 October 2019). "Bishop of Waterford says yoga and mindfulness has no place in schools". WLR FM. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  25. ^ "'Ah, seriously Bishop Phonsie?' Former President hits out at prelate's attack on yoga". Kilkenny Now. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
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