John Francis Cunningham (bishop)

Right Rev. John Francis Cunningham
Bishop of Concordia
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Concordia
In office	September 21, 1898—June 23, 1919
Predecessor	Richard Scannell
Successor	Francis Joseph Tief
Orders
Ordination	August 8, 1865
Consecration	September 21, 1898
Personal details
Born	(1842-06-20)June 20, 1842 Irremore, County Kerry, Ireland
Died	June 23, 1919(1919-06-23) (aged 77) Concordia, Kansas, United States

John Francis Cunningham (June 20, 1842 – June 23, 1919) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Concordia from 1898 until his death in 1919.

Life

John Cunningham was born in Irremore, County Kerry, and received his early education in Listowel.^[1] After coming to the United States in 1860, he enrolled at St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas.^[2] He completed his theological studies at St. Francis' Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,^[3] and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Baptiste Miège, S.J., on August 8, 1865.^[4]

Cunningham carried out his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Leavenworth, where was charged by Bishop Louis Mary Fink, O.S.B., with securing funds to pay off the remaining debt on the cathedral and with helping Kansan settlers during the depressed economy of the period.^[2] He was pastor of the Church of the Assumption in Topeka from 1877 until 1881, when he became vicar general.^[1] He also served as rector of the cathedral.^[2]

On May 14, 1898, Cunningham was appointed the second Bishop of Concordia by Pope Leo XIII.^[4] He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 21 from Archbishop John Joseph Kain, with Bishops John Joseph Hennessy and Thomas Bonacum serving as co-consecrators, at Leavenworth.^[4] Described as the "Diocesan Builder,"^[2] Cunningham erected 54 churches, 22 schools, and three hospitals during his tenure.^[3] He also dedicated the cathedral and laid the cornerstone for the Nazareth Motherhouse in 1902, and founded Hays Catholic College and St. Joseph's Orphanage in addition to several rectories and convents.^[2]

Cunningham died after an extended illness, aged 76. He was buried in the Nazareth Cemetery at Concordia.^[2]

1 2 O'Donnell, John Hugh. "CUNNINGHAM, JOHN FRANCIS". The Catholic Hierarchy of the United States, 1790-1922.
1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bishop John F. Cunningham: 1898-1919". Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina.
1 2 "Diocese of Concordia". Catholic Encyclopedia.
1 2 3 "Bishop John Francis Cunningham". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Richard Scannell	Bishop of Concordia 1898–1919	Succeeded by Francis Joseph Tief

Diocese of Salina

Ordinaries	Bishops of Concordia Richard Scannell John Francis Cunningham Francis Joseph Tief Bishops of Salina Francis Augustine Thill Frederick William Freking Cyril John Vogel Daniel Kucera George Kinzie Fitzsimons Paul Stagg Coakley Edward Weisenburger

Churches	Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Parishes St. John the Baptist Church, Beloit St. Joseph Church, Damar St. Joseph's Church, Hays Seven Dolors Church, Manhattan Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria

Education	High Schools Sacred Heart High School, Salina St. John's Catholic High School, Beloit St. Xavier High School, Junction City Thomas More Prep-Marian, Hays Tipton Catholic High School, Tipton Former Marymount College

Miscellany	Nazareth Convent and Academy

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Cloud County, Kansas history

Locations	Bankers Loan and Trust Brown Grand Camp Concordia Van De Mark House County Line Bowstring Glasco Downtown Historical Museum Miltonvale College Nazareth Convent Pott's Ford Bridge Republican River Pegram Truss UP Railroad Depot Veterans Memorial

People	Charles H. Blosser Napoleon Bonaparte Brown Henry Buckingham Frank Carlson Boston Corbett May Louise Cowles John Francis Cunningham James Manney Hagaman Pop Hollinger Ernest C. Quigley

Organizations	Concordia Normal School Great Western Business and Normal College Miltonvale Wesleyan College Roman Catholic Diocese of Concordia, Kansas Unified School District #333

Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

Ordinaries	Vicars John Baptiste Miège Louis Mary Fink Bishops Louis Mary Fink Thomas Francis Lillis John Chamberlain Ward Francis Johannes Paul Clarence Schulte George Joseph Donnelly Edward Joseph Hunkeler Archbishops Edward Joseph Hunkeler Ignatius Jerome Strecker James Patrick Keleher Joseph Fred Naumann

Auxiliary Bishop	Marion Francis Forst

Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Peter Parishes St. Patrick's Church, Atchison St. Benedict's Church, Bendena St. Mary's Church, Purcell Church of the Assumption, Topeka St. Joseph's Church, Topeka Former St. Bridget Church, Axtell St. Mary's Mission, St. Marys

Education	Higher Education Benedictine College Donnelly College St. Mary's College, St. Marys University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth High Schools Bishop Miege High School, Roeland Park Bishop Ward High School, Kansas City Hayden High School, Topeka Immaculata High School, Leavenworth Maur Hill – Mount Academy, Atchison St. James Academy, Lenexa St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Overland Park

Priests	John Francis Cunningham

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