The retired Archbishop of Tuam, Most Rev Dr Joseph Cunnane, who was renowned for pastoral innovations and his efforts to preserve the traditional ways of life in the west of Ireland while promoting its economic development, died on March 8th aged 87.
The highlight of his priestly career was receiving Pope John Paul II at Knock on September 30th, 1979, before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. The Pope honoured the efforts of Dr Cunnane and the late Monsignor James Horan, by conferring the title of Basilica on the church which both men had worked hard to have built three years previously.
Dr Cunnane was appointed to head the archdiocese of Tuam on January 21st, 1969. Shortly before his ordination as archbishop, he was interviewed by Radharc which was making a television programme called The Making of a Bishop. He commented at some length on the danger of bishops becoming isolated from their flocks and said that this was partly due to the over deferential attitude of the people themselves.
"I don't know yet, of course," he said, "but it is possible that people isolate a bishop by not treating him as an ordinary man, liable to failure and error and so on. People always being on their best behaviour when he is around . . .calling him `Your Grace,' `My Lord,' all these titles, all this may prevent him being in touch with his people."
He went on to say: "I don't think that any bishop starts with the idea of isolating himself. I'm certainly not starting that way and I hope the people won't succeed in isolating me."
During his ministry, first in Balla, Co Mayo (1958-67) and then in Clifden (1967-69), he had been an innovator in pastoral work and had built a national reputation for his deep interest in liturgical matters and the changes following the Vatican II Council. He was among the first contributors to the Glenstal liturgical congress which had begun in 1954.
Dr Cunnane pioneered premarriage counselling courses held in Castlebar and was much in demand as a retreat master around Ireland. He was a regular participant in the Maynooth Union Summer School and the Christus Rex Congress.
Dr Cunnane was born in Knock on October 5th, 1913. His father William was a small farmer and carpenter. His mother, Margaret, bore nine children of whom three became priests.
Following secondary education at St Jarlath's College, Tuam, he studied for the priesthood and a degree in classics at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. He was ordained on June 18th, 1939, and remained in Maynooth for post-graduate studies at Dunboyne Institute. He was awarded a doctorate in divinity and a higher diploma in education.
From 1941 to 1958, he was Professor of Irish at St Jarlath's College. He contributed numerous articles to theological reviews such as the Furrow and Doctrine and Life.
In 1974 Dr Cunnane revealed that he was the benefactor behind a donation of £20,000 to the local council to build 12 houses in Tuam for newly-wed couples. He had borrowed the money from the bank using as security funds at his disposal for the relief of need. It was believed to be the first scheme of its kind in the west of Ireland.
As archbishop, Dr Cunnane was appointed chairman of the Episcopal Commissions for Liturgy, Emigration and the Laity. He presided over the introduction of the new liturgical rites as a result of Vatican II reforms and also ensured that the new texts would be available in Irish. He was a strong supporter of adult religious education and catechetics for the laity.
In his archdiocese, he initiated the Council of Priests which was first called the "Diocesan Senate". He encouraged fraternity and collaboration between the priests of neighbouring parishes.
In 1983, Dr Cunnane was the principal author of the joint pastoral of the western bishops warning against religious cults associated with "brainwashing" and against breakaway "house churches". The pastoral said that sometimes young persons joining the cults "separate more and more from their friends and family. Even conversation with them can become difficult and strained . . .they have not so much been converted as taken over."
Dr Cunnane retired in 1987 and was succeeded by Dr Joseph Cassidy. He is survived by his sister, Ms Phil O'Malley.
Most Rev Dr Joseph Cunnane: born 1913; died, March 2001