Edgar Moreira da Cunha

Brazilian-born American prelate

Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Titular Bishop of Ucres (2003–2014)

EducationCatholic University of Salvador
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of TheologyMottoSufficit tibi gratia mea
(My grace is enough for you)

Styles of Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V.

Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Ordination history of
Edgar Moreira da Cunha

History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated by	John J. Myers
Date	September 3, 2003

Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V. (August 21, 1953) is a Brazilian-born American prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as bishop of the Diocese of Fall River in Massachusetts since 2014.

Da Cunha previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark in New Jersey. He is a member of the Vocationist Fathers (Society of Divine Vocations).

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.^[1]^[2]

Da Cunha later studied philosophy at the Catholic University of Salvador in Salvador, Brazil. He made his perpetual vows to the Vocationist Fathers on February 11, 1979.Da Cunha then moved to the United States to study theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Da Cunha graduated from Immaculate Conception with a Master of Divinity degree.^[2]

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.^[2]

After his ordination, the Vocationist Fathers assigned Da Cunha in 1982 to serve as their director of vocations. The next year, he was also named as parochial vicar of Saint Nicholas Parish in Palisades Park, New Jersey. Da Cunha would later serve as parish administrator and finally as pastor. His tenure at the parish would last 18 years.^[2]^[3]

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.^[4]

Auxiliary Bishop of Newark

Da Cunha was appointed as 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.^[2]Da Cunha also served as a member of the archdiocesan board of consultors, the presbyteral council, the clergy personnel board, and the New Jersey Catholic Conference (NJCC) board of bishops.^[2]

Bishop of Fall River

On July 3, 2014, da Cunha was appointed by Pope Francis as the eighth bishop of Fall River; da Cunha was installed on September 24, 2014.^[5]^[6]

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.^[7] 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.”^[8]

References

^ "Bishop Edgar Moreira da Cunha [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "About Bishop da Cunha". Fall River Diocese. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
^ "Pope Names Bishop Edgar da Cunha, S.D.V., auxiliary bishop of Newark, as Bishop of Fall River, Massachusetts | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
^ "Bishop da Cunha". SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
^ "Pope Francis appoints new bishop for Fall River Diocese". Taunton Daily Gazette. Taunton, Mass. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
^ Allard, Deborah (July 4, 2014). "Da Cunha named new bishop of Fall River diocese". Taunton Daily Gazette. Taunton, Mass. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
^ "Roman Catholic diocese suspends priest accused of misconduct". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
^ Dunlop, Kiernan. "After two-year review, Fall River Diocese releases list of clergy credibly accused of abuse". The Standard-Times. Retrieved 2021-09-15.

External links

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by George William Coleman	Bishop of Fall River 2014–present	Incumbent
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of Newark 2003–2014	Succeeded by –

Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River

Ordinaries

Bishops: William Stang; Daniel Francis Feehan; James Edwin Cassidy; James Louis Connolly; Daniel Anthony Cronin; Seán Patrick O'Malley; George William Coleman; Edgar Moreira da Cunha

Churches

Cathedral: St. Mary's Cathedral

Parishes: St. Anthony of Padua, New Bedford; St. Anne's, Fall River

Education

High schools: Bishop Stang High School; Bishop Feehan High School; Saint John Paul II High School

Closed: Bishop Connolly High School; Coyle and Cassidy High School

United States portal
Catholicism portal

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark

v t e Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Newark
Bishops	James Roosevelt Bayley Michael Corrigan Winand Wigger John O'Connor
Archbishops	Thomas J. Walsh Thomas Aloysius Boland Peter Leo Gerety Theodore McCarrick John J. Myers Joseph W. Tobin
Coadjutor Archbishop	Bernard Hebda
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v t e Churches in the Archdiocese of Newark
List	List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
Cathedral	Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
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Abbey	St. Mary's Abbey Church

v t e Education in the Archdiocese of Newark
Higher education	Seton Hall University Caldwell University Felician College Saint Peter's University
Seminary	Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology
High schools	Bergen County Academy of the Holy Angels, Demarest Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell Don Bosco Preparatory High School, Ramsey Immaculate Conception High School, Lodi Immaculate Heart Academy, Washington Township Paramus Catholic High School, Paramus St. Joseph Regional High School, Montvale St. Mary High School, Rutherford Essex County Christ the King Preparatory School, Newark Immaculate Conception High School, Montclair Lacordaire Academy, Upper Montclair Mount Saint Dominic Academy, Caldwell St. Benedict's Preparatory School, Newark St. Vincent Academy, Newark Seton Hall Preparatory School, West Orange Hudson County Hudson Catholic Regional High School, Jersey City St. Dominic Academy, Jersey City St. Peter's Preparatory School, Jersey City Kenmare High School, Jersey City Union County Mother Seton Regional High School, Clark Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Summit Oratory Preparatory School, Summit Roselle Catholic High School, Roselle St. Mary of the Assumption High School, Elizabeth Union Catholic Regional High School, Scotch Plains
Former	Benedictine Academy, Elizabeth Holy Family Academy, Bayonne Marist High School, Bayonne Queen of Peace High School, North Arlington St. Anthony High School, Jersey City St. Cecilia High School, Englewood
Grade schools	St. Anne School, Fair Lawn All Saints Catholic Academy, Bayonne

v t e Clergy of the Archdiocese of Newark
Auxiliary bishops	Thomas Aloysius Boland Paul Gregory Bootkoski Joseph Arthur Costello Edgar Moreira da Cunha Manuel Aurelio Cruz Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio Gaetano Aldo Donato John Joseph Dougherty John Walter Flesey Joseph Abel Francis Robert Francis Garner William A. Griffin Elias R. Lorenzo Dominic Anthony Marconi Justin J. McCarthy Charles James McDonnell James T. McHugh Thomas Henry McLaughlin Jerome Arthur Pechillo David Arias Pérez Michael Angelo Saltarelli Michael A. Saporito Arthur J. Serratelli John M. Smith Martin Walter Stanton Gregory J. Studerus
Priests	Peter Baldacchino Harold P. Darcy Robert Seton Charles J. Watters

v t e Cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Newark
Gate of Heaven Cemetery (East Hanover) Holy Cross Cemetery (North Arlington) Holy Name Cemetery (Jersey City) Mount Olivet Cemetery (Newark) Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (East Orange) Saint Peter's Cemetery (Jersey City)