Diocese of Fall River installs Bishop da Cunha

By: Dee DeQuattro

Email: ddequattro@abc6.com

Twitter: @deedequattro

The Diocese of Fall River installed Edgar Moreira da Cunha as the 8th Bishop in a mass on Wednesday afternoon.

Bishop da Cunha was appointed to the position by Pope Francis in July. The 61-year-old comes to Fall River from the Diocese of Newark in New Jersey where he served in various roles for 36-years.

The new Bishop will succeed Most Reverend George Coleman who resigned on February 1 at the age of 75-year-old.

Born in Nova Fatima, Bahia, Brazil, da Cunha moved to New Jersey to study Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington New Jersey where he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree.

He was ordained to the priesthood for the Society of Divine Vocations in the Church of St. Michael, Newark by Bishop Joseph A. Francis S.V.D. on March 27, 1982. He then served as a parochial vicar of St. Michael Church in Newark and as director of vocations for his Congregation. He later served as parochial vicar and vice superior of the local community at Saint Nicholas Parish in Palisades Park. In 1987 Bishop da Cunha became pastor of St. Nicholas Parish.

Bishop da Cunha served on the board of the Eastern Religious vocations Directors Association. In 1992 he was elected secretary of the Council of the Vocationist Delegation in the United States.

From 1994 to 2000 Bishop da Cunha served as novice master and director of the Vocationary.

In 2003 he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Titular Bishop of Ucres. Later that year he was appointed Regional Bishop for Essex County. In 2005 he was named Vicar for Evangelization. In 2013 he was named Vicar General for Archdiocese of Newark.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston installed da Cunha as the Bishop of Fall River in the presence of Archbishop Carlo M. Vigano, the apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Priests, deacons, and two representatives from each of the 84 parishes in the diocese attended the rite of installation at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Fall River.

(C) WLNE-TV 2014