{{Short description|American prelate (1900–1979)}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = | honorific-prefix = | name = David Frederick Cunningham | honorific-suffix = | title = Bishop of Syracuse | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | church = | archdiocese = | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = | appointed = | elected = | term = 1970 to 1976 | term_start = | quashed = | term_end = | predecessor = Walter Andrew Foery | successor = Frank J. Harrison | opposed = | other_post = | ordination = June 12, 1926 | ordained_by = Daniel Joseph Curley | consecration = June 8, 1950 | consecrated_by = Cardinal Francis Spellman | cardinal = | rank = <!---------- Personal details ----------> | created_cardinal_by = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1900|12|03}} | birth_place = Walkerville, Montana, US | death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|02|22|1900|12|03}} | death_place = Syracuse, New York, US | buried = St. Mary's Cemetery, DeWitt | nationality = | religion = Roman Catholic | residence = | parents = David and Mary Ann (Fitzgerald) Cunningham | spouse = <!-- or | partner = --> | children = | occupation = | previous_post = Auxiliary Bishop of Syracuse (1950 to 1967)<br>Coadjutor Bishop of Syracuse (1967 to 1970) | profession = | alma_mater = | signature = | coat_of_arms = | motto = All in charity | education = St. Michael's College<br>St. Bernard's Seminary | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms_alt = <!---------- Sainthood ----------> | honorific_prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend }} {{Infobox bishopstyles | name= David Frederick Cunningham | dipstyle= *His Excellency *The Most Reverend | offstyle=Your Excellency | relstyle=Bishop | image = Coat of arms of David Frederick Cunningham.svg | image_size = 200px }} '''David Frederick Cunningham''' (December 3, 1900 &ndash; February 22, 1979) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Syracuse in New York State from 1970 to 1976. He previously served as coadjutor bishop of Syracuse from 1967 to 1970 and auxiliary bishop of Syracuse from 1950 to 1967.

==Biography==

=== Early life === David Cunningham was born on December 3, 1900, in Walkerville, Montana, to David and Mary Ann (Fitzgerald) Cunningham.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Past Bishops |url=https://syracusediocese.org/past-bishops |access-date=2025-09-30 |website=Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse |language=en}}</ref> He was raised in Oswego, New York.<ref name="obituary">{{cite news|date=1979-02-23|work=The New York Times|title=Most Rev. David F. Cunningham, Retired Bishop of Syracuse, Dies|last=Campbell|first=Barabara}}</ref> He attended St. Michael's College in Toronto, Ontario, before returning to New York and studying at St. Bernard's Seminary in Rochester, New York.<ref name="curtis">{{cite book|last=Curtis|first=Georgina Pell|title=The American Catholic Who's Who|volume=XIV|year=1961|publisher=Walter Romig|location=Grosse Pointe, Michigan}}</ref>

=== Priesthood === He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Syracuse on June 12, 1926 at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Rochester by Bishop Daniel Joseph Curley.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Bishop David Frederick Cunningham [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcunnd.html |access-date=2025-09-30 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}}</ref> After his ordination, the diocese assigned Cunningham as a curate at St. Ambrose Parish in Endicott, New York. He was later sent to Washington D.C. to study canon law at the Catholic University of America, where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1930.<ref name="obituary" />

Between 1930 and 1950, Cunningham served as secretary to Bishops Curley, John A. Duffy, and Walter Andrew Foery.<ref name=":0" /> The Vatican raised Cunningham to the rank of domestic prelate in 1941.<ref name="obituary" /> He also served as an assistant at Loretto Rest Nursing Home and at St. John Church in Camden, New York.<ref name=":0" /> In 1946, Cunningham was named pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Syracuse and vicar general of the diocese.<ref name=":0" />

=== Auxiliary Bishop of Syracuse === On April 5, 1950, Cunningham was appointed as auxiliary bishop of Syracuse and titular bishop of ''Lampsacus'' by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse on June 8, 1950, from Cardinal Francis Spellman, with Bishop Walter Foery and Archbishop Bryan Joseph McEntegart serving as co-consecrators.<ref name=":1" /> He was the first priest from the Diocese of Syracuse to be appointed a bishop.<ref name=":0" /> Cunningham attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome between 1962 and 1965.<ref name=":1" />

=== Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Syracuse === Cunningham was named coadjutor bishop of Syracuse by Pope Paul VI on June 16, 1967 to assist Bishop Walter Foery in his duties.<ref name=":1" /> Foery appointed Cunningham as diocesan chancellor in 1969.<ref name=":0" /> Following Foery's retirement, Cunningham succeeded him as the sixth bishop of Syracuse on August 4, 1970.<ref name=":1" />

=== Retirement === After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Cunningham resigned as bishop of Syracuse on November 9, 1976.<ref name=":1" /> He died on February 22, 1979, at his residence in Syracuse, aged 78.<ref name=obituary/> He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in DeWitt.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{succession box | title=Bishop of Syracuse | before=Walter Andrew Foery | after=Francis James Harrison | years=1970&ndash;1976 }} {{s-end}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse|state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, David Frederick}} Category:1900 births Category:1979 deaths Category:People from Silver Bow County, Montana Category:People from Oswego, New York Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Syracuse Category:American Roman Catholic clergy of Irish descent Category:Participants in the Second Vatican Council Category:Catholic University of America alumni Category:Catholics from Montana Category:20th-century American Roman Catholic priests