Rest in Peace, Fr William (Bill) Cunningham MSC
Peter Hendriks writes:
'Stephen Dives called this morning to say that Bill Cunningham died last night. While it was unexpected the staff at St Joseph’s said it was very peaceful.
Stephen and other members of the Sacred Heart Monastery community are on their way to St Josephs to say some prayers around his bed.'
Bill Cunningham was born on February 19th, 1925. He made first profession on February 26th, 1945. After studies at Croydon, he was ordained on 22nd July 1951. There was some eager anticipation for celebrating later this month his 70 years of ordination.
He spent many decades of his ministry in Eastern Papua. His history of the mission is one of the monuments to his life
FROM MISSION to the DIOCESE of ALOTAU-SIDEIA. 75 years of Building the Church, Milne Bay-Eastern Papua, 1932 to 2007.
Nelen Yubu, Sydney, 2008. Pp. x and 280. Foreword by Francesco Panfilo, SDB, Bishop of Alotau-Sideia.
The first chapter, The Foundation of the Catholic Church in Eastern Papua was written by Anthony Arthur MSC. After this initial chapter, book moves in chronological order through the foundations, beginning with Sideia in 1932, followed by Ladava, the Trobriand Islands. After World War II there was expansion to a Nimowa, Rossel Island, Goodenough Island, Bolubolu, Fergusson Island, Normanby Island. The diocese was erected in 1975. Already the Sacred Heart Secondary School had been established in Hagita, 1970 and in 1985 St Pauls Pastoral Centre, Leaders Training Centre.
In the early years of the 21st-century, several other parishes were founded. There is a chapter on Catholic Youth as well as Communications and Publications. There are several small illustrations throughout of various MSC personnel who worked in Eastern Papua. Some Documentary Sources are listed and there are five pages with lists of MSC personnel who worked in Eastern Popular, 1932-2007 with the years in which they worked there. (The author himself is listed for 1970, 1972 – 1985, 1987 – 2007.)
