Pope Accepts Resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Dunne of Rockville Centre, New York

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has accepted the resignationof Auxiliary Bishop John C. Dunne of Rockville Centre, New York.

The resignation ofBishop Dunne, who turned 75 last October, was publicized at the Vatican June 22.Church law requires a bishop to submit his resignation as a bishop when heturns 75.

Bishop Dunnewas ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 1963. After servingas associate pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church, East Northport, BishopDunne was assigned to be associate director of the Diocesan Confraternity ofChristian Doctrine (now the Office of Faith Formation and Worship) whichoversees the religious education of young people outside the Catholic schoolsystem and the continuing education of adults.He also served as associate director of the Family Life Bureau whichincluded conducting programs to prepare couples for marriage.

In 1970Bishop Dunne was appointed spiritual director at Immaculate Conception Seminarywhere he served until he was appointed associate vicar for religious, theoffice which acts as liaison between the bishop and the woman and men religiouswho serve in the diocese.

In 1974Bishop Dunne became associate pastor of Corpus Christi Church, Mineola.In 1978 he was named director of the PriestPersonnel Office, which involves acting as liaison between the bishop and thepriests of the Diocese as well as facilitating the assignment of priests.Bishop Dunne also served on the PriestPersonnel Policy Board.In 1984 he wasappointed pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church, Valley Stream.

OnOctober 25, 1988, Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of theRockville Centre Diocese and he was ordained on December 13th, 1988 at St.Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre.

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