Fr. Jim Celebrates 30 Years of Priesthood

By Katie McFadden

St. Francis de Sales Church was packed to the brim for the afternoon Mass on Saturday, May 17, as parishioners, friends, community members and fellow religious leaders gathered for the celebration of Rev. Jim Cunningham’s 30th Ordination Anniversary.

Bishop James Massa, who has known Cunningham for 40 years, recalled the days when he was a “rectory rat,” working at a rectory at age 16. Cunningham went on to dedicate his life to serving God. On May 20, 1995, he was ordained as a priest. He has been assigned to Good Shepherd in Brooklyn, St. Helen’s in Howard Beach, St. Bartholomew Parish in Elmhurst, St. Mary Star of the Sea and St. Gertrude in Far Rockaway, Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Brooklyn, “and the last 10 years here at St. Francis de Sales,” Fr. Jim Cunningham told the congregants on Saturday. “I could not be happier.”

Cunningham explained that due to Covid, his 25th anniversary was celebrated with a parade. “It was the best thing that happened to me in my life because no one had a parade. I was handed a tray of lasagna during that parade,” Cunningham said to laughs. “But there was no real Mass of thanksgiving and no opportunity to celebrate the gift of priesthood so today is an opportunity for me to do that, surrounded by family and friends from all different parishes I served.”

Among those joining in the celebratory Mass were Father Jim’s 91-year-old mother, Eileen, his brother and cousins, Deacons Armand, La Gamba and Wagner, parish staff, rectory staff, Noelle Hutton Burns who helped organize the celebration, those who returned like Sister Paul Marita, Sister Patricia Chelius to even those who aren’t parishioners, like Mohammed Hakim of Beach Bagel, and more.

Father James Kuroly, Rector and President of Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary, provided a homily acknowledging all the ways Fr. Jim has been there for people through wakes, funerals, in classrooms, hospitals and in small ways. “His presence in our lives is a reminder of God’s presence,” Fr. Kuroly said. “Jim, your legacy is not in the number of masses celebrated or the number of those you have baptized or the churches you have renovated, but your legacy is in the love that you have shown, the mercy you have extended, and the Christ you have revealed through your priesthood.”

Those who brought up the gifts included Pat Nash and Mike Coughlin, who both generously donated a kidney to Fr. Jim when he was in need. “You’re lucky enough to get a kidney donation once, but to get it twice was really lucky,” Fr. Jim said. He also thanked Msgr. John Bracken, who made a call to the bishop when Fr. Jim wasn’t in a good place physically and emotionally, which got him placed at St. Francis de Sales 10 years ago. “I am very grateful every day to Msgr. Bracken for making that request because I couldn’t be happier than I am right now,” he said. He also thanked “the boss,” Father Bill Sweeney. “Fr. Bill goes out of his way to teach me every day about kindness, patience, and compassion and he never complains. This whole thing today is thanks to him.”

After the Mass, congregants were welcome to join Fr. Jim at a reception in the gym. “I love being your priest!” he later said about the day on Facebook.

Photo by Tom Farley.