Alphonsus Cullinan


Alphonsus Cullinan is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

Early life and education

Born in Lahinch, County Clare in 1959, he was educated at Crescent College and trained as a school teacher in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, teaching for six years in Castleconnell, Co Limerick, and for two years in Spain.

Career

In 1989 he commenced his studies for the priesthood in St. Patrick's College, Maynooth where he occasionally visited, along with other students, events in Dublin organised by Opus Dei and the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1994. He served in the Diocese of Limerick, and as chaplain in Limerick Regional Hospital.
In 2001, Fr. Cullinan went to Rome's Pontifical Lateran University to study for a doctorate in moral theology returning to Ireland in 2004 when he became chaplain in Limerick Institute of Technology.
In 2011, he was appointed Parish Priest in Rathkeale, Limerick.
Fr. Cullinan was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and Lismore in February 2015 succeeding Bishop William Lee, and was consecrated in Waterford on 12 April 2015. In November 2015, he spoke in a seminar at Lismullin, the Opus Dei house in Co. Meath on the Year of Mercy.

Controversies

In September 2017, he made comments on the HPV vaccination programme in Irish schools. This led to criticism from a number of sources, including the Minister for health. He subsequently apologised if his remarks were picked up outside of its respective context and if they were picked up wrong.