Tributes on Bishop Buckley’s 40th anniversary

WELL wishes have been paid to Bishop John Buckley who this week celebrated 40 years since he was ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of Cork and Ross.

Bishop Buckley studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth and was ordained in 1965.

He taught on the staff of St Finbarr’s College, Farranferris, until he became its president in 1975.

He worked for one year as parish priest of Turner’s Cross Parish and was ordained Titular Bishop of Leptis Magna and Auxiliary Bishop of Cork and Ross in 1984.

A piece in The Cork Examiner on April 30, 1984, — the day after his ordination as Auxiliary Bishop of Cork and Ross — reported that the event was a “joyous occasion”.

“Church and State leaders were among the overflow congregation at St Mary’s Cathedral, Cork, yesterday to honour the episcopal ordination of Right Rev John Buckley, the first Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Cork and Ross.

“The impressive two-hour-long ceremony, at which the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr Michael Murphy, was the chief ordaining prelate, was attended by the new Bishop’s parents, Mr and Mrs John Buckley, his six brothers and his only sister.

“Summerlike weather favoured the joyous occasion,” the article said.

Bishop Buckley became the diocesan administrator following the death of Bishop Michael Murphy in October 1996, and the Holy See announced his appointment as Bishop of Cork and Ross in December 1997.

He was installed as Bishop of Cork and Ross at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne on February 8, 1998.

On November 2, 2014, the diocese said Bishop Buckley had “reached the age at which serving diocesan bishops are required by Church law to submit their resignation to the Holy Father”.

In 2019, on April 8, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Buckley as Bishop of Cork and Ross and appointed Bishop Fintan Gavin to be his successor.

Speaking this week, Bishop Fintan Gavin paid tribute to Bishop Buckley for his dedication to his ministry and to the people of the diocese.

“I’m grateful to Bishop John for all his kindness and support to me since I came to Cork and I congratulate him on his 40 years of episcopal ministry. I wish him many more years of health and happiness,” he said.

Speaking to The Echo, Paddy O’Brien — a long time advocate for the elderly and organiser of the Over 60s Talent Competition, recollected that Bishop Buckley’s first public engagement following his episcopal ordination was an appearance at the final of the Over 60s.

“I had 1,000 people there at the Over 60s Talent Competition and how I introduced him was this — I said ‘ladies and gentlemen, everybody appearing on stage tonight is over 60 years of age but the next person I’m bringing onto the stage has 16 more years to do before he’s 60 and that was Bishop Buckley’. He was only 44 years of age.”

Bishop Buckley, Mr O’Brien said, has continued to show “great support” for the competition, attending the final almost every year since.

Mr O’Brien said Bishop Buckley has also shown substantial care to people across the diocese, particularly the elderly.

“I don’t know of anyone who has visited more nursing homes and hospitals and visiting the elderly — absolutely incredible,” he said. Bishop Buckley continues to serve in the diocese and is conferring Confirmation in parishes again this year.