John Buckley (bishop)

Buckley was born in Gruaige, Inchigeela, County Cork on 2 November 1939.{{Cite web |last=Cronin |first=Donal |last2=O'Sullivan |first2=Anna-Marie |title=A Century in Ballingeary and Inchigeela |url=http://homepage.eircom.net/~sosul/page85.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Ballingeary and Inchigeela Local History Society}}

He is an accomplished road bowler, a sport which was described as being "like a virus for which there is no cure".{{cite news |last=Riegel |first=Ralph |date=8 April 2019 |title=Pope Francis confirms Monsignor Fintan Gavin as new Bishop of Cork & Ross |work=Irish Independent |url=https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/pope-francis-confirms-monsignor-fintan-gavin-as-new-bishop-of-cork-ross-37992657.html |accessdate=8 April 2019}}{{Cite web |last=Hogan |first=Dick |date=20 January 1998 |title=New bishop ends visit to west Cork with a score of bowls |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/new-bishop-ends-visit-to-west-cork-with-a-score-of-bowls-1.126032 |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

Buckley studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and was subsequently ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cork and Ross on 20 June 1965.

Buckley taught at St Finbarr's College, Farranferris, until he was subsequently appointed president of the college in 1975. He also served for one year as parish priest of Turners Cross parish, Cork.{{Cite web |last=English |first=Eoin |date=2014-10-28 |title=Bishop of Cork and Ross to submit resignation to Pope |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20294256.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}

Buckley was appointed auxiliary bishop of Cork and Ross and titular bishop of Leptis Magna by Pope John Paul II on 16 March 1984. He was consecrated by the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Michael Murphy, on 29 April at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Cork.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-09 |title=Bishop John Buckley steps aside: An affable man, a kindly bishop |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/ourview/arid-30916374.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}

Following the death of Murphy on 7 October 1996, Buckley was appointed diocesan administrator on 10 October.{{Cite web |date=10 October 1996 |title=Bishop to administer Cork diocese |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bishop-to-administer-cork-diocese-1.94148 |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

Buckley was appointed Bishop of Cork and Ross by Pope John Paul II on 19 December 1997.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-07 |title=Announcement on Bishop Buckley’s successor is expected |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40157504.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=The Echo |language=en}}

He was installed on 8 February 1998 at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Cork.{{Cite web |title=Bishop John Buckley |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/bishops/bishop-john-buckley/ |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}

Following his installation, Buckley did not move into the episcopal palace, continuing to live at a house in Turners Cross instead. He is also noted for promising in 2006 to personally invite Pope Benedict XVI to Cork, were the county senior hurling team to win a third All-Ireland championship in succession, a feat which ultimately was not achieved.{{Cite web |last=O'Sullivan |first=Claire |date=2013-01-04 |title=A Bishop of the people |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-20218552.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}

Buckley also supported calls by campaigners to make a mass grave for Magdalene women at Sunday's Well more accessible to the public, which followed his call for the remains of Little Nellie, considered the "unofficial patron saint of Cork", to be exhumed.{{Cite web |last=ó Fátharta |first=Conall |date=2015-08-22 |title=Bishop John Buckley: Magdalene mass grave ‘must be accessible’ to public |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20349612.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}

During his episcopate, Buckley also served as a member of the commission for pastoral care of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, and chaired its council on healthcare.

In accordance with canon law, Buckley submitted his episcopal resignation to the Congregation for Bishops on his 75th birthday on 2 November 2014, but was expected to remain in the see until a successor was appointed.

He remained in the see until the appointment of his successor, Fintan Gavin, on 8 April 2019.{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Oisín |date=2019-04-08 |title=Pope Francis appoints Father Fintan Gavin as the new Bishop of Cork & Ross |url=https://catholicnews.ie/pope-francis-appoints-father-fintan-gavin-as-the-new-bishop-of-cork-ross/ |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Catholic News |language=en-US}}

{{Infobox bishop styles

| name=John Buckley

| dipstyle=The Most Reverend

| offstyle=Your Grace

| relstyle=Bishop

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}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbuckleyj.html Bishop John Buckley] on Catholic-Hierarchy.org
• [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/cork0.htm?focus=2468&tab=bishops Bishop John Buckley] on GCatholic

{{Roman Catholic dioceses in Ireland|state=collapsed}}

{{Roman Catholic bishops of Cork and Ross}}

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Category:1939 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth

Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Cork and Ross

Category:Irish road bowling players