On Friday 20th March 2009 (the Feast of St. Cuthbert, patron of the diocese) Canon Séamus Cunningham was ordained the 13th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle.

Born on 7 July 1942 at Castlebar, Co Mayo, Ireland, he was educated at local schools, which included St Nathy's College, Ballaghaderreen at which Bishop James Cunningham (1957-1974) had also been a student for a short time.

Séamus Cunningham studied for the priesthood at St John's College, Waterford, where he was ordained priest for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle on 12 June 1966.

He began as assistant priest in Our Lady and St Joseph's parish, Brooms, in North West Durham, from September 1966 until August 1971.

From 1971 – 1972 he was at English Martyrs, Newcastle upon Tyne. Then spent one year, 1972 – 1973, at the new Corpus Christi College, London preparing to begin work as a Diocesan Religious Education and Catechetics advisor, he returned to live and work in the Cathedral but also visited our schools throughout the Diocese.

In 1978 he succeeded Father Leo Pyle as Director of Religious Education in the Diocese and also as Chaplain to St Mary's Teaching Training College of the Sacred Heart of Education at Fenham.

From 1984 to 1987 he spent three years as Spiritual Director to students for the priesthood at Ushaw College, Durham.

In 1987 he returned to St Mary's Cathedral where he was to spend the next 10 years as Administrator and Parish Priest. He was appointed to the Chapter of Canons shortly afterwards.

He moved to his present parish of St Oswin's, Tynemouth and St Mary’s, Cullercoats in 1988 after a short sabbatical in the United States of America.

Bishop Ambrose Griffiths had appointed him one of four Vicars General in 2001. After his ordination on 25 May 2004, Bishop Kevin Dunn appointed him as the sole Vicar General. He held this post until the Bishop's death on 1 March 2008. He was with him and his family throughout his illness and death, and was elected Diocesan Administrator on 2 March 2008.

Such a long, varied and wide experience of pastoral, educational and administrative work throughout the diocese has made him known as a quiet builder of both parish and diocesan communities.