Rt Rev Kevin Dunn

Kevin Dunn was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, on July 9, 1950. He studied for the priesthood at Oscott College, Birmingham, and was ordained on January 17, 1976.

After serving as curate at St Patrick's, Walsall, and chaplain to Stuart Bathurst High Street, he was chaplain to the Caribbean community in the Archdiocese of Birmingham from 1980 to 1987.

After two years as parish priest in Stoke-on-Trent and chaplain to North Staffordshire Hospital and University, he underwent further studies at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome and was awarded a doctorate in Canon Law in 1991.

Upon his return to England in 1991, he worked as a parish priest in Stafford, episcopal vicar for religious and lecturer in canon law at Oscott College until 2001. Since 2001, he has been Episcopal Vicar for the deaneries of Wolverhampton, Walsall, the Black Country and Worcestershire and a member of the Archbishop's Council, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

On 25th May 2004, Bishop Ambrose Griffiths ordained Kevin Dunn, assisted by the Archbishop of Liverpool, Most Rev'd Patrick Kelly, and the Archbishop of Birmingham, Most Rev'd Vincent Nichols. In total 26 bishops were present, including the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien (Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and President of the Scottish Catholic Bishops' Conference), and Most Rev'd Mario Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II was represented by Mgr Marek Zalewski, First Secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature in London and deputising for the Apostolic Nuncio (Papal Ambassador) to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Archbishop Pablo Puente.

The Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear, Mr Nigel Sherlock, and the High Sheriff, Sir Neville Trotter, represented her Majesty the Queen. Civic leaders representing all parts of the region were present including the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Newcastle.

The Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt Rev'd Martin Wharton, and representatives of the other major denominations and faiths of the region were in attendance, and each formally welcomed the new Bishop during the ceremony according to their own tradition and prayed for his new ministry.

The ceremony marked the official transfer of office to Bishop Dunn from Bishop Ambrose who, symbolically, handed over his crosier (the Bishop's pastoral staff) to the new Bishop - together with his pectoral cross which is the Cuthbert Cross, also known as the Durham Cross.

Bishop Kevin died peacefully in the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, at 9.30pm on Saturday 1st March 2008.

He was surrounded by his family including his mother, Cath. Canon Cunningham, the Vicar General, was also present and anointed him and said the Prayers for the Dying, and together with the family said the Prayers for the Dead.

Bishop Kevin had been admitted to hospital in February and was transferred to intensive care with pneumonia.

Bishop Kevin's body was received into St. Mary's Cathedral on Monday 10th March at 7.00pm with the celebration of Mass, followed by a vigil of quiet prayer. His Requiem Mass was celebrated on Tuesday 11th March at 12 noon and he was buried in the Cathedral Crypt.