Obituary of Most Rev. James M Moynihan

Most Rev. James M. Moynihan, D.D., age 84, retired Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, died on March 6, 2017. Bishop Moynihan was the 9th Bishop of the Diocese, serving from May 1995 until April 2009. Born in Rochester, he was the son of Michael and Caroline Horigan Moynihan. He graduated from St. Andrew's Seminary High School in Rochester before attending St. Bernard Seminary College. He graduated in 1954 with a bachelor of Arts degree. He was ordained a priest on December 15th 1957 in the North American College Chapel, Rome Italy by Archbishop Martin J. O'Connor, D.D., Rector of the College. He continued his theological studies at North American College and obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law, Summa Cum Laude, from the Gregorian University in Rome Italy. He was named Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Rochester and served there from 1961-1963. He was the Defender of the Bond and Promoter of Justice in the Diocesan Tribunal from 1961-1966. He served as Secretary to Most Rev. James E. Kearney from 1963-1966. He was appointed Vice Chancellor of the Diocese of Rochester in 1965 and was named Chancellor in 1967 under Most Rev. Fulton J. Sheen. He continued to serve as Chancellor under Most Rev. Joseph L. Hogan from 1967-1974. He served as Catholic Chaplain for the Rochester Police Department from 1962-1973, an appointment he considered an honor to his father who was a Rochester Police Department Deputy Chief. He was the Catholic Chaplain to Highland Hospital from 1974-1976. He was appointed Pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Penfield and served there from 1976-1991. He also directed the Bishop's Annual Catholic Thanksgiving Appeal from 1985-1989 under Most Rev. Matthew H. Clark. In 1991, he was appointed Associate Secretary General of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) New York and served until 1995. He was given the Papal Honor, Chaplain to His Holiness in 1993 and entered the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre in 1994. He was appointed Bishop of Syracuse on April 4, 1995 and was ordained and installed on May 29, 1995 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His episcopal motto was "Support One Another In Love" Bishop Moynihan is survived by his sister, Caroline Anne Moynihan of Washington DC; cousins, Michael and Gail Moynihan, Thomas and Barbara Moynihan, Martin Moynihan and Debbie Lechinger, James and Hiroko Moynihan, John and Rose Moynihan and many cousins in Ireland. A Memorial Mass for Bishop Moynihan will be celebrated on Saturday, March 18th 2017 at 11:00am at St. Joseph's Church, 43 Gebhardt Road, Penfield. Donations in memory of Bishop Moynihan can be directed to Light a Child's Future for Catholic School Education or The Cathedral Restoration Fund. Donations to either fund should be mailed to 240 East Onondaga Street, Syracuse NY 13202.