Revd John Cunningham is in his first week as rector of Ballymacarrett, having just been instituted on Sunday 19th June. The scenes of the rioting this week are within the parish area. He was on the ground and has spoken to both communities in the area.
He said, “I have met this morning with residents from both sides of the inner East Belfast community and join them in expressing my revulsion at the events of Monday night.
“Both communities, understandably, will try to justify this behaviour but such violence is never justified. My concern is for the ordinary families caught up in this maelstrom and their fear is for their children.
“I appeal to both communities for calm.”
Revd John Cunningham is, however, no stranger to the area, having grown up there attending the parish of which he is now in charge.
Bishop Harold Miller instituted the Revd John Cunningham as rector of Ballymacarrett on Sunday 19th June. The preacher at the service was the Archdeacon of Down, The Venerable Philip Patterson.
Becoming rector of St Patrick’s is something of a homecoming for John. He and his wife Linda (pictured right) were baptised and grew up in the Parish of St Christopher’s. They were Youth Club leaders there and it was also where they were married.
“The folk in Ballymoney are lovely, generous people and it would have been easy to stay, but God has a babit of calling you out of your comfort zone,” says John. “I have long had a calling for St Patrick’s so we felt we had to throw our hat in when the vacancy was advertised. They have called me and I am delighted.”
John finished his training in Dublin in 1998 and became curate in Limavady, after which he became rector and Rural Dean in Macosquin, both in the Diocese of Derry. He has come to East Belfast from the incumbency of Ballymoney, Finvoy and Rasharkin where he served for 5 years. For the 20 years prior to ordination John was a Prison Officer at The Maze.
John and Linda have 5 grown-up children and 8 grandchildren. To relax they enjoy walking and have just completed the 500 mile pilgrimage, ‘The Way of St James,’ through France and Spain. John also enjoys reading, painting in watercolours and gardening.