Cullinan was born in Lahinch, County Clare on 7 May 1959, one of ten children to Christy and Rita Cullinan. He moved with his family to Limerick, where he attended the Salesian Primary and John F. Kennedy National Schools, and secondary school at Crescent College Comprehensive.[1][2]
In his first pastoral letter to the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore in May 2015, Cullinan questioned whether a Yes vote in a referendum on permitting same-sex marriage was "pandering to the desires of adults over the rights of children", emphasising that "children are different to adults just as the union of a man and a woman is different to any kind of relationship between two men or two women".[9]
HPV vaccination
Cullinan caused controversy in September 2017 over comments he made on the HPV vaccination programme in Irish schools,[10] which led to criticism from a number of sources, including the then-Minister for Health, Simon Harris.[11] He subsequently apologised if his remarks were misinterpreted outside of their respective context.[12][13][14]
Abortion
Cullinan made headlines on 31 October 2017, over comments he made referring to abortion as "not a medical treatment".[15]
Speaking on Déise Today on WLR FM on 2 February 2018, he claimed that contraception was "morally wrong" and had promoted promiscuity in Ireland. He added that abortion was not the answer for women suffering from suicidal ideation whose pregnancies have been as a result of rape. Such claims were rejected by the chairperson of the Oireachtas committee on abortion, Catherine Noone.[16]
Following the passing of a referendum on liberalising abortion laws on 25 May 2018, Cullinan stated on Déise Today on WLR FM on 1 June 2018 that Catholics who voted Yes in the referendum must acknowledge that they have sinned and repent before receiving Communion,[17] and that by legislating for abortion access, Ireland "had effectively accepted euthanasia".[18]
Exorcism
Speaking on Déise Today on WLR FM on 9 October 2018, Cullinan supported comments made by Pope Francis saying that the devil was responsible for the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, and announced plans to establish an exorcism ministry in the diocese to deal with evil spirits.[19][20] Such claims were subsequently condemned by political leaders.[21]
Yoga and mindfulness
In a letter sent to Catholic primary schools in the diocese on 10 October 2019, Cullinan stated that yoga and mindfulness were "not Christian" and unsuitable for practice during periods of religious education.[22][23][21] Such claims were disputed by a number of sources,[24] including former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.[25]
Bibliography
Cullinan, Alphonsus (2004). The Church and utilitarianism: a criticism of the utilitarianism of Peter Singer in the light of the Catholic anthropology of Karol Wojtyła (Thesis). Academia Alphonsiana. OCLC954837867.