Former Toronto chancellor Fr. Cullinane passes

Friar Briant Cullinane, OFM Conv., the former Chancellor of Temporal Affairs for the Archdiocese of Toronto, passed away Sept. 17 in Enfield, Conn. He was 94.

A well respected and knowledgable friar, Fr. Cullinane served the archdiocese from 1991-97. He was known for his gentleness and wisdom while serving in a variety of ministries and leadership roles within his religious community and in parishes in Toronto and the United States. In Toronto, he served St. Bonaventure Parish for 13 years, first as associate pastor and then as pastor.

After several years ministering in the United States, Fr. Cullinane returned to Toronto in 1991 and spent the next six years as Chancellor of Temporal Affairs before returning to the United States to serve in parishes in North Carolina. 

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Fr. Cullinane’s funeral is to be celebrated Sept. 25 in Graham, N.C. He will be interred in Trenton, N.J.

A version of this article appeared in the September 28, 2025 issue of The Catholic Register with the headline "Fr. Cullinane was former temporal affairs’ chancellor"