Kit Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Christopher Basil "Kit" Cunningham IC
, MBE
(18 November 1931 – 12 December 2010) was a British
priest
. For almost 30 years, as the rector of St Etheldreda's Church
, Ely Place, Cunningham was one of London’s best-known Roman Catholic parish priests. His death, in 2010, was widely reported in the media. In 2011 it became publicly known that he had been involved in sexual abuse at a school in Tanzania in the 1960s.
Cunningham was educated at Ratcliffe College
and entered the Rosminian
religious order.
. While there he and other Rosminian priests perpetrated sexual abuse that made this school, according to one pupil, "a loveless, violent and sad hellhole". Other pupils recall being photographed naked, hauled out of bed at night to have their genitals fondled and other sexual abuse.
Although Cunningham's abuse was known about by the Rosminian order before his death in 2010, it was covered up and knowledge of it only emerged publicly in 2011 in the BBC documentary Abused: Breaking the silence. The order are resisting paying compensation to the abuse victims.
The Rosminian order has subsequently apologised for the abuse and the order's subsequent cover up.
is only 10 minutes walk away from St Etheldreda's, so journalists could attend midday Masses and even have time for a drink in the Ye Old Mitre, a pub next door. Masses were said in honour of The Keys, the Catholic writers' guild. On these occasions Mass was followed by supper with a generous supply of alcohol, before the Guild prayer of St Francis de Sales (the patron saint of journalists) was said. There were, however, feuds. Cunningham was said to have remarked of one newspaper executive: "The only way I’m allowing him back here is if he comes crawling into the confession box."
(MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, advised by the Prime Minister
, Tony Blair
, in her 1998 New Year Honours
. Following correspondence with some of his sexual abuse victims, shortly before Cunningham's death, the insignia of this honour was returned to the Queen. Some accounts allege that it was returned by Cunningham himself to Buckingham Palace
, others that it was returned by mail on his behalf to St James's Palace by the Revd Fr David Myers, Provincial Superior of the Rosminians
in the United Kingdom
, following Cunningham's admission of guilt. Myers himself states that Cunningham returned the insignia himself. Despite returning the insignia, Cunningham remained a member of the order until his death. Honours are bestowed by the monarch
s and can be revoked only by them; they cannot formally be renounced. Honours are only revoked when the Forfeiture Committee submits a recommendation to the monarch through the prime minister. The monarch directs that the appointment be cancelled and annulled and that the person's name be erased from the register of the order and a notice is published in the London Gazette
. Honours are normally forfeited when a person is convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for more than three months or is found guilty by a professional or regulatory body. Cunningham was never convicted of a criminal offence despite his admission of guilt.
Rosminians
The Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata, are a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Antonio Rosmini and first organised in 1828....
, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(18 November 1931 – 12 December 2010) was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. For almost 30 years, as the rector of St Etheldreda's Church
St Etheldreda's Church
St Etheldreda's Church is located in Ely Place, off Charterhouse Street, Holborn, London. It is dedicated to Æthelthryth, or Etheldreda, an Anglo-Saxon saint who founded the monastery at Ely in 673. The building was the chapel of the London residence of the Bishops of Ely.The chapel was purchased ...
, Ely Place, Cunningham was one of London’s best-known Roman Catholic parish priests. His death, in 2010, was widely reported in the media. In 2011 it became publicly known that he had been involved in sexual abuse at a school in Tanzania in the 1960s.
Cunningham was educated at Ratcliffe College
Ratcliffe College
Ratcliffe College is an independent Catholic boarding and day school in Leicestershire, England. The College, situated in of parkland on the Fosse Way about six miles north of Leicester, was founded on the instructions of Blessed Father Antonio Rosmini-Serbati in 1845 as a seminary. In 1847, the...
and entered the Rosminian
Rosminians
The Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata, are a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Antonio Rosmini and first organised in 1828....
religious order.
Teaching career and sexual abuse
During the 1960s, Cunningham was stationed at St Michael's Catholic Boarding School in Soni, TanzaniaTanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. While there he and other Rosminian priests perpetrated sexual abuse that made this school, according to one pupil, "a loveless, violent and sad hellhole". Other pupils recall being photographed naked, hauled out of bed at night to have their genitals fondled and other sexual abuse.
Although Cunningham's abuse was known about by the Rosminian order before his death in 2010, it was covered up and knowledge of it only emerged publicly in 2011 in the BBC documentary Abused: Breaking the silence. The order are resisting paying compensation to the abuse victims.
The Rosminian order has subsequently apologised for the abuse and the order's subsequent cover up.
Views on marriage
Cunningham had liberal views on marriage. He made St Etheldreda's a popular place for weddings – partly because of its historic beauty, but also because his relaxed approach to marriage preparation, devoid of any embarrassing discussions about the couple's current domestic arrangements. He was willing to bless the second marriages of divorcees. For the last 30 years of his life, Cunningham had a female companion, Jenny Floyd, until her death in 2006.Mission to journalists
Cunningham had a particular mission to journalists. Fleet StreetFleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
is only 10 minutes walk away from St Etheldreda's, so journalists could attend midday Masses and even have time for a drink in the Ye Old Mitre, a pub next door. Masses were said in honour of The Keys, the Catholic writers' guild. On these occasions Mass was followed by supper with a generous supply of alcohol, before the Guild prayer of St Francis de Sales (the patron saint of journalists) was said. There were, however, feuds. Cunningham was said to have remarked of one newspaper executive: "The only way I’m allowing him back here is if he comes crawling into the confession box."
MBE
Cunningham was appointed a member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, advised by the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, in her 1998 New Year Honours
1998 New Year Honours
-O.N.Z.:-D.N.Z.M.:-K.N.Z.M.:-C.N.Z.M.:-O.N.Z.M.:-M.N.Z.M.:-M.N.Z.M.:-O.N.Z.M. Honorary:-Q.S.O. :-Q.S.M.:- References :*...
. Following correspondence with some of his sexual abuse victims, shortly before Cunningham's death, the insignia of this honour was returned to the Queen. Some accounts allege that it was returned by Cunningham himself to Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, others that it was returned by mail on his behalf to St James's Palace by the Revd Fr David Myers, Provincial Superior of the Rosminians
Rosminians
The Rosminians, officially the Institute of Charity or Societas a charitate nuncupata, are a Roman Catholic religious congregation founded by Antonio Rosmini and first organised in 1828....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, following Cunningham's admission of guilt. Myers himself states that Cunningham returned the insignia himself. Despite returning the insignia, Cunningham remained a member of the order until his death. Honours are bestowed by the monarch
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
s and can be revoked only by them; they cannot formally be renounced. Honours are only revoked when the Forfeiture Committee submits a recommendation to the monarch through the prime minister. The monarch directs that the appointment be cancelled and annulled and that the person's name be erased from the register of the order and a notice is published in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
. Honours are normally forfeited when a person is convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for more than three months or is found guilty by a professional or regulatory body. Cunningham was never convicted of a criminal offence despite his admission of guilt.