Monsignor John J. Cuddy

Visitation for Monsignor Cuddy will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 26 at St. Joseph Church in Macon.

Most Rev. Gregory J. Hartmayer, O.F.M. Conv. will celebrate the Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 27 at St. Joseph's with priests of the diocese concelebrating. Burial will follow the Mass at Rose Hill Cemetery on Riverside Drive in Macon. Memorials in Monsignor Cuddy’s name may be made to St. Joseph’s Church, 830 Poplar St., Macon, GA 31201.

John Joseph Cuddy was born on April 18, 1928 in New Haven, Connecticut, the second of three sons of Michael and Celia McNulty Cuddy. His parents were both born in Ireland, his mother in Donegal and his father in Laois.

After attending St. Boniface Elementary School and Hillhouse High School, John Cuddy entered Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut for two years, then attended Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore for two more. He studied theology and obtained a master’s degree in education administration at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 1953 at the Cathedral of Hartford for the Diocese of Savannah by Bishop Henry J. O’Brien.

Father Cuddy was assigned first to Holy Family Church in Columbus, Georgia as assistant pastor, where he served for four years, then as pastor at Saint Michael’s Church on Tybee Island, also for four years.

He taught for seven years at Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary on the Isle of Hope, where he also served as vice rector and dean. While teaching at Saint John Vianney Minor Seminary, he taught Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. During much of this time (1957-1968), he also served as Diocesan Superintendent of Schools. From 1968 to 1974 he served as pastor of Saint James Church in Savannah.

His longest assignment was at St. Joseph Church in Macon, from 1974 until his retirement in 2004.

He was named a Prelate of Honor with the designation of Monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

Fr. Cuddy was very accepting and non-judgmental. He always built you up. Father Cuddy brought many, many people to the faith through his Catholic Information Classes. He did most of his evangelizing at the Kroger and Publix in Macon. On his day off, he loved going to Atlanta, eating at Piccadilly Cafeteria, browsing a bookstore and watching people.

Father Cuddy loved to vacation in Europe and especially the Holy Land every Lent. He loved collecting rocks from the places he visited and his desk was covered with them. They all had special meaning to him. Fr. Cuddy loved to read and most of all he loved talking and listening to people and making them feel loved and special.

Fr. Cuddy’s favorite hymns were Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art. At Mass, he always prayed for the sick, the weak and the heavily burdened in any way. At school Masses, he always led the children in the JESUS cheer, give me a “J”. He led us in song, especially Peace is Flowing Like a River. And at the end of Mass, he closed with “That’s all I have to say right now… other than may the Lord continue to bless you and your family… all week long.”

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Dr. Gerald Cuddy and Dan Cuddy and his sister-in-law, Joanne Cuddy.

Survivors include his niece, Celia Cuddy of Burlington, Vermont; his nephews, Thomas Cuddy and his wife, Lene, of Austin, Texas, Michael Cuddy, of North Haven, Connecticut, John Cuddy and his wife, Lisa Charbonneau of Madison, Connecticut and Stephen Cuddy and his wife, Linda, of Wallingford, Connecticut; and his sister-in- law, Helen Cuddy of North Haven, Connecticut.

Visit www.snowsmacon.com to express condolences.

Snow’s Memorial Chapel, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.