Early life

John Dunne was born on October 30, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York, to Mark and Helen Dunne. His only brother, Mark J. Dunne, was a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.^[1]

Dunn attended the parochial school of St. Boniface Parish in Elmont, New York and then went to St. Francis Preparatory School in Brooklyn. He went to Cathedral College in Brooklyn before entering the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York.^[1]

Priesthood

Dunn was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Rockville Centre by Bishop Walter Philip Kellenberg on June 1, 1963.^[2] Dunne served as a curate at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in East Northport, New York, and was later named associate director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and of the Family Life Bureau.^[1]

In 1970, he became spiritual director of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, where he remained until he was appointed associate vicar for religious. In 1974, Dunn was named a curate at Corpus Christi Parish in Mineola, New York, and in 1978 director of the Priest Personnel Office. In 1984, Dunn was appointed pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Valley Stream, New York.^[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre

On October 21, 1988, Dunne was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre and titular bishop of Abercornia by Pope John Paul II.^[2] He was consecrated on December 13, 1988, by Bishop John McGann, with Bishops James Daly and Alfred Markiewicz serving as co-consecrators at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre. Dunn selected as his episcopal motto: "God Is Love" from 1 John 4:16.^[1]

As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dunne served as chair of the Bishops' Committee on Science and Human Values and of the Committee on Women in Society and in the Church.^[3][4]

On June 22, 2013, Pope Francis accepted Dunn's letter of resignation as auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre.^[2]