Biography of His Excellency, the Most Rev. Robert B. Clune,
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Toronto

Born - September 18, 1920 Died – September 6, 2007
Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto – 1979 - 1997

Robert Clune was born in Toronto on September 18, 1920. He attended St. Vincent de Paul Separate School and St. Michael's College before entering St. Augustine's Seminary in 1938. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in 1941. Robert Clune was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1945 by Archbishop James C. McGuigan in St. Michael's Cathedral.

Father Clune served as assistant priest at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Toronto during the summer of 1945. That September, Father Clune entered the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., and graduated in 1948 with a Doctorate and Licentiate in Canon Law. While in school, during the summers of 1946 and 1947, Father Clune served in the mission of Thunder Bay.

Upon Father Clune’s return to Toronto in 1948 he was appointed assistant at St. Ann's Parish, Toronto, where he served until 1953. During this time he also served as assistant to Monsignor Francis V. Allen, Chancellor and, in 1951, was appointed Vice-Chancellor. In September of 1953 he was appointed Defender of the Bond of the Toronto Regional Tribunal and Director of Catholic Cemeteries.

In January of 1959 Father Clune was appointed Archdiocesan Director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was elected Treasurer of the Priests' Mutual Aid Society and Promoter of Justice and Vice-Officialis of the Tribunal in 1962. He was the founding Pastor of St. Wilfrid's Parish, Downsview in June of 1965 and continued as Pastor until 1971 when he was appointed Director of the Catholic Church Extension Society of Canada.

Awareness and support of missions, both in Canada and abroad, was always of great importance to Bishop Clune. He was an honorary member of the Christian Island Ojibwa Band with the name Min N’wah Jemonne, which translates “He who brings Good Tidings”. And while president of the Catholic Church Extension Society of Canada he brought missionaries to meet students in the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese.

On May 3, 1979, Father Clune was elected titular Bishop of Lacubaza and Auxiliary to Cardinal G. Emmett Carter of Toronto. He was consecrated on June 21, 1979 in St. Michael's Cathedral by Cardinal Carter, assisted by Archbishop Emeritus of Toronto Philip F. Pocock and Auxiliary Bishop Aloysius M. Ambrozic of Toronto. Bishop Clune became head of the eastern region of the Archdiocese and Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Whitby. In 1982 he was appointed Chairman of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Mission Fund. In the Spring of 1992, Bishop Clune moved to Barrie and became Vicar of the north-eastern region of the Archdiocese, Vicar for Religious Orders and for the Permanent Deacons. Upon the appointment of his successor, Bishop Anthony G. Meagher in 1997, Bishop Clune retired from active service on June 30, 1997.

Throughout his years of service, Bishop Clune viewed Catholic education as a particular priority. He blessed over fifty new schools and was an Honorary Chairman of the Durham Catholic District School Board. He was also an Honorary Trustee of the York Catholic District School Board and served as Chaplain to the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.

Bishop Clune was called home to the Lord on September 6, 2007, two weeks before his 87 th birthday.

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