User:Éireann/politicians/John Major II

John George Henry Major (1929-2014) was a Irish bishop and religious figure who served as Bishop of Kilmore from 1976 until 2013 and Parish Priest for Cavan Town from 1959 until 1976 where he took on the role as bishop.

He was the son of former Bishop of Kilmore John Major who was a rich and prominent member of the Catholic National Congress. He was born in the Cavan General Hospital on the 8 August 1929 an was one of the first children born to priests after the Right to Family Agreement was signed.

He attended St. Patricks College in Cavan and went on to study at Maynooth Seminary and earned a doctorate in Theology while there. He was then ordained a priest and appointed as parish priest for Cavan town.

In 1976 after the sudden death of his father John Major II became acting Bishop of Kilmore. He was then appointed to the role 8 days later by the Archbishop of Dublin, Desmond Galligan. He was a popular bishop and was famous for his progressiveness and liberalness towards new ideas. He was a major factor the squashing of church abuse and by the end of his tenure he had an approval rating of 97%.

In May 2013 he was diagnosed with Cardiovascular disease and was told by his doctors to step down from the role or the stress would cause a heart attack. He refused and continued in his post until August when he experienced cardiac arrest. On the 5 August he was received an emergency surgery to open capillaries that were blocked. Two days later he retired from his role under great health stresses and appointed Enda Brown as his successor.

He experienced 2 more heart attacks from October to January before his death of another cardiac arrest. He was found dead in his home on the 23 January 2014 and a state funeral was held for him in the Cavan Cathedral.