Brendan O'Brien (archbishop)

Infobox bishopbiog


name = Brendan Michael O'Brien

religion = Roman Catholic Church
See = Kingston
Title = Archbishop of Kingston
Period = June 3, 2007—present
Predecessor = Anthony Giroux Meagher
Successor = incumbent
ordination = June 1, 1968
bishops = Bishop of Pembroke,
Archbishop of St. John's
date of birth = Birth date and age|1943|9|28|mf=y
place of birth = Ottawa, Ontario
infobox bishopstyles
name=Brendan Michael O'Brien
dipstyle=The Most Reverend
offstyle=Your Grace
relstyle=Archbishop
deathstyle=not applicable

Brendan Michael O'Brien (born September 28, 1943) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Archbishop of Kingston, having previously served as Archbishop of St. John's and Bishop of Pembroke.

Early life and ministry

Brendan Michael O'Brien was born in Ottawa, the oldest of the seven children of Redmond and Margaret (née Foran) O'Brien. He attended the University of Ottawa and St. Paul University. He attended the University of Ottawa and St. Paul University, from where he earned his licentiates in philosophy and theology, before being ordained to the priesthood on June 1, 1968.

Father O'Brien then did pastoral work in Ottawa and served as Co-Director of the Diocesan Synod. In 1971 he went to Rome, where he studied at the Pontifical Lateran University's [http://www.alfonsiana.edu Academic "Alfonsianum"] , from where he obtained a doctorate in moral theology. O'Brien, upon his return to Canada in 1975, taught at his "alma mater" of St. Paul University and served as pastor of an Ottawan parish.

Episcopate

On May 6, 1987, O'Brien was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa and Titular Bishop of "Numana" by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 29 from Archbishop Joseph-Aurèle Plourde, with Bishops Bishop John Beahen and Gilles Bélisle serving as co-consecrators. O'Brien was later named Bishop of Pembroke on May 5, 1993, and Archbishop of St. John's on December 4, 2000.

Pope Benedict XVI, on June 3, 2007, named O'Brien to succeed the late Anthony G. Meagher as Archbishop of Kingston. O'Brien's installation as Kingston's ordinary took place on July 25, 2007.

ame-sex marriages

In 2003 Archbishop O'Brien censured a Newfoundland priest for supporting the legalization of same-sex marriage [CBC News. [http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/08/18/nfld_priest030818.html Archbishop censures priest on same-sex sermon] August 18, 2003] . The Canadian cleric again found himself speaking on the matter of gay marriages in 2006, when he criticized Prime Minister Paul Martin for suggesting to remove the notwithstanding clause from the Constitution [LifeSite. [http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jan/06011009.html Archbishop Criticizes PM Martin for Threat to Remove Notwithstanding Clause] January 10, 2006] .

Trivia

*He was once State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus in Ontario.
*From 2003 to 2005, he was President of the Canadian Episcopal Conference, of which he currently sits on the Social Affairs Commission.

References

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bobrienb.html Catholic-Hierarchy]
* [http://www.stjohnsarchdiocese.nf.ca/archbishop.asp Archdiocese of St. John's]