Bishop William Brennan
Title:
Bishop
First Name:
William
Middle Names:
Joseph
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Brennan
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Dulwich Hill, Sydney NSW
Country of Birth:
Australia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Seminary:
Pontificio Collegio Urbano de Propaganda Fide, Rome, Italy
St Columba's College, Springwood, Australia
St Patrick's College, Manly, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilcannia-Forbes | ? | Vicar General | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||||
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba | Bishop | 1953 | 1975 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar |
Episcopal Ordinations Table
Diocese | Day | Month | Year | Place | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toowoomba | 21 | Oct | 1953 | Holy Family Church, Parkes NSW | Australia |
Biographical Notes
Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Most Rev William Joseph Brennan, DD, third Bishop of Toowoomba, died 11 Sep 1975
William Joseph Brennan was born on 4th November, 1904, at Dulwich Hill, Sydney. His early education was spent with the Sisters of St Joseph at Dulwich Hill and the Christian Brothers at Lewisham. He entered St Columba's Seminary, Springwood in 1921 and continued through St Patrick's, Manly, and finally Propaganda College, Rome, obtaining a Doctorate in Theology. He was ordained on 17th December, 1927. He served in several NSW Parishes and became Vicar General of the Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese in 1952. During his time in the Broken Hill and Wilcannia Forbes districts, he had extensive involvement with Trade Union movement and the fight against communism within the Unions. On 7th August, 1953, he was nominated to the vacant See of Toowoomba, as its third Bishop. He was consecrated by Cardinal Gilroy, then Archbishop of Sydney, at Holy Family Church, Parkes, on 21st October, 1953, and was enthroned in St Patrick's, Toowoomba, on 8th November that year. The twenty-two years of Dr Brennan's Episcopate were a period of consolidation in the Diocese. He erected six new Parishes and opened no fewer than nineteen new Churches. After a long illness, he passed away on 11th September, 1975 and is buried in the Toowoomba/Drayton Cemetery.
(Ref. Archives)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.