Rev Pat Finnerty
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Patrick
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Pat
Surname:
Finnerty
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Co Kerry
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Auckland
Seminary:
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
South Brisbane QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Nudgee, Brisbane 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Maryborough | Assistant Priest | 1915 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | |||||
| Brisbane | Kangaroo Point | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Brisbane | Goondiwindi | Parish Priest | 1917 | 1920 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Brisbane | Boonah | Parish Priest | 1926 | 1937 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||
| Brisbane | Esk | Parish Priest | 1938 | 1942 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 |
Biographical Notes
Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 110:
Patrick Finnerty
Both a professor and a popular pastor - this was Patrick Finnerty. From Co. Kerry he crossed to France to join the Marist order and was ordained there in 1904. He stayed on at the Seminary as a professor until c. 1912 when he went to New Zealand. The climate broke his health. By June of 1915 he was in Queensland, at Maryborough in fact.
After stints at Kangaroo Point and Goondiwindi he was appointed Parish Priest of Boonah. He made his mark here and was extremely well liked because of his constantly cheerful disposition, generous Irish nature and an extraordinary understanding of people. Not only was he a zealous pastor, but also a good mixer and a foundation member of the Boonah Golf Club.
When he was transferred in 1937, a civic farewell was organised. In his speech he told them, 'His parishioners did not expect an angel and neither did they get one. They accepted him with all his imperfections.'
Esk was Pat's next and last appointment. Early in 1942, he took ill, was admitted to the Mater Hospital and died there on March 1st. The traditional farewell was given him at St Stephen's and Nudgee.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)
---
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:
Rev Patrick Finnerty, died 1 Mar 1942
Patrick Finnerty was born in Co.Kerry, Ireland, on 15th August 1881. He joined the Marist Fathers and after completing seminary studies in France, was ordained priest for the Auckland Diocese, New Zealand, on 6th December 1904. He worked in New Zealand until 1915 when health problems led him to seek a more congenial climate. He was known to James Byrne who recommended him to Archbishop Duhig. Patrick Finnerty arrived in Brisbane in June of 1915 and subsequently served in the following places: Assistant Priest Maryborough (1915-?); Kangaroo Point; Parish Priest Goondiwindi (1917-1920); Boonah (1926-1937) and Esk (1938-1942). He died in the Mater Hospital, Brisbane and was buried at Nudgee Cemetery.
(Ref. Brisbane Archives and O'Leary's p 145)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.