John O'Brien | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev John O'Brien SJ Title: Rev First Name: John Middle Names: Francis Preferred Name: Surname: O'Brien Order: SJ Date of Birth: 04-Oct-1850 Place of Birth: Adelaide SA Country of Birth: Australia Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 18-Mar-1925 Place of Death: Sevenhill SA Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 20-Mar-1925 Place of Burial: Sevenhill SA Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191707224 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: O'Brien, John Pastor; born Adelaide, South Australia, 4 October 1850; died Sevenhill, South Australia, 18 March 1925, aged 74. John O'Brien, brother of Thomas, grew up in the Sevenhill region, his father being Sevenhill's first postmaster in 1856. He was educated at St Aloysius' College, Sevenhill, 1862-67, and entered the Society at the college, 5 March 1868. He completed his juniorate, philosophy, regency and some theology at Sevenhill before leaving Australia for Europe. He finished theology at Innsbruck, 1878-81, being ordained by the bishop of Adelaide, Dr Reynolds. He completed tertianship immediately after theology. He returned to Adelaide, 11 June 1882, and left to set up the Northern Territory mission with Anton Strele, John Neubauer and Georg Eberhard. He worked first at Rapid Creek, and then was named superior of a new station on the Daly River, Sacred Heart, remaining there until 1891, when he founded a new station, St Joseph's, 1891-98. Life there was very difficult, the priests suffering from sore eyes, diarrhoea and malaria. O'Brien also had a crop of boils and influenza. After this period of serious illness he was appointed administrator of the diocese of Port Victoria and Palmerston, and remained in Palmerston until 1902, when he returned to Sevenhill as superior and procurator, 1902-06. O'Brien then spent a few years in the parish of Norwood, and teaching at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1908-12. He returned then to Sevenhill, and was superior, 1912-17. Towards the end of his life he became blind, and upon his death, was buried in the crypt of the church. He was a man of great strength, physical and spiritual. He spent 20 years in the Northern Territory, 17 of them in missionary work. He had a cheerful disposition and his good humour helped him make friends easily with both black and white people. He was a dedicated priest and missionary. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

John

Middle Names:

Francis

Preferred Name:

Surname:

O'Brien

Order:

Date of Birth:

04-Oct-1850

Place of Birth:

Adelaide SA

Country of Birth:

Australia

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

18-Mar-1925

Place of Death:

Sevenhill SA

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

20-Mar-1925

Place of Burial:

Sevenhill SA

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191707224

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
O'Brien, John

Pastor; born Adelaide, South Australia, 4 October 1850; died Sevenhill, South Australia, 18 March 1925, aged 74.

John O'Brien, brother of Thomas, grew up in the Sevenhill region, his father being Sevenhill's first postmaster in 1856. He was educated at St Aloysius' College, Sevenhill, 1862-67, and entered the Society at the college, 5 March 1868. He completed his juniorate, philosophy, regency and some theology at Sevenhill before leaving Australia for Europe. He finished theology at Innsbruck, 1878-81, being ordained by the bishop of Adelaide, Dr Reynolds. He completed tertianship immediately after theology. He returned to Adelaide, 11 June 1882, and left to set up the Northern Territory mission with Anton Strele, John Neubauer and Georg Eberhard.

He worked first at Rapid Creek, and then was named superior of a new station on the Daly River, Sacred Heart, remaining there until 1891, when he founded a new station, St Joseph's, 1891-98. Life there was very difficult, the priests suffering from sore eyes, diarrhoea and malaria. O'Brien also had a crop of boils and influenza. After this period of serious illness he was appointed administrator of the diocese of Port Victoria and Palmerston, and remained in Palmerston until 1902, when he returned to Sevenhill as superior and procurator, 1902-06.

O'Brien then spent a few years in the parish of Norwood, and teaching at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1908-12. He returned then to Sevenhill, and was superior, 1912-17. Towards the end of his life he became blind, and upon his death, was buried in the crypt of the church.

He was a man of great strength, physical and spiritual. He spent 20 years in the Northern Territory, 17 of them in missionary work. He had a cheerful disposition and his good humour helped him make friends easily with both black and white people. He was a dedicated priest and missionary.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev John O'Brien SJ

Biographical Notes