Rev James Falconer
Title:
Rev
First Name:
James
Middle Names:
Edwards
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Falconer
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Oamaru
Country of Birth:
New Zealand
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch, Canterbury
Country of Ordination:
New Zealand
Ordination Diocese:
Christchurch
Seminary:
Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, New Zealand
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch | ? | 1917 | Fr Denis Long, Pioneer and Early Priests | ||||||
| Brisbane | Fortitude Valley | 1917 | Fr Denis Long, Pioneer and Early Priests | ||||||
| Brisbane | Mitchell | 1922 | Fr Denis Long, Pioneer and Early Priests |
Biographical Notes
Ordination details: Holy Cross College Students Ordained to the Priesthood, New Zealand Tablet, 29 April 1925, p 29, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZT19250429.2.38: At HCC "1906-1914. Died in Queensland, May 20, 1922."
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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 James E Falconer, died 20 May 1922
James Falconer was the resident priest in Mitchell c1919/1920. He had been posted to the West for health reasons and possibly came from New Zealand. Fr Falconer died in Brisbane, aged 33 years, and was attended by Fr Leo Carleton. He is buried in Nudgee Cemetery.
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.
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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, p 164:
Fr James Edwards Falconer
James Edward Falconer was born to Thomas and Bridget (nee Sheahan) Falconer at Oamaru New Zealand in April 1887. His father was a cabinet maker.(1)
He studied for the priesthood at Holy Cross Seminary in Mosgiel New Zealand.(2) Fr Falconer was ordained a priest in Christchurch Cathedral in 1914. He worked for three years in the Canterbury diocese before coming to Brisbane.(3) Rev Falconer arrived in Sydney from Wellington aboard the Manuka on 7 May 1917.(4)
Coming to the archdiocese he was first stationed at St Patrick's Fortitude Valley. He spent five years in the Archdiocese and was serving as parish priest of Mitchell prior to his death. He suffered a long illness, spending considerable time under Dr Harry Windsor in the Mater Misericordiae Private hospital with pulmonary phthisis and heart failure from which he died on 20 May 1922.
His funeral took place on the following day. Following Requiem Mass at St Patrick's Church Fortitude Valley where he had served for some time he was buried in the priests section of Nudgee cemetery. The parishioners of Mitchell erected a fine head-stone over his grave.(5)
The Telegraph newspaper reported his funeral.
The death of Rev James Falconer, formerly of New Zealand, and late of Mitchell Queensland, took place at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, South Brisbane, on Saturday, after a long and severe illness. His remains were conveyed to St Patrick's Church, Valley the place of his first missionary work in Australia. A large number of priests and people assembled at the church to take part in the obsequies. The office for the dead was chanted, and a solemn requiem Mass was sung for the repose of his soul. The priests of the parish made touching reference at all Masses to Father Falconer's death and at the conclusion of each Mass the Dead March in Saul was played by the organist (Miss Lambrose). The men of the parish kept watch beside the remains till the Mass on Monday morning. The deceased priest's two sisters were with him to the last. Amongst those present in the sanctuary were Very Rev Fathers H Fitzgerald, PP, VF (South Brisbane) and W Lee, PP, VF (Rosalie), Rev Fathers R Walsh, W O'Sullivan, J F McCarthy, J Power, M O'Flynn, W Cashman, F Burton, J Gowen, W Byrne, P Murphy, J O'Reilly, A O'Keeffe, M Jordan, Fr Shannon CSsR, F O'Connell, J Kelly, W McGoldrick, M M Gallagher, T Lalor, P Masterson, T O' Connor, E Stanaway, J Dowd, L Carlton, E Keating. The celebrant of the Mass was Rev E Stanaway, a native of New Zealand, with Rev T O'Connor as deacon and Rev P Masterson as subdeacon. Rev T Lalor was master of ceremonies. The last absolution was preached by Rev E Stanaway. After the funeral a sermon was preached by Rev Fr O'Flynn. The funeral cortege proceeded to Nudgee cemetery, where the last sad rites were conducted by the Rev Father O'Flynn, assisted by the metropolitan clergy.(6)
At the time of Fr Falconer's death Archbishop Duhig was on an ad limina visit to Rome, accompanied by his vicar-general Fr James Byrne. Thus Fr O'Flynn who was serving as administrator of the diocese preached and officiated at the burial.
Footnotes
1. Ancestry.com.au records.
2. New Zealand electoral roll 1913 for Otago.
3. Brisbane Courier, 22 May 1922, p. 11.
4. Manuka ship's log 1917.
5. Nudgee Catholic Cemetery online report.
6. Telegraph, Brisbane, May 24, 1922, p. 14.
Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.