Archbishop Brendan O'Brien
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| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
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| Senior posting | |
| See | Kingston |
| Title | Archbishop of Kingston |
| Period in office | June 3, 2007—present |
| Predecessor | Anthony Giroux Meagher |
| Successor | incumbent |
| Personal | |
| Date of birth | September 28, 1943 |
| Place of birth | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Styles of Archbishop Brendan O'Brien |
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| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Grace |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
| Posthumous style | 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.
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[edit] 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. Before being ordained to the priesthood on June 1, 1968, he attended the University of Ottawa and St. Paul University, from where he earned his licentiates in philosophy and theology.
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 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Same-sex marriages
In 2003 Archbishop O'Brien censured a Newfoundland priest for supporting the legalization of same-sex marriage[1]. 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[2].
[edit] 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.
[edit] References
- ^ CBC News. Archbishop censures priest on same-sex sermon August 18, 2003
- ^ LifeSite. Archbishop Criticizes PM Martin for Threat to Remove Notwithstanding Clause January 10, 2006
