Date of Birth: | 01/01/1912 |
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Date of Death: | 14/04/1974 |
Date of Ordination: | 14/06/1936 |
Fr Brendan O’Sullivan
Biography:
Origin and ordination Brendan O'Sullivan was born in 1912 in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1936, in the Cathedral at Kilkenny. He arrived in the Archdiocese on March 28, 1936. His appointments were to be: St Peter's, Kingswood; St Francis Xavier's Cathedral; Glenelg and Semaphore. Fr Jim Sayers and Fr Peter Ward were with Brendan for the first years of their priestly ministry (1956 -1961). Glenelg was a mensal parish in those days and Brendan was the Administrator. They found him typical of the Irish priests – good, sincere, devout – many of them coming from the country areas of Ireland. One of the first experiences for a Curate in Glenelg was to be introduced to the effective but archaic lighting systems in the Church. The young priest had the hazardous task of entering the ceiling and walking on a narrow plank to where a faulty light had been discovered and fixing said light. Brendan did not mix readily with his parishioners on a social basis. But if the conversation was to be about Parish business or a personal problem he responded well and easily. His perception of character was generally accurate and at times uncanny. On one memorable occasion the children at the Parish school were to make their first Communion, and parents were asked to produce Baptismal Certificates. One mother complained to Sister that her child had been baptised in Victoria and that the parish priest had ignored her request to send a certificate. Sister sent the lady to explain this to Monsignor. Her manner was rather blasé about the matter and she thought her word should be enough. Brendan listened politely. Silence followed. And then he said, "Ma'am," (Brendan's address to all ladies), "you have never had that child baptised. So stop all this nonsense and tell me the truth.” Perhaps it was the blunt attack but it was too much for the woman. She burst into tears. He was right. She had delayed the baptism and as time went on she had been too ashamed to approach a priest to do it. A man in whom there is no guile Brendan at times could be delightfully but naively straightforward. On one occasion when Archbishop Beovich had been ill, he had asked Brendan to say the Missa Pro Populo for him. Some would remember that the usual stipend for a Mass then was five shillings. But at times people would give 10 shillings and many people in Glenelg would give one pound. "Not really, your Grace", said our Brendan. "The stipends I get here in Glenelg are generally one pound.” There is one story about Brendan O'Sullivan that reveals his somewhat endearing nature. After 21 years in Glenelg, Brendan was appointed as Parish Priest of Semaphore in 1966. That was not to last, for due to serious illness he resigned that appointment in 1970. He died at Lourdes Valley on April 14, 1974. |