Andrew James Louis Brennan
Encyclopedia
Andrew James Louis Brennan (December 14, 1877—May 23, 1956) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Richmond
from 1926 to 1945.
, Pennsylvania
, to James and Ellen (née Flood) Brennan. He studied at Holy Cross College
in Worcester
, Massachusetts
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1900. He then attended St. Bernard's Seminary
in Rochester
, New York
, before going to Rome
to study at the Pontifical North American College
. Brennan was ordained
to the priesthood
on December 17, 1904. He earned a Doctor of Divinity
degree in Rome in 1905. Following his return to Pennsylvania, he taught Greek
and Latin
at St. Thomas College
from 1905 to 1908. He also served as chancellor
of the Diocese of Scranton
(1908-1923) and rector
of St. Peter's Cathedral (1914-1924).
On February 23, 1923, Brennan was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Scranton and Titular Bishop
of Thapsus by Pope Pius XI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following April 15 from Bishop Michael John Hoban
, with Bishops Bernard Joseph Mahoney
and John Murray
serving as co-consecrators
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor
of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Dunmore
. Following the resignation of Bishop Denis J. O'Connell
in January 1926, Brennan was appointed the eighth Bishop of Richmond
, Virginia
, on May 28, 1926. He suffered a paralytic
stroke
in 1934 and again in 1935. His long illness cut short his service to the diocese. After nineteen years as Bishop of Richmond, Brennan resigned on April 14, 1945; he was appointed Titular Bishop of Telmissus on the same date. He later died at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Norfolk
, aged 78.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Richmond
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the eastern shore...
from 1926 to 1945.
Biography
Andrew Brennan was born in TowandaTowanda, Pennsylvania
Towanda is a borough in and the county seat of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Wilkes Barre, on the Susquehanna River. The name means "burial ground" in the Algonquian language...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, to James and Ellen (née Flood) Brennan. He studied at Holy Cross College
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1900. He then attended St. Bernard's Seminary
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry is a Roman Catholic theological school in Rochester, New York. It was founded in 1893 as a seminary, and was one of the first US seminaries to accept laity. It is the official repository for the writings and papers of the noted evangelist and author,...
in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, before going to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to study at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
. Brennan was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on December 17, 1904. He earned a Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree in Rome in 1905. Following his return to Pennsylvania, he taught Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
at St. Thomas College
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
from 1905 to 1908. He also served as chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Diocese of Scranton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton, of which St. Peter's Cathedral in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is the mother church, consists of 11 counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States....
(1908-1923) and rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Peter's Cathedral (1914-1924).
On February 23, 1923, Brennan was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Scranton and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Thapsus by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following April 15 from Bishop Michael John Hoban
Michael John Hoban
Michael John Hoban was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Scranton from 1899 until his death in 1926.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Bernard Joseph Mahoney
Bernard Joseph Mahoney
Bernard Joseph Mahoney was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Sioux Falls .Bernard Mahoney was born in Albany, New York, to Daniel and Honora Mahoney, who were Irish immigrants. After attending St. John's Academy in Rensselaer, he studied at Mount St...
and John Murray
John Murray (archbishop)
John Gregory Murray was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Saint Paul from 1931 until his death in 1956, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford and Bishop of Portland .-Early life and education:John Murray was born in Waterbury,...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. In addition to his episcopal duties, he served as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Dunmore
Dunmore, Pennsylvania
Dunmore is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, adjoining Scranton. Dunmore was settled in 1835 and incorporated in 1862. Extensive anthracite coal, brick, stone, and silk interests had led to a rapid increase in the population to 8,315 in 1890, 12,583 in 1900, 17,615 in 1910, 20,250 in...
. Following the resignation of Bishop Denis J. O'Connell
Denis J. O'Connell
Bishop Denis J. O'Connell was an Irish Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Richmond in Virginia. He was born in Donoughmore, Ireland. He was ordained a priest in 1877 in Richmond at the age of 28, after studies in Rome at the Pontifical North American College. After serving as assistant to...
in January 1926, Brennan was appointed the eighth Bishop of Richmond
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the eastern shore...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, on May 28, 1926. He suffered a paralytic
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1934 and again in 1935. His long illness cut short his service to the diocese. After nineteen years as Bishop of Richmond, Brennan resigned on April 14, 1945; he was appointed Titular Bishop of Telmissus on the same date. He later died at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, aged 78.