Andrew Brennan (bishop)

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Andrew James Louis Brennan
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; Andrew James Louis Brennan
Bishop of Richmond; titular bishop of Telmissus
See	Diocese of Richmond
Appointed	February 23, 1923
Installed	May 28, 1926
Term ended	April 14, 1945
Predecessor	Denis J. O'Connell
Successor	Peter Leo Ireton
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton; 1923 to 1926
Orders
Ordination	December 17, 1904; by Pietro Respighi
Consecration	April 15, 1924; by Michael John Hoban
Personal details
Born	December 14, 1877; Towanda, Pennsylvania
Died	May 23, 1956 (aged 78); Norfolk, Virginia
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	James and Ellen (née Flood) Brennan
Education	College of the Holy Cross (AB); St. Bernard's Seminary; Pontifical North American College (DD)

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. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania from 1923 to 1926.

Biography

Early life

Andrew Brennan was born on December 14, 1877, in Towanda, Pennsylvania, to James and Ellen (née Flood) Brennan. He studied at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, obtaining 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.^[1]

Priesthood

Brennan was ordained to the priesthood in Rome by Cardinal Pietro Respighi for the Diocese of Scranton on December 17, 1904.^[2] He earned a Doctor of Divinity degree in Rome in 1905.^[3] Following his return to Pennsylvania, he taught Greek and Latin at St. Thomas College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, from 1905 to 1908.^[1] He also served as chancellor of the diocese from 1908 to 1923. While chancellor, Brennan wrote the "Scranton, Diocese of" article for the Catholic Encyclopedia.^[4] Brennan served as rector of St. Peter's Cathedral in Scranton from 1914 to 1924.^[3]

Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton

On February 23, 1923, Brennan was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Scranton and titular bishop of Thapsus by Pope Pius XI. He received his episcopal consecration on April 15, 1923, from Bishop Michael John Hoban, with Bishops Bernard Mahoney and John Murray serving as co-consecrators.^[5]^[2] In addition to his episcopal duties, Brennan served as pastor of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Parish in Dunmore, Pennsylvania.^[3]

Bishop of Richmond

Brennan was appointed the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Richmond on May 28, 1926, by Pius XI.^[5]^[2] In 1929, at Brennan's suggestion, the Holy Name Society of Richmond establish the Catholic Laymen's League of Virginia. It was created to counteract the flow of anti-Catholic bigotry and misinformation in the media and from some Protestant ministers.^[6] Brennan suffered a paralytic stroke in 1934 and again in 1935.^[7]

Retirement

Pope Pius XII accepted Brennan's resignation as bishop of Richmond for health reasons on April 14, 1945; he was appointed titular bishop of Telmissus on the same date.^[5] Andrew Brennan died on May 23, 1956, at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, at age 78.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "BISHOP BRENNAN OF RICHMOND, 78". The New York Times. May 24, 1956.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Former Bishops of the Diocese". Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Curtis, Georgina Pell (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. VII. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
^ "Brennan, Reverend Andrew James", The Catholic Encyclopedia and Its Makers, New York, the Encyclopedia Press, 1917, p. 19 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Bishop Andrew James Louis Brennan". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.^{[self-published source]}
^ Catholic Action ...: A National Monthly. 1930.
^ "Bishop Andrew J. Brennan Ill". The New York Times. May 28, 1935.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Denis J. O'Connell	Bishop of Richmond 1926–1945	Succeeded by Peter Leo Ireton
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton 1923–1926	Succeeded by –

[nytimes-1] "BISHOP BRENNAN OF RICHMOND, 78". The New York Times. May 24, 1956.

[:0-2] "Former Bishops of the Diocese". Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[curtis-3] Curtis, Georgina Pell (1947). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. VII. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.

[4] "Brennan, Reverend Andrew James", The Catholic Encyclopedia and Its Makers, New York, the Encyclopedia Press, 1917, p. 19 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[hierarchy-5] "Bishop Andrew James Louis Brennan". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.^{[self-published source]}

[6] Catholic Action ...: A National Monthly. 1930.

[ill-7] "Bishop Andrew J. Brennan Ill". The New York Times. May 28, 1935.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Bishops	Ordinaries Patrick Kelly Richard Vincent Whelan John McGill James Gibbons John Joseph Keane Augustine Van de Vyver Denis J. O'Connell Andrew James Louis Brennan Peter Leo Ireton John Joyce Russell Walter Francis Sullivan Francis X. DiLorenzo Barry Christopher Knestout Auxiliary bishops Joseph Howard Hodges Ernest Leo Unterkoefler James Louis Flaherty David Edward Foley
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Basilica Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Norfolk Basilica of St. Andrew, Roanoke Parishes St. Vincent de Paul Church, Newport News Church of the Sacred Heart, Petersburg St. Paul's Church, Portsmouth Church of the Sacred Heart, Richmond St. Peter's Church, Richmond St. Bede's Church, Williamsburg St. Stephen, Martyr, Chesapeake
Education	High schools Benedictine College Preparatory, Richmond Blessed Sacrament Huguenot, Powhatan Catholic High School, Virginia Beach Holy Cross Regional Catholic School, Lynchburg Peninsula Catholic High School, Newport News Roanoke Catholic School, Roanoke Saint Gertrude High School, Richmond Walsingham Academy, Williamsburg
Priests	Francis Janssens Vincent Stanislaus Waters
Miscellany	Francis J. Parater
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton
Bishops	Ordinaries William O'Hara Michael John Hoban Thomas Charles O'Reilly William Joseph Hafey Jerome Daniel Hannan Joseph Carroll McCormick John Joseph O'Connor James Clifford Timlin Joseph Francis Martino Joseph Charles Bambera Auxiliary bishops Andrew James Louis Brennan Martin John O'Connor Henry Theophilus Klonowski James Clifford Timlin Francis X. DiLorenzo John M. Dougherty Diocesan priests who became bishops Eugene A. Garvey Joseph R. Kopacz Jeffrey Walsh
Churches	Cathedral St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton Basilica Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann, Scranton Parishes St. Gabriel's Catholic Parish Complex, Hazleton Parishes, former St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Wilkes-Barre
Education	Higher education King's College Marywood University Misericordia University University of Scranton High schools Holy Cross High School, Dunmore Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre Notre Dame J/SHS, East Stroudsburg Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School, Williamsport High schools, closed South Scranton Catholic High School
Miscellany	St. Stanislaus Institute, Newport Township
Catholicism portal