Brian Finnigan
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Brian Finnigan | |
|---|---|
| Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane | |
| Diocese | Brisbane |
| Appointed | 31 January 2002 |
| Installed | 8 April 2002 |
| Term ended | 30 December 2015 |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 23 May 1970 by Archbishop James O'Collins |
| Consecration | 8 April 2002 by Archbishop John Bathersby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Brian Vincent Finnigan 28 August 1938 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Alma mater | Corpus Christi College |
| Motto | Come, Follow Me |
| Styles of Brian Finnigan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | My Lord |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Brian Finnigan (born 28 August 1938) is the auxiliary bishop emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane. He retired as auxiliary bishop on 30 December 2015 amid accusations he was not honest when giving evidence before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.[1] He was consecrated by Archbishop John Bathersby on 8 April 2002.[2]
Finnigan was born on 28 August 1938 to John Finnigan and Elizabeth (née Russell), and was the youngest of 12 children. He was educated at Toolong State School and received his secondary education at St Patrick's College, Ballarat. He entered Corpus Christi College, Werribee in 1963.[3]
Priesthood
Finnigan was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Ballarat on 23 May 1970 by Bishop James O'Collins at the picture theatre in Port Fairy. He was appointed to Warrnambool parish as assistant priest in 1970 before being assigned to Portland parish in 1971. In 1974, he was appointed to be assistant priest of St Patrick's Cathedral, Ballarat. He became secretary to Bishop Ronald Mulkearns in 1979.
He was appointed administrator of St Patrick's Cathedral, Ballarat in 1985. He became parish priest of Warrnambool in 1990 before being appointed to Sebastopol in 1991, where he served until 1997. He also became vicar general of the Diocese of Ballarat in 1991.[4]
In 1977, he studied a Masters of Church Administration at Catholic University of America and obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law and Master in Canon Law from Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada in 1991.[5] He was appointed secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference in 1998.
