Sir Norman Thomas Cardinal Gilroy KBE

Cardinal Priest of the Four Crowned Martyrs
5th Archbishop of Sydney (1940-71)

Norman Thomas Gilroy was born in Sydney on 22 January 1896 to William James Gilroy and Catherine Slattery. He was educated at St Benedict’s School Broadway, and Marist Brothers’ College, Kogarah.

He was a veteran of the Gallipoli campaign of 1915.

He attended Seminary at St Columba’s Springwood, and Propaganda Fide, in Rome. He was ordained a priest on 24 December 1923 at St John Lateran Basilica, Rome, by Cardinal Van Rossom.

He served as the Secretary to the Apostolic Delegation, 1924 and Chancellor and Diocesan Secretary for Lismore Diocese, 1931.

Elected Bishop of Port Augusta on 10 December 1934 and consecrated on 17 March 1935 at St Mary’s Cathedral, by Archbishop Philip Bernadini.

Promoted Archbishop of Cypsela In Partibus Infidelium and coadjutor cum jure successionis of Sydney on 1 July 1937. Succeeded to the Archdiocese of Sydney on 8 March 1940.

Created Cardinal on 18 February 1946, the first Australian-born member of the Sacred College.
Created Knight Commander of the British Empire 1969, the first Cardinal to be knighted since the Reformation, and he was Australian of the Year in 1970.

Resigned as Archbishop on 9 July 1971.
Cardinal Gilroy died on 21 October 1977.

The Previous Archbishops of the Archdiocese of Sydney

• John Polding OSB, Vicar Apostolic of New Holland 1834-1842; Archbishop of Sydney 1842-1877.
• Roger Bede Vaughan OSB, 1877-1883.
• Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran, 1884-1911.
• Michael Kelly, 1911-1940.
• Norman Thomas Cardinal Gilroy, 1940-1971. Co-adjutor Bishop 1937-1940; Archbishop 1940-46; Cardinal 1946-1971.
• James Darcy Cardinal Freeman, 1971-1983. Auxiliary Bishop Sydney 1957-1969. Bishop Armidale 1969-1971.
• Edward Bede Cardinal Clancy AC, 1983-2001.

The Predecessor Auxiliary and Co-adjutor Archbishops
of the Archdiocese of Sydney

1. Charles Henry Davis OSB, 1848-1854. Also Titular Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle.
2. Joseph Higgins, 1889. (Appointed Bishop of Rockhampton 1889).
3. Michael Sheehan, Co-adjutor Archbishop 1922-1937.
4. Eris Norman Michael O'Brien, 1948-1953. (Appointed Bishop of Canberra-Goulburn 1953.)
5. Patrick Francis Lyons, 1950-1956. (Appointed Co-adjutor Bishop Sale 1956. Bishop 1957-1967.)
6. James Patrick Carroll, 1954-1965. Retired 1984. Died 1995.
7. James Darcy Cardinal Freeman, 1957-1969
8. Thomas William Muldoon, 1960-1986.
9. Edward Francis Kelly MSC, 1969-1975. (Appointed Bishop of Toowoomba 1975.)
10. Edward Bede Cardinal Clancy AC, 1973-1978. (Appointed Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, 1978-1983.)
11. Patrick Laurence Murphy, 1977-1986. (Appointed Bishop of Broken Bay 1986. Retired)
12. Bede Vincent Heather, 1979-1986. (Appointed Bishop of Parramatta 1986. Retired)
13. John Edward Heaps, 1981-1992. Retired 1992. Died 2004.
14. Peter William Ingham, 1993-2001. (Appointed Bishop of Wollongong 2001.)
15. Geoffrey James Robinson, 1984-2004. Retired.
16. David Cremin, 1974-2005. Retired.

See also:

• Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
• Current Auxiliary Bishops of Sydney
  • Bishop Julian Porteous
  • Bishop Anthony Fisher OP
• Significant Early Pioneers in the Church in Sydney