Eris Michael O’BRIEN

Auxiliary Bishop 1948-1953

Born on 20 Sep 1895, Condoblin in New South Wales in the parish of Condoblin. (Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese)
His father was Terence O'Brien and his mother was Bertha Conroy. He was educated at St Joseph's School, Camperdown; St Aloysius College, Milson's Point, North Sydney, and attended Seminary at St Columba’s, Springwood; St Patricks Manly.
He was ordained on 30 Nov 1918, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney by Archbishop Bartolomeo Cattaneo and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Sydney.
He was elected as Bishop on 05 Feb 1948 as Titular Bishop of Alinda; Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney. He was consecrated (ordained as Bishop) on 06 Apr 1948, in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney by Archbishop Giovanni Panico (Consecrating Bishop) of the Diocese of Titular Archbishop of Justinianum, Apostolic Delegate. He was assisted by Bishop Thomas M Fox, the Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes, and Bishop Patrick J Farrelly, the Titular Bishop of Neve, Coadjutor Bishop of Lismore.
He was subsequently translated (moved) as Titular Archbishop of Cyrrhus and Assistant Archbishop of Sydney (11 January 1951); Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn (16 November 1953).
He retired on 29 Nov 1966, to Wollstonecraft North Sydney.
He died on 28 Feb 1974, at St John of God Hospital, Richmond, and is buried in the Crypt of St Christopher's Cathedral Manuka, Canberra.
During his lifetime, he was Assistant Priest of Haymarket (Albion St), Rose Bay; on the Staff of St Columba's College, Springwood; the Administrator, Hurstville, Haymarket; he took study leave to Louvain University (PhD); he was Parish Priest of Bankstown, Neutral Bay. He was Apostolic Administrator of Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese from November 1966-March 1967. On retirement he was named Titular Archbishop of Apamea in Syria, 26 November 1966.

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