The Most Reverend

Brian Finnigan
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane
DioceseBrisbane
Appointed31 January 2002
Installed8 April 2002
Term ended30 December 2015
Orders
Ordination23 May 1970
by Archbishop James O'Collins
Consecration8 April 2002
by Archbishop John Bathersby
Personal details
Born
Brian Vincent Finnigan

(1938-08-28) 28 August 1938
Port Fairy, Australia
NationalityAustralian
DenominationRoman Catholic
Alma materCorpus Christi College
MottoCome, Follow Me
Styles of
Brian Finnigan
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleMy Lord
Religious styleBishop

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]

Early life

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.

Episcopacy

On 31 January 2002, Pope John Paul II announced Finnigan would be appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane. He was appointed to the titular see of Rapidum. He was consecrated on 8 April 2002 by Archbishop John Bathersby.[6]

Apostolic Administrator of Toowoomba

On 2 May 2011, Finnigan was appointed to serve as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Toowoomba, following the removal of Bishop William Morris by the Holy See. He served in this role until the appointed of Robert McGuckin as Bishop of Toowoomba on 14 May 2012.[7]

Sexual Abuse Royal Commission

In 2015, Finnigan appeared before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Follow his appearance, he was accused by counsel assisting the Royal Commission, Angus Stewart SC of lacking compassion and not being candid in his evidence about his knowledge of paedophile priests in the 1980s. Finnigan was secretary to Bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns when the now laicised priest and sex offender Gerald Ridsdale was offending within the Diocese and being transferred between parishes by Bishop Mulkearns.[8]

During his appearance before the commission, Finnigan said the Church should adopt a one-strike policy on child abuse.[9]

Following his appearance at the commission, Finnigan's resignation, which was tendered two years early upon reaching the age of 75, was accepted by Pope Francis on 30 December 2015. A petition had called upon Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge to sack him if he did not stand down.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Passmore, Daryl (31 December 2015). "Auxiliary Brisbane Bishop Brian Finnigan quits after accusations of dishonesty before sex abuse royal commission". The Courier Mail. News Corp. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Bishop Brian Vincent Finnigan". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Diocese of Ballarat Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Child Abuse Royal Commission. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "Diocese of Ballarat Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Child Abuse Royal Commission. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "Bishop Brian Finnigan Retires as Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane". Facebook. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "Bishop Brian Vincent Finnigan". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Apostolic administrator appointed to Toowoomba dicoese". National Catholic Reporter. 5 May 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Passmore, Daryl (31 December 2015). "Auxiliary Brisbane Bishop Brian Finnigan quits after accusations of dishonesty before sex abuse royal commission". The Courier Mail. News Corp. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Retiring Aust bishop seeks forgiveness". SBS. AAP. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Passmore, Daryl (31 December 2015). "Auxiliary Brisbane Bishop Brian Finnigan quits after accusations of dishonesty before sex abuse royal commission". The Courier Mail. News Corp. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
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