Fonds - Bishop Thomas Francis Brennan fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Bishop Thomas Francis Brennan fonds

General material designation

  • Textual record
  • Graphic material

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on content of records

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1855-1916 (Creation)
    Creator
    Brennan, Thomas Francis

Physical description area

Physical description

20 cm of textual records
1 photograph

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1855-1916)

Biographical history

Thomas Francis Brennan (1855-1916), Catholic bishop, the son of James and Margaret (Dunne) Brennan, was born at Bally Cullen, Tipperary, Ireland, 10 October 1855. He died on 21 March 1916 at Frascatti, Italy.

Brennan's family immigrated to Pennsylvania when he was eight. Brennan studied for the priesthood at St. Bonaventure's in Allegheny (N.Y.), the University of Rouen (France), and the University of Innsbruck (Austria) where he was awarded the degree of doctor of Divinity in 1876. He was ordained a priest on 4 July 1880, in Brixen, Austria, by Bishop John de Leiss. Soon after, Brennan began studies in canon law. His early career included a number of pastoral assignments in the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. On 11 January 1888 he was made a Papal Chamberlain.In July 1890 the Vatican established Dallas as the third diocese in Texas. Brennan was named the first bishop of the new see, and on 5 April 1891, Tobias Mullen, Bishop of Erie, consecrated him to the episcopacy. At age of 35, Brennan was the youngest Catholic bishop in the United States at the time.

During his early months as bishop, Brennan traveled widely and his addresses were often reprinted in major newspapers. During his brief tenure he built churches in the new diocese and began publication of the Texas Catholic. He had inherited, however, the taxing responsibility of an extensive diocese, short on personnel and in considerable debt. While on a visit to Rome on 17 November 1892, Brennan was relieved of his Dallas post and transferred to the Titual See of Utila and made coadjutor to the Diocese of St. John's, Newfoundland.

On 7 October 1905 he was named titual Bishop of Caesarea in Mauretania. He later retired to a monastery in Grottoferrata, Italy. Brennan died on 2 March 1916 in Frascatti, Italy.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of letters, Coat of Arms, correspondence with Brother Luke Slattery. Fonds also includes printed material related to his life.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English
  • Latin

Script of material

    Language and script note

    All canonical documents are in Latin. No translations available.

    Location of originals

    Availability of other formats

    Restrictions on access

    No restrictions.

    Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

    Finding aids

    File list available.

    Associated materials

    Bishop Thomas James Power fonds, Brother Luke Slattery fonds; Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Parish fonds.

    Related materials

    Accruals

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Standard number

    Standard number

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Control area

    Description record identifier

    Institution identifier

    Rules or conventions

    Status

    Draft

    Level of detail

    Partial

    Dates of creation, revision and deletion

    Created - April 19, 2013

    Language of description

    • English

    Script of description

      Sources

      Accession area