Robert Brennan

Robert John Brennan (; 14 December 1941 – 21 March 2026) was a New Zealand priest. He was a social activist and missionary with the Missionary Society of St. Columban in South Korea.

Early life Born in Auckland on 14 December 1941, Brennan was the son of Sadie Marie Brennan (née Collins) and Robert Edward Brennan. He spent his childhood in Auckland, where he was educated at St Peter's College. Brennan joined St Columban's in 1959, and trained for the missionary priesthood in Australia.

Life in South Korea Brennan was sent to South Korea in 1966, and following two years of learning the Korean language, spent 12 years in the poor coal-mining mountainous area of Kang Won Province. The mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, made the award at a public ceremony, saying in his address of congratulations: "The blue-eyed foreigner is a model of selfless dedication and sacrifice on behalf of the poorest members of our city". In 2014, he was awarded the Asan Foundation Grand Peace Prize, worth ₩300 million, which he used to further his work.

Brennan was granted Korean citizenship in 2020, and in 2022 he published his autobiography, Of Saints and Sinners: A Lighthearted Look at a Life.