Thomas Francis Brennan

Thomas Francis Brennan (October 10, 1855 – March 20, 1916) was an Irish-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Dallas in Texas from 1891 to 1892 before serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of St. John's in the British Colony of Newfoundland from 1893 to 1905.

Brennan's controversial actions and poor relations with clergy in both Dallas and St. John's led the Vatican to remove him as bishop from both posts and eventually place him in a monastery.

Biography

Early life Brennan was born on October 10, 1855, in Ballycullin near Mullinahone, County Tipperary, in Ireleand, James Brennan, a teacher and land surveyor, died in 1865. After his father' death, Brennan immigrated to the United States with his mother and brothers, settling in Pennsylvania. His brother James would also become a priest.

Brennan attended St. Bonaventure College in Allegany, New York, to prepare himself for the priesthood. He was sent to France in 1873 to continue his studies at the University of Rouen.

Priesthood While still in Austria, Brennan was ordained for the priesthood for the Diocese of Erie on July 4, 1880, by , the bishop of Brixen. Brennan spent one year studying canon law in Rome before returning to Pennsylvania. He succeed his brother James as pastor of St. James Parish in Driftwood, Pennsylvania, serving there until 1891. While at St. James, he also supervised mission churches at Sterling Run, Benezette, and Galeton, all in Pennsylvania. Upon arriving in Dallas in April 1891, Brennan traveled widely and established a reputation as an exceptional orator. The El Paso Times ran an article on November 2, 1892, that falsely claimed Brennan had been appointed an archbishop.

In November 1892, Brennan made his ad limina visit to Rome. At that time, Brennan offered his resignation as bishop of Dallas on November 17, 1892. Leo XIII then appointed Brennan as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Chicoutimi in Quebec. However, Bishop Michel-Thomas Labrecque rejected Brennan's appointment after learning about his history in Dallas. In December 1893, after the death of Bishop Thomas Joseph Power, Brennan falsely claimed to be administrator of the diocese. However, he was overruled by Cardinal Mieczysław Halka-Ledóchowski.

Brennan's contentious relationship with the Newfoundland clergy led more than 20 priests to petition Ledóchowski in June 1894 to remove Brennan as auxiliary bishop.

Removal from office and legacy Brennan was recalled to Rome in 1904, where he retired at age 50 to the Monastery of Grottaferrata. On October 7, 1905, he was officially relieved of his duties in Newfoundland and given the honorary title of titular bishop of Caesarea in Mauretania.

Thomas Brennan died at Grottaferrata, Lazio, in Italy on March 20, 1916, at age 62. He is buried in the cemetery of Frascati.