Francis Roberts Rush (1916–2001) was a Roman Catholic priest in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. He was

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

Early life

Francis Roberts Rush was born in

Townsville Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 3 ...

on 11 September 1916, the son of Thomas Rush and his wife Mary (née Roberts).

Religious life

Francis Rush was ordained a priest in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

on 18 March 1939. From 1939 to 1945, he served as a priest at the

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Townsville Sacred Heart Cathedral is a heritage-listed Roman Catholic cathedral at 266 Stanley Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1896 to 1902 by Dennis Kelleher. It is also known as Church of the Sacred ...

. He was appointed Bishop of Rockhampton on 7 November 1960, where he implemented many of the reforms of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

. He was appointed

on 5 March 1973, replacing the retiring Patrick Mary O'Donnell.

Later life

Francis Rush retired on 3 December 1991 and lived in Brisbane in retirement. He died on 21 July 2001. His funeral was held in the

Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane The Cathedral of St Stephen is the heritage-listed cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and seat of its archbishop in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. St Stephen's was only meant to serve as a temporary seat for the ar ...

on 27 July 2001 conducted by Archbishop John Bathersby; Nearly one thousand people packed into the 800-seat cathedral with many standing in the aisles to farewell him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rush, Francis Roberts Roman Catholic archbishops of Brisbane Roman Catholic bishops of Rockhampton 1916 births 2001 deaths 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia Australian Roman Catholic archbishops