James William Gleeson (24 December 1920 – 21 March 2000)
was an Australian
clergyman and the sixth
Catholic Archbishop of
Adelaide. He was the first South Australian priest to become Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide.
Early life
James William Gleeson was born on 24 December 1920 in
Balaklava, north of
Adelaide in
South Australia.
His early education was in Balaklava, attending a
Josephite school before going to boarding school at
Sacred Heart College in
Somerton Park, South Australia, a
Marist Brothers college.
[Rice 2001.] Gleeson's studies for the priesthood were undertaken at
Corpus Christi College in
Werribee, Victoria, and he was ordained by Archbishop
Matthew Beovich in Adelaide's
St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral on 24 July 1945.
After serving as an assistant priest in the cathedral parish for a year, Beovich sent Gleeson to a teacher's college in
Melbourne for a year, and in 1952 appointed him Director of Catholic Education for the archdiocese. In 1958, Gleeson received
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are present ...
, becoming a companion of the
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
(CMG). Cited for the award was his work with young people, both as Director of Catholic Education and through his participation with organisations dealing with the education and welfare of students.
[Press 1991, p. 215.]
Episcopacy
After suffering a period of bad health, in November 1956 Matthew Beovich requested that he receive an
auxiliary bishop.
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
appointed Gleeson to the position, and he was
consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
by Beovich on 21 May 1957,
becoming Adelaide's first South Australian Catholic bishop.
To Gleeson, Beovich delegated responsibility for
Catholic Action movements and Catholic radio and television, and he eventually came to chair a number of diocesan committees and councils. The Archbishop also tasked him with the ordination of new priests and parish visitation. However, the most important parts of the diocesan administration, such as financial and policy matters, remained under Beovich's control.
[Laffin 2008, p.226.]
In July 1964, Gleeson was appointed coadjutor archbishop, in effect naming him as Beovich's successor. Beovich retired on 1 May 1971, making Gleeson the first South Australian priest to become Archbishop of Adelaide.
On 20 March 2000, Archbishop Gleeson died as the result of a heart attack. His funeral was held at St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral. The Catholic school
Gleeson College is named in his honour.
Notes
References
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gleeson, James William
1920 births
2000 deaths
Participants in the Second Vatican Council
Roman Catholic archbishops of Adelaide
People from Balaklava, South Australia
20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Australia
People educated at Sacred Heart College, Adelaide