Monsignor Patrick Brennan (1901–1950), was an American born, Catholic missionary priest, killed by North Korean forces in 1950. Patrick Brennan, was born March 13, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, to Irish parents. He was educated in St Rita's High School and Quigley's Prep Seminary before studying for the priesthood in

Mundelein seminary The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a private Roman Catholic seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. It is the principal seminary and school of theology for the formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois. It was c ...

and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1928, and served as a curate in Epiphany Church, St. Mary of the Lake, and St Anthonys Joliet. He joined the

Missionary Society of St. Columban The Missionary Society of St. Columban ( la, Societas Sancti Columbani pro Missionibus ad Exteros) (abbreviated as S.S.C.M.E. or SSC), commonly known as the Columbans, is a missionary Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right foun ...

(Columban Fathers) in 1936 and assigned to Korea in 1938. Fr Brennan was interned by Japanese forces, following the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

in 1941, and repatriated to the US. He served as an Army Chaplain in Europe during the war, in Normandy, Ardennes and Germany for which he was decorated with the Soldier's Medal for bravery. In 1947 he was appointed missionary director of the Society in Asia. In 1948, Monsignor Brennan was appointed Prefect Apostolic of Kwangju, Korea, where he was taken prisoner and killed by North Korean forces, September 24, 1950, in Taejon prison, along with two other Columban missionaries Fr. Thomas Cusack and Fr. John (Jack) O'Brien.Korean war stories never to be forgotten
by Donal Lynch, Irish Independent, March 9, 2008. His body was never recovered.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brennan, Patrick 1901 births 1950 deaths 20th-century executions by North Korea University of Saint Mary of the Lake alumni Missionary Society of St. Columban American Roman Catholic clergy of Irish descent 20th-century American Roman Catholic priests American people executed abroad 20th-century executions of American people Roman Catholic bishops of Gwangju People killed in the Korean War