Biography
Gilroy was born in Sydney, to working-class parents of Irish descent. Educated at the Marist Brothers' College in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah, he left school when 13 years old, to work as a messenger boy in what was then the Postmaster-General's Department. In 1914 his parents refused permission for him to enlist in the Australian Army, but he was allowed to volunteer for the transport service as a telegraphist. He served in the Gallipoli campaign of World War I in 1915.
On his return to Australia, he was ordered to resume his work as a telegraphist for the postal service. He expressed an interest in becoming a priest and in 1917 began his studies at St Columba's, Springwood, New South Wales in 1917, and continued them from 1919 at the Urban College in Rome. He was ordained a priest on 24 December 1923 at the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome, and received his doctorate in divinity in Rome the following year.
Returning to Australia in 1924, Gilroy was appointed to the staff of the staff of the Apostolic Delegation in Sydney, which in that year received as its new head Archbishop Bartolomeo Cattaneo, who favoured the appointment of Australian-born priests as bishops in Australia. After six years in this post, Gilroy returned to Lismore, New South Wales, becoming Chancellor and Secretary of the Bishop.
In 1934 he was appointed Bishop of Port Augusta, South Australia, gaining an experience in dealing with pastoral problems that was to serve him well in his later position.
In 1937 he became Coadjutor Archbishop of Sydney and Titular Archbishop of Cypsela. On the death of Archbishop Michael Kelly, Gilroy succeeded to the Archdiocese of Sydney on on 18 March 1940.
Gilroy was created Cardinal on 18 February 1946, becoming the first Australian-born member of the College of Cardinals, becoming Cardinal-Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati.
Gilroy was knighted in 1969. He was the first Roman Catholic Cardinal to receive a knighthood since the Protestant Reformation. He was awarded Australian of the Year in 1970. He resigned as Archbishop of Sydney in July 1971, and died in Sydney in 1977, aged 81. He was succeeded by James Darcy Freeman.
Read more about this topic: Norman Thomas Gilroy
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