Monsignor John Joseph O'Driscoll was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1868. At the age of twenty-four he left his native country to Australia after being ordained priest at All Hallows College, Dublin on June 24, 1892. Upon his arrival, he was appointed parish priest at the East Balmain Catholic Church. Transferred to the historic church of St Patrick's Kogarah in 1904, which was then the centre of a huge parish extending from Cook's river to Waterfall, including the Sutherland and Cronulla districts. Monsignor O'Driscoll had many happy reminiscences of his thirty-eight years association with the parish, having watched the district develop and progress from those pioneer days when he visited his scattered parishioners by riding on a bicycle, or perhaps with sulky and horse.
Gradually through the years the original great parish under the leadership of Monsignor O'Driscoll, was subdivided into smaller districts, each with its own church. The Kogarah parish originally became separated from Sydney in 1887. After that, in 1913, portion of the original area was cut off to form the Hurstville parish. Next in succession were Rockdale and Penshurst in 1916, Arncliffe 1917, Cronulla 1924, South Hurstville 1933, Sutherland 1934, Brighton 1937, and the two youngest parishes, Sans Souci and Bexley in 1940 and Carlton 1957. Where there was but one huge parish in 1904 there were now eleven separate districts, each with its own church and at least one priest. During the long term of his office at Kogarah, Monsignor O'Driscoll had witnessed remarkable development in his own local church, not the least of which were the considerable extensions to St. Patrick's including the erection of a stately bell steeple in 1936. It is worthy of note, also, that Monsignor O'Driscoll was responsible for the founding of the Marist Brothers' Boys High School, Kogarah. It was said to be the second largest of its kind in the State. An occasion of unusual significance in the life of Monsignor O'Driscoll was on Christmas Day 1940; he was amongst others, the recipient of a Papal honour from Pope Pius XII, when he was elevated to the status of Domestic Prelate, with which went the distinctive title of Monsignor. It was an honour of which he was both pleased and proud.
O'Driscoll passed away on Friday, June 5, 1942 at the age of seventy-three years. Solemn and impressive tributes were paid in his memory. Archbishop Gilroy presided at Monsignor O'Driscoll's Requiem and preached the panegyric. The celebrant of the mass was Right Rev. Monsignor R. Collander, P.P., V.G., parish priest of Woollahra, who was said to be Monsignor O'Driscoll’s greatest friend in the priesthood. About two hundred priests from all parts of the Diocese of Sydney attended the Requiem Mass together with scores of parishioners, paying final respects to their late parish priest.
The funeral cortege was one of the largest ever seen in the district. It was led by the cadets of the Marist Brothers High School, Kogarah; proceeding from the church via Montgomery Street and Railway Parade to Carlton where a police escort led the way to Woronora Cemetery. It was stated that it had been the late Monsignor O'Driscoll’s personal wish to be interred among his people at Woronora. He was the second Catholic priest to be buried there.
Gradually through the years the original great parish under the leadership of Monsignor O'Driscoll, was subdivided into smaller districts, each with its own church. The Kogarah parish originally became separated from Sydney in 1887. After that, in 1913, portion of the original area was cut off to form the Hurstville parish. Next in succession were Rockdale and Penshurst in 1916, Arncliffe 1917, Cronulla 1924, South Hurstville 1933, Sutherland 1934, Brighton 1937, and the two youngest parishes, Sans Souci and Bexley in 1940 and Carlton 1957. Where there was but one huge parish in 1904 there were now eleven separate districts, each with its own church and at least one priest. During the long term of his office at Kogarah, Monsignor O'Driscoll had witnessed remarkable development in his own local church, not the least of which were the considerable extensions to St. Patrick's including the erection of a stately bell steeple in 1936. It is worthy of note, also, that Monsignor O'Driscoll was responsible for the founding of the Marist Brothers' Boys High School, Kogarah. It was said to be the second largest of its kind in the State. An occasion of unusual significance in the life of Monsignor O'Driscoll was on Christmas Day 1940; he was amongst others, the recipient of a Papal honour from Pope Pius XII, when he was elevated to the status of Domestic Prelate, with which went the distinctive title of Monsignor. It was an honour of which he was both pleased and proud.
O'Driscoll passed away on Friday, June 5, 1942 at the age of seventy-three years. Solemn and impressive tributes were paid in his memory. Archbishop Gilroy presided at Monsignor O'Driscoll's Requiem and preached the panegyric. The celebrant of the mass was Right Rev. Monsignor R. Collander, P.P., V.G., parish priest of Woollahra, who was said to be Monsignor O'Driscoll’s greatest friend in the priesthood. About two hundred priests from all parts of the Diocese of Sydney attended the Requiem Mass together with scores of parishioners, paying final respects to their late parish priest.
The funeral cortege was one of the largest ever seen in the district. It was led by the cadets of the Marist Brothers High School, Kogarah; proceeding from the church via Montgomery Street and Railway Parade to Carlton where a police escort led the way to Woronora Cemetery. It was stated that it had been the late Monsignor O'Driscoll’s personal wish to be interred among his people at Woronora. He was the second Catholic priest to be buried there.
Monsignor John Joseph O'Driscoll was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1868. At the age of twenty-four he left his native country to Australia after being ordained priest at All Hallows College, Dublin on June 24, 1892. Upon his arrival, he was appointed parish priest at the East Balmain Catholic Church. Transferred to the historic church of St Patrick's Kogarah in 1904, which was then the centre of a huge parish extending from Cook's river to Waterfall, including the Sutherland and Cronulla districts. Monsignor O'Driscoll had many happy reminiscences of his thirty-eight years association with the parish, having watched the district develop and progress from those pioneer days when he visited his scattered parishioners by riding on a bicycle, or perhaps with sulky and horse.
Gradually through the years the original great parish under the leadership of Monsignor O'Driscoll, was subdivided into smaller districts, each with its own church. The Kogarah parish originally became separated from Sydney in 1887. After that, in 1913, portion of the original area was cut off to form the Hurstville parish. Next in succession were Rockdale and Penshurst in 1916, Arncliffe 1917, Cronulla 1924, South Hurstville 1933, Sutherland 1934, Brighton 1937, and the two youngest parishes, Sans Souci and Bexley in 1940 and Carlton 1957. Where there was but one huge parish in 1904 there were now eleven separate districts, each with its own church and at least one priest. During the long term of his office at Kogarah, Monsignor O'Driscoll had witnessed remarkable development in his own local church, not the least of which were the considerable extensions to St. Patrick's including the erection of a stately bell steeple in 1936. It is worthy of note, also, that Monsignor O'Driscoll was responsible for the founding of the Marist Brothers' Boys High School, Kogarah. It was said to be the second largest of its kind in the State. An occasion of unusual significance in the life of Monsignor O'Driscoll was on Christmas Day 1940; he was amongst others, the recipient of a Papal honour from Pope Pius XII, when he was elevated to the status of Domestic Prelate, with which went the distinctive title of Monsignor. It was an honour of which he was both pleased and proud.
O'Driscoll passed away on Friday, June 5, 1942 at the age of seventy-three years. Solemn and impressive tributes were paid in his memory. Archbishop Gilroy presided at Monsignor O'Driscoll's Requiem and preached the panegyric. The celebrant of the mass was Right Rev. Monsignor R. Collander, P.P., V.G., parish priest of Woollahra, who was said to be Monsignor O'Driscoll’s greatest friend in the priesthood. About two hundred priests from all parts of the Diocese of Sydney attended the Requiem Mass together with scores of parishioners, paying final respects to their late parish priest.
The funeral cortege was one of the largest ever seen in the district. It was led by the cadets of the Marist Brothers High School, Kogarah; proceeding from the church via Montgomery Street and Railway Parade to Carlton where a police escort led the way to Woronora Cemetery. It was stated that it had been the late Monsignor O'Driscoll’s personal wish to be interred among his people at Woronora. He was the second Catholic priest to be buried there.
Gradually through the years the original great parish under the leadership of Monsignor O'Driscoll, was subdivided into smaller districts, each with its own church. The Kogarah parish originally became separated from Sydney in 1887. After that, in 1913, portion of the original area was cut off to form the Hurstville parish. Next in succession were Rockdale and Penshurst in 1916, Arncliffe 1917, Cronulla 1924, South Hurstville 1933, Sutherland 1934, Brighton 1937, and the two youngest parishes, Sans Souci and Bexley in 1940 and Carlton 1957. Where there was but one huge parish in 1904 there were now eleven separate districts, each with its own church and at least one priest. During the long term of his office at Kogarah, Monsignor O'Driscoll had witnessed remarkable development in his own local church, not the least of which were the considerable extensions to St. Patrick's including the erection of a stately bell steeple in 1936. It is worthy of note, also, that Monsignor O'Driscoll was responsible for the founding of the Marist Brothers' Boys High School, Kogarah. It was said to be the second largest of its kind in the State. An occasion of unusual significance in the life of Monsignor O'Driscoll was on Christmas Day 1940; he was amongst others, the recipient of a Papal honour from Pope Pius XII, when he was elevated to the status of Domestic Prelate, with which went the distinctive title of Monsignor. It was an honour of which he was both pleased and proud.
O'Driscoll passed away on Friday, June 5, 1942 at the age of seventy-three years. Solemn and impressive tributes were paid in his memory. Archbishop Gilroy presided at Monsignor O'Driscoll's Requiem and preached the panegyric. The celebrant of the mass was Right Rev. Monsignor R. Collander, P.P., V.G., parish priest of Woollahra, who was said to be Monsignor O'Driscoll’s greatest friend in the priesthood. About two hundred priests from all parts of the Diocese of Sydney attended the Requiem Mass together with scores of parishioners, paying final respects to their late parish priest.
The funeral cortege was one of the largest ever seen in the district. It was led by the cadets of the Marist Brothers High School, Kogarah; proceeding from the church via Montgomery Street and Railway Parade to Carlton where a police escort led the way to Woronora Cemetery. It was stated that it had been the late Monsignor O'Driscoll’s personal wish to be interred among his people at Woronora. He was the second Catholic priest to be buried there.
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