Bishop Thomas Kevin O'Brien, affectionately known among his friends as the "Prelate of the Poor", made history when his body was interred at Middlesbrough in North-East England after a Requiem Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in the town.
He was the first bishop of Middlesbrough to be buried in the simple 8ft deep vault since the cathedral was built in 1986.
Bishop O'Brien, who was 81, was auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough from 1981 until he retired aged 75, in 1998. In Hull where he lived he became known as the "Prelate of the Poor" because he greeted homeless young men calling at his presbytery door.
Among stories told by Bishop John Crowley, of Middlesbrough, during the Requiem Mass was about one of the men helped corresponding with Bishop O'Brien from a young offenders' institution - not knowing that the Priest was a Bishop.
In 1996, writing in Edges, Magazine of THOMAS (Those on the Margins of a Society), based at Burnley, Lancashire, Bishop O'Brien told how 30 young men rung the door bell every day at St. Charles, Hull.
He had to restrict the visits from after 8 am., and before 10.30 pm. He admitted he had to "learn patience" because the callers "are ungrateful and they come at the most awkward times."
He said it was hard to read, write, think or pray because the doorbell kept ringing.
"All we can do for them is to give them a sausage roll and 50p. They seem to find that satisfactory enough."
The jovial Cork-born Bishop said people asked him why he helped the callers. He said it was because he realised "how much misery there is in their lives and I think they deserve a little uplift."
He said the callers were "loveable people who have been deprive of love by their families." Family breakdown was at the root of most of the homelessness which needed to be tackled more than other problems, he said.
"These are the people that Jesus dealt with when he was on earth and I feel I must try to deal with them also in the same way."
Mgr. Anthony Bickerstaffe, who lived with Bishop O'Brien at the time, said: "He really loved these lads." He added that his five years at St. Charles with the Bishop were the "icing on the cake" of his 50 years of Priesthood.
Bishop O'Brien was given the honorary degree of doctor of divinity by Hull University in 1998, for his work with the young and disadvantaged.
Eleven bishops and 85 priests took part in the Requiem Mass, which was attended by 600 people.
The coffin was interred in the special vault for Bishops of Middlesbrough near the entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral, Middlesbrough.
Bishop Kevin O'Brien died peacefully in Leeds General Infirmary where had had been taken a few days earlier suffering from pneumonia and other complications of the lungs on Monday, December 27, 2004. For his last six years of life, Bishop Kevin had been cared for devotedly by the Little Sisters of the Poor at St Joseph's Nursing Home in Leeds since his retirement in 1998.
Thomas Kevin O'Brien was born on February 18, 1923, in Cork, Ireland, the youngest son of Jack and Mary O'Brien. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Cork, before training for the priesthood at All Hallows College, Dublin. On June 20, 1948, he was ordained a presbyter at All Hallows's College for the Diocese of Leeds.
His first appointment was assistant parish priest to St. Mary's, Batley, where he served until 1951, when he was appointed to the Cathedral in Leeds. In September 1956, he joined the Catholic Missionary Society and was appointed superior by the bishops from 1960 to 1971. During his time as superior he edited the new course for Non-Catholics at the Catholic Enquiry Centre. In 1971, he was appointed parish priest at St. Patrick, Huddersfield, and Vicar General of the Diocese of Leeds. In August 1979, he was appointed parish priest of St. Francis, Bradford.
On November 9, 1981, at the age of 58, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough, England, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Árd Carna on December 8, from Bishop Augustine Harris, assisted by Bishops William Gordon Wheeler and Gerald Moverley.
He became parish priest of St. Charles, Hull, the Central Catholic Church in the City and was chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Home Mission but his major pastoral efforts were in the Diocese and the City of Hull. He led the Diocesan Vocations Team for a period and was involved in the development of the Pastoral Centres at St. Stephen, Hull, and later at the former Endsleigh College. In the early 1980's, he established scriptural training courses for the laity, and was a most active supporter of the Hull Pastoral Assembly. He played a leading part in ecumenical sctivities in the city and the East Riding of Yorkshire, including the 'Churches Together' group, which continues to be the prime focus for ecumenical co-operation in the area.
On reaching age 75, he tended his resignation to the Holy Father. Despite deteriorating health, he celebrated the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination both at St. Charles, and with his brother priests in Middlesbrough Cathedral. In September 1998, he moved to the Little Sisters of the Poor at Headingley, Leeds.
Bishop O'Brien enjoyed walking, reading and music. Throughout his life he was a charismatic preacher, a skill he maintained throughout his declining years when increasing disability limited his mobility.
He was the first bishop of Middlesbrough to be buried in the simple 8ft deep vault since the cathedral was built in 1986.
Bishop O'Brien, who was 81, was auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough from 1981 until he retired aged 75, in 1998. In Hull where he lived he became known as the "Prelate of the Poor" because he greeted homeless young men calling at his presbytery door.
Among stories told by Bishop John Crowley, of Middlesbrough, during the Requiem Mass was about one of the men helped corresponding with Bishop O'Brien from a young offenders' institution - not knowing that the Priest was a Bishop.
In 1996, writing in Edges, Magazine of THOMAS (Those on the Margins of a Society), based at Burnley, Lancashire, Bishop O'Brien told how 30 young men rung the door bell every day at St. Charles, Hull.
He had to restrict the visits from after 8 am., and before 10.30 pm. He admitted he had to "learn patience" because the callers "are ungrateful and they come at the most awkward times."
He said it was hard to read, write, think or pray because the doorbell kept ringing.
"All we can do for them is to give them a sausage roll and 50p. They seem to find that satisfactory enough."
The jovial Cork-born Bishop said people asked him why he helped the callers. He said it was because he realised "how much misery there is in their lives and I think they deserve a little uplift."
He said the callers were "loveable people who have been deprive of love by their families." Family breakdown was at the root of most of the homelessness which needed to be tackled more than other problems, he said.
"These are the people that Jesus dealt with when he was on earth and I feel I must try to deal with them also in the same way."
Mgr. Anthony Bickerstaffe, who lived with Bishop O'Brien at the time, said: "He really loved these lads." He added that his five years at St. Charles with the Bishop were the "icing on the cake" of his 50 years of Priesthood.
Bishop O'Brien was given the honorary degree of doctor of divinity by Hull University in 1998, for his work with the young and disadvantaged.
Eleven bishops and 85 priests took part in the Requiem Mass, which was attended by 600 people.
The coffin was interred in the special vault for Bishops of Middlesbrough near the entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral, Middlesbrough.
Bishop Kevin O'Brien died peacefully in Leeds General Infirmary where had had been taken a few days earlier suffering from pneumonia and other complications of the lungs on Monday, December 27, 2004. For his last six years of life, Bishop Kevin had been cared for devotedly by the Little Sisters of the Poor at St Joseph's Nursing Home in Leeds since his retirement in 1998.
Thomas Kevin O'Brien was born on February 18, 1923, in Cork, Ireland, the youngest son of Jack and Mary O'Brien. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Cork, before training for the priesthood at All Hallows College, Dublin. On June 20, 1948, he was ordained a presbyter at All Hallows's College for the Diocese of Leeds.
His first appointment was assistant parish priest to St. Mary's, Batley, where he served until 1951, when he was appointed to the Cathedral in Leeds. In September 1956, he joined the Catholic Missionary Society and was appointed superior by the bishops from 1960 to 1971. During his time as superior he edited the new course for Non-Catholics at the Catholic Enquiry Centre. In 1971, he was appointed parish priest at St. Patrick, Huddersfield, and Vicar General of the Diocese of Leeds. In August 1979, he was appointed parish priest of St. Francis, Bradford.
On November 9, 1981, at the age of 58, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough, England, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Árd Carna on December 8, from Bishop Augustine Harris, assisted by Bishops William Gordon Wheeler and Gerald Moverley.
He became parish priest of St. Charles, Hull, the Central Catholic Church in the City and was chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Home Mission but his major pastoral efforts were in the Diocese and the City of Hull. He led the Diocesan Vocations Team for a period and was involved in the development of the Pastoral Centres at St. Stephen, Hull, and later at the former Endsleigh College. In the early 1980's, he established scriptural training courses for the laity, and was a most active supporter of the Hull Pastoral Assembly. He played a leading part in ecumenical sctivities in the city and the East Riding of Yorkshire, including the 'Churches Together' group, which continues to be the prime focus for ecumenical co-operation in the area.
On reaching age 75, he tended his resignation to the Holy Father. Despite deteriorating health, he celebrated the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination both at St. Charles, and with his brother priests in Middlesbrough Cathedral. In September 1998, he moved to the Little Sisters of the Poor at Headingley, Leeds.
Bishop O'Brien enjoyed walking, reading and music. Throughout his life he was a charismatic preacher, a skill he maintained throughout his declining years when increasing disability limited his mobility.
Bishop Thomas Kevin O'Brien, affectionately known among his friends as the "Prelate of the Poor", made history when his body was interred at Middlesbrough in North-East England after a Requiem Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in the town.
He was the first bishop of Middlesbrough to be buried in the simple 8ft deep vault since the cathedral was built in 1986.
Bishop O'Brien, who was 81, was auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough from 1981 until he retired aged 75, in 1998. In Hull where he lived he became known as the "Prelate of the Poor" because he greeted homeless young men calling at his presbytery door.
Among stories told by Bishop John Crowley, of Middlesbrough, during the Requiem Mass was about one of the men helped corresponding with Bishop O'Brien from a young offenders' institution - not knowing that the Priest was a Bishop.
In 1996, writing in Edges, Magazine of THOMAS (Those on the Margins of a Society), based at Burnley, Lancashire, Bishop O'Brien told how 30 young men rung the door bell every day at St. Charles, Hull.
He had to restrict the visits from after 8 am., and before 10.30 pm. He admitted he had to "learn patience" because the callers "are ungrateful and they come at the most awkward times."
He said it was hard to read, write, think or pray because the doorbell kept ringing.
"All we can do for them is to give them a sausage roll and 50p. They seem to find that satisfactory enough."
The jovial Cork-born Bishop said people asked him why he helped the callers. He said it was because he realised "how much misery there is in their lives and I think they deserve a little uplift."
He said the callers were "loveable people who have been deprive of love by their families." Family breakdown was at the root of most of the homelessness which needed to be tackled more than other problems, he said.
"These are the people that Jesus dealt with when he was on earth and I feel I must try to deal with them also in the same way."
Mgr. Anthony Bickerstaffe, who lived with Bishop O'Brien at the time, said: "He really loved these lads." He added that his five years at St. Charles with the Bishop were the "icing on the cake" of his 50 years of Priesthood.
Bishop O'Brien was given the honorary degree of doctor of divinity by Hull University in 1998, for his work with the young and disadvantaged.
Eleven bishops and 85 priests took part in the Requiem Mass, which was attended by 600 people.
The coffin was interred in the special vault for Bishops of Middlesbrough near the entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral, Middlesbrough.
Bishop Kevin O'Brien died peacefully in Leeds General Infirmary where had had been taken a few days earlier suffering from pneumonia and other complications of the lungs on Monday, December 27, 2004. For his last six years of life, Bishop Kevin had been cared for devotedly by the Little Sisters of the Poor at St Joseph's Nursing Home in Leeds since his retirement in 1998.
Thomas Kevin O'Brien was born on February 18, 1923, in Cork, Ireland, the youngest son of Jack and Mary O'Brien. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Cork, before training for the priesthood at All Hallows College, Dublin. On June 20, 1948, he was ordained a presbyter at All Hallows's College for the Diocese of Leeds.
His first appointment was assistant parish priest to St. Mary's, Batley, where he served until 1951, when he was appointed to the Cathedral in Leeds. In September 1956, he joined the Catholic Missionary Society and was appointed superior by the bishops from 1960 to 1971. During his time as superior he edited the new course for Non-Catholics at the Catholic Enquiry Centre. In 1971, he was appointed parish priest at St. Patrick, Huddersfield, and Vicar General of the Diocese of Leeds. In August 1979, he was appointed parish priest of St. Francis, Bradford.
On November 9, 1981, at the age of 58, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough, England, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Árd Carna on December 8, from Bishop Augustine Harris, assisted by Bishops William Gordon Wheeler and Gerald Moverley.
He became parish priest of St. Charles, Hull, the Central Catholic Church in the City and was chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Home Mission but his major pastoral efforts were in the Diocese and the City of Hull. He led the Diocesan Vocations Team for a period and was involved in the development of the Pastoral Centres at St. Stephen, Hull, and later at the former Endsleigh College. In the early 1980's, he established scriptural training courses for the laity, and was a most active supporter of the Hull Pastoral Assembly. He played a leading part in ecumenical sctivities in the city and the East Riding of Yorkshire, including the 'Churches Together' group, which continues to be the prime focus for ecumenical co-operation in the area.
On reaching age 75, he tended his resignation to the Holy Father. Despite deteriorating health, he celebrated the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination both at St. Charles, and with his brother priests in Middlesbrough Cathedral. In September 1998, he moved to the Little Sisters of the Poor at Headingley, Leeds.
Bishop O'Brien enjoyed walking, reading and music. Throughout his life he was a charismatic preacher, a skill he maintained throughout his declining years when increasing disability limited his mobility.
He was the first bishop of Middlesbrough to be buried in the simple 8ft deep vault since the cathedral was built in 1986.
Bishop O'Brien, who was 81, was auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough from 1981 until he retired aged 75, in 1998. In Hull where he lived he became known as the "Prelate of the Poor" because he greeted homeless young men calling at his presbytery door.
Among stories told by Bishop John Crowley, of Middlesbrough, during the Requiem Mass was about one of the men helped corresponding with Bishop O'Brien from a young offenders' institution - not knowing that the Priest was a Bishop.
In 1996, writing in Edges, Magazine of THOMAS (Those on the Margins of a Society), based at Burnley, Lancashire, Bishop O'Brien told how 30 young men rung the door bell every day at St. Charles, Hull.
He had to restrict the visits from after 8 am., and before 10.30 pm. He admitted he had to "learn patience" because the callers "are ungrateful and they come at the most awkward times."
He said it was hard to read, write, think or pray because the doorbell kept ringing.
"All we can do for them is to give them a sausage roll and 50p. They seem to find that satisfactory enough."
The jovial Cork-born Bishop said people asked him why he helped the callers. He said it was because he realised "how much misery there is in their lives and I think they deserve a little uplift."
He said the callers were "loveable people who have been deprive of love by their families." Family breakdown was at the root of most of the homelessness which needed to be tackled more than other problems, he said.
"These are the people that Jesus dealt with when he was on earth and I feel I must try to deal with them also in the same way."
Mgr. Anthony Bickerstaffe, who lived with Bishop O'Brien at the time, said: "He really loved these lads." He added that his five years at St. Charles with the Bishop were the "icing on the cake" of his 50 years of Priesthood.
Bishop O'Brien was given the honorary degree of doctor of divinity by Hull University in 1998, for his work with the young and disadvantaged.
Eleven bishops and 85 priests took part in the Requiem Mass, which was attended by 600 people.
The coffin was interred in the special vault for Bishops of Middlesbrough near the entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral, Middlesbrough.
Bishop Kevin O'Brien died peacefully in Leeds General Infirmary where had had been taken a few days earlier suffering from pneumonia and other complications of the lungs on Monday, December 27, 2004. For his last six years of life, Bishop Kevin had been cared for devotedly by the Little Sisters of the Poor at St Joseph's Nursing Home in Leeds since his retirement in 1998.
Thomas Kevin O'Brien was born on February 18, 1923, in Cork, Ireland, the youngest son of Jack and Mary O'Brien. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Cork, before training for the priesthood at All Hallows College, Dublin. On June 20, 1948, he was ordained a presbyter at All Hallows's College for the Diocese of Leeds.
His first appointment was assistant parish priest to St. Mary's, Batley, where he served until 1951, when he was appointed to the Cathedral in Leeds. In September 1956, he joined the Catholic Missionary Society and was appointed superior by the bishops from 1960 to 1971. During his time as superior he edited the new course for Non-Catholics at the Catholic Enquiry Centre. In 1971, he was appointed parish priest at St. Patrick, Huddersfield, and Vicar General of the Diocese of Leeds. In August 1979, he was appointed parish priest of St. Francis, Bradford.
On November 9, 1981, at the age of 58, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough, England, by Pope John Paul II, receiving his episcopal consecration with the Titular See of Árd Carna on December 8, from Bishop Augustine Harris, assisted by Bishops William Gordon Wheeler and Gerald Moverley.
He became parish priest of St. Charles, Hull, the Central Catholic Church in the City and was chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Home Mission but his major pastoral efforts were in the Diocese and the City of Hull. He led the Diocesan Vocations Team for a period and was involved in the development of the Pastoral Centres at St. Stephen, Hull, and later at the former Endsleigh College. In the early 1980's, he established scriptural training courses for the laity, and was a most active supporter of the Hull Pastoral Assembly. He played a leading part in ecumenical sctivities in the city and the East Riding of Yorkshire, including the 'Churches Together' group, which continues to be the prime focus for ecumenical co-operation in the area.
On reaching age 75, he tended his resignation to the Holy Father. Despite deteriorating health, he celebrated the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination both at St. Charles, and with his brother priests in Middlesbrough Cathedral. In September 1998, he moved to the Little Sisters of the Poor at Headingley, Leeds.
Bishop O'Brien enjoyed walking, reading and music. Throughout his life he was a charismatic preacher, a skill he maintained throughout his declining years when increasing disability limited his mobility.
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