Fed: Australia's oldest priest dies aged 100

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2001
Fed: Australia's oldest priest dies aged 100

SYDNEY, Aug 8 AAP - Australia's oldest priest, Monsignor George Crennan has died at
the age of 100, the Catholic Church said today.

He passed away in Sydney yesterday. No cause of death was given.

Born in South Australia, Monsignor Crennan was ordained as a priest on March 21, 1931
after seminary studies in Sydney and Rome.

He then worked in parishes in the diocese of Wagga Wagga until his appointment as national
director of the Sydney-based Federal Catholic Immigration Committee on August 18, 1949.

He developed interest-free loans for refugees, helping about 60,000 people, the church said.

Monsignor Crennan retired from the office in 1995 and became chaplain to students at
Sacred Heart Convent in Sydney's Rose Bay and Kincoppal-Rose Bay College.

The funeral mass for Monsignor Crennan's burial will take place at 2pm on Friday, August
10, at St Mary Magdalene's Parish Church at Rose Bay, in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Sydney Archbishop George Pell will be the main celebrant, assisted by Bishop Patrick
Dougherty of the Bathurst diocese who will deliver the Homily.

AAP as/rp/vr

KEYWORD: CRENNAN

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