Patrick Brisbane

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Patrick Brisbane (1926 – 8 November 1974) was the first Aborigine to be ordained a priest in the Anglican Church of Australia (then called the Church of England in Australia) in 1970.[1][2]

Early life[edit]

Brisbane was born in 1926 in the tribal bushland of the Atampaya people, but brought up at Injinoo (then called Cowal Creek) when members of his tribe settled there.[3] Brisbane was educated at Cowal Creek to Year 5 Standard.[4] For 15 years he was a pearl diver.[5]

Clerical career[edit]

Brisbane had felt a calling to ordination since his schooldays.[6] He trained for ordination at St Paul's Theological College, Moa.[7] He was ordained deacon in 1969 and priest in 1970, by the Bishop of Carpentaria, the Rt Rev Eric Hawkey.[8] Alan Gill, the religious affairs correspondent of The Sydney Morning Herald, described Brisbane's ordination as a priest as "perhaps the most momentous - if least reported - event in Australian Anglican history".[9] Brisbane's importance to Australian Anglican history has been little recognised, but it was sufficiently significant that the Queensland Minister for Aboriginal and Island Affairs, Nev Hewitt, attended the ordination.[10] The first Aboriginal Australian to be ordained a deacon in the Anglican Church had been the Rev James Noble in 1925, but Noble never proceeded on to ordination as a priest.[11] The first Torres Strait Islanders to be ordained priests in the Anglican Church were the Rev Joseph Lui and the Rev Poey Passi in 1925.

Brisbane was a curate at St Michael's Church at Agenehambo, near Popondetta, in Papua New Guinea, 1969–70,[12] and then Curate at Lockhart River from 1971.[13] The former Bishop of Carpentaria, the Rt Rev Tony Hall-Matthews, credits Brisbane with having taught him much about Aboriginal culture at Normanton.[14] Brisbane then returned to his community at Injinoo, where he was Priest in Charge.[15]

Personal life[edit]

Brisbane was married to Tuam, and had two children.[16] He died in 1974, and was buried in the church at Injinoo.[17] When that building was replaced by a new church in 1977, his remains were translated to it.[18] A new tombstone was installed in 1992.[19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Church Times: "Carpentaria", 4 December 1970, p 17". Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1973-74, 85th Edition, p 115.
  8. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1973-74, 85th Edition, p 115.
  9. ^ Loos, Noel, White Christ, Black Cross: The Emergence of a Black Church, (2007: Aboriginal Studies Press), p 151.
  10. ^ "THE CATHEDRAL PARISH:". Torres News. Vol. L, no. 51. Queensland, Australia. 24 November 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 6 May 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ Loos, Noel, White Christ, Black Cross: The Emergence of a Black Church, (2007: Aboriginal Studies Press), p 151.
  12. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1973-74, 85th Edition, p 115.
  14. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Advertising". Torres News. Vol. P, no. 49. Queensland, Australia. 12 November 1974. p. 20. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "CARPENTARIA CROSS ROADS". Torres News. Queensland, Australia. 9 October 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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