17 Facts About Norman Gilroy

Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy was an Australian bishop.

Norman Gilroy was the first Australian-born cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

Norman Gilroy left Australia in February 1915 and served in the Gallipoli campaign of World War I in 1915 as a naval wireless operator on the Hessen off Gallipoli and Imbros.

Norman Gilroy expressed an interest in becoming a priest and began his studies at St Columba's Springwood in 1917 and continued from 1919 at the Urban College in Rome.

Norman Gilroy received his doctorate in divinity in Rome the following year.

Norman Gilroy received episcopal consecration on St Patrick's Day 1935 with Archbishop Filippo Bernardini as principal consecrator.

Norman Gilroy was created a cardinal by Pope Pius XII on 18 February 1946, and was assigned the title of cardinal-priest of Santi Quattro Coronati, becoming the first Australian-born member of the College of Cardinals.

Norman Gilroy participated in the papal conclave of 1958 which elected Pope John XXIII, and in the papal conclave of 1963 which elected Pope Paul VI.

Norman Gilroy was the first Roman Catholic cardinal to receive a knighthood since the English Reformation.

Norman Gilroy was named Australian of the Year in 1970.

Norman Gilroy resigned as Archbishop of Sydney in July 1971 and died in Sydney in 1977, aged 81.

Norman Gilroy always maintained his exacting standards but showed compassion for those who failed to meet them.

Norman Gilroy was unable to bring to concrete realisation his plan to establish a Catholic university but was to some extent successful in his project to found a faculty of theology at Manly.

Norman Gilroy avoided direct political comment and believed that the church should not become involved in politics.

Norman Gilroy firmly opposed Santamaria's activities and banned the distribution of his movement's literature in Sydney churches.

In 2017, the first extended biography of Norman Gilroy was published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the cardinal's death.

Norman Gilroy College celebrated its 25th anniversary as a school community in 2004.