Rt. Rev. Msgr. Edward
O'Brien (1885-1986)
Born: November 13, 1885 - Carbonear
Ordained: June 24, 1910 - All Hallows
Monsignor: 1956 - Northern Bay
Died: February 21, 1986
Age: 101 Years
Msgr. E.J O'Brien ministering
to the Innu at Sheshatshit
Affectionately Known as Father
Whitehead
(1884-1986).
Priest; missionary. Born Carbonear, son of John and Ellen (Cahill) O'Brien.
Educated St. Bonaventure's College; All Hallow's College, Ireland. Monsignor
E. J. O'Brien studied for the Roman Catholic priesthood in Dublin and was ordained
in 1910. Upon his return to Newfoundland, O'Brien took up parish duties at Tilting
on Fogo Island. In 1914 he was transferred to the parish of Northern Bay, which
was then responsible for Labrador. He made his first visit to North West River/Sheshatshit
in 1921, and thereafter spent more than 20 summers with the Innu of Sheshatshit
and Davis Inlet, to whom he was affectionately known as Father Whitehead because
of his prematurely grey hair. His priesthood in Labrador was marked by tireless
work for the poor.
With financial assistance from the Knights of Columbus in St. John's he provided
clothing and supplies. He also arranged for the Hudson's Bay Company to give
food to families on government account. In 1946, Labrador was separated from
the diocese in Harbour Grace, but O'Brien continued to serve at Northern Bay,
retiring in 1970. He was a keen photographer, and his pictures of Innu life
were donated to the National Film Archives. O'Brien died at the age of 101,
the oldest Roman Catholic priest in Canada at the time.
