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Date Event/ Title
8 Apr 1939 Born New York
29 May 1965 Ordained Priest Priest of New York, New York, USA
1990 Appointed Rector of the Pontifical North American College
1994 Resigned Rector of the Pontifical North American College
6 Feb 1996 Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of New York, New York, USA
6 Feb 1996 Appointed Titular Bishop of Thizica
25 Mar 1996 Ordained Bishop Titular Bishop of Thizica
7 Apr 1997 Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of United States of America, Military
7 Apr 1997 Appointed Titular Archbishop of Thizica
12 Aug 1997 Succeeded Archbishop of United States of America, Military
7 Mar 1998 Resigned Titular Archbishop of Thizica
12 Jul 2007 Appointed Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland, USA
1 Oct 2007 Installed Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland, USA
29 Aug 2011 Appointed Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of
Jerusalem
18 Feb 2012 Elevated to Cardinal
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15th Archbishop of Baltimore
Motto: Pastores Dabo Vobis "I will give you shepherds" –Jeremiah 3:15
Edwin Frederick O’Brien was born April 8, 1939 in the Bronx, New York, son of Edwin Frederick O’Brien, Sr. and Mary Winifred O’
Brien. He was one of three children, including brothers Ken and Tom (now both deceased). He attended St. Joseph’s
Seminary, Dunwoodie, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961, a Master of Divinity in 1964, and a Master of Arts
degree in 1965. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York on May 29, 1965 by Francis Cardinal Spellman.
His first assignment was as a civilian chaplain at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He would later
be commissioned to become a military chaplain and in 1970, he officially became an Army Chaplain with the rank of Captain,
serving with the 82nd Airborne Division. From 1971 to 1972, he served a tour of duty in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne
Brigade and 1st Cavalry Brigade. From a base of operations in the middle of a jungle, he and a Protestant minister flew by
helicopter to defensive outposts where they would provide for the spiritual needs of the soldiers.
In 1973, he left the military and began his doctoral studies at Rome’s Angelicum University. While preparing for his doctorate
in sacred theology, Archbishop O’Brien was a graduate student at the Pontifical North American College. He studied moral
theology and completed his doctoral dissertation, entitled The Origin and Development of Moral Principles in the Writings of
Paul Ramsey, in 1976.
He returned to continue his service to the Archdiocese of New York, serving as vice-chancellor for the Archdiocese and
associate pastor at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In 1979 he coordinated Pope John Paul II’s visit to New York and for two years
served as communications director for the Archdiocese. In 1986, he was elevated to Monsignor and served two terms as
rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary from 1985-1989 and 1994-1997. From 1990-1994, he served as rector of the Pontifical North
American College in Rome.
On February 6, 1996, he was named Auxiliary Bishop of New York and bishop of the titular see of Thizica. He was consecrated
by Cardinal John O’Connor at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on March 25, 1996. On April 7 of the following year, he was named co-
adjutor bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services and on August 12, 1997, he succeeded as archbishop. The
Archdiocese for the Military Services serves 1.5 million Catholics including all U.S. Armed Forces and their families as well as
170 Veterans Administration hospitals and U.S. Government employees overseas.
From September 2005 to June 2006, he served as the Holy See’s coordinator for the Papal Visitation of Seminaries and
Houses of Priestly Formation and this spring was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education and
Seminaries.
On July 12, 2007, his appointment as Archbishop of Baltimore by Pope Benedict XVI was announced. He succeeded Cardinal
William H. Keeler, who served as the 14th Archbishop of the nation’s oldest diocese from 1989-2007, whose resignation was
accepted having reached the age limit.
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