# John Joseph Rafferty > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/John_Joseph_Rafferty > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/John_Joseph_Rafferty.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Joseph_Rafferty > Source revision: 1351539509 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Irish-born Australian Catholic bishop (1912–1962)}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific-prefix = [The Most Reverend](/source/The_Most_Reverend) | name = John Joseph Rafferty | honorific-suffix = | title = [Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus](/source/Auxiliary_Bishop_Emeritus) of [Archdiocese of Perth](/source/Archdiocese_of_Perth) | image = | caption = | province = | archdiocese = [Perth](/source/Archdiocese_of_Perth) | diocese = | see = | term_start = 26 October 1955 | term_end = 6 January 1962 | predecessor = | successor = | ordination = 25 April 1936 at
[St Kieran's College Chapel, Kilkenny](/source/St_Kieran's_College) | ordained_by = [Patrick Collier](/source/Patrick_Collier) | consecration = 26 October 1955 at
[St Mary's Cathedral, Perth](/source/St_Mary's_Cathedral%2C_Perth) | consecrated_by = [Romolo Carboni](/source/Romolo_Carboni) | other_post = Titular Bishop of [Pharan](/source/Palaestina_Salutaris) (1955–1962) | birth_name = John Joseph Rafferty | birth_date = {{Birth date|1912|08|10|df=y}} | birth_place = [Killaloe, County Clare](/source/Killaloe%2C_County_Clare), Ireland | death_date = {{Death date and age|1962|01|06|1912|08|10|df=y}} | death_place = [Killaloe, County Clare](/source/Killaloe%2C_County_Clare), Ireland | buried = | nationality = Irish | religion = [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church) | residence = | parents = | spouse = | children = | motto = We Fly to Thy Patronage | occupation = [Catholic bishop](/source/Catholic_bishop) | profession = | alma_mater = [St Kieran's College](/source/St_Kieran's_College) | signature = }} '''John Joseph Rafferty''' (10 August 1912 – 6 January 1962) was an Irish-born Australian bishop of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church). He served as Auxiliary Bishop of Perth for just over five years before dying suddenly at the age of 49. ==Early life== Rafferty was born in Killaloe, County Clare to Patrick and Ellen Rafferty. He was baptised in the Church of St Flannan and received his education at St Flannan's College in Ennis.{{cite news |title=Mgr. Rafferty Appointed By Rome As Auxiliary Bishop To His Grace |url=https://issuu.com/archdioceseofperth_therecord/docs/the_record_newspaper_pdf_1955-07-14 |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=The Record |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |date=14 July 1955}} He pursued priestly studied at [St Kieran's College](/source/St_Kieran's_College), Kilkenny. While studying there, he was accepted for ministry in the [Archdiocese of Adelaide](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Adelaide). Towards the end of his seminary studies, he was found to be no longer required. He approached then Archbishop Redmond Prendiville of Perth while the bishop was visiting St Kieran's and an agreement was reached whereby Adelaide loaned John Rafferty to Perth for a short period.{{cite news |title=Discovering Auxiliary Bishop John Joseph Rafferty |url=https://therecord.com.au/news/the-record-magazine/discovering-auxiliary-bishop-john-joseph-rafferty/ |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=The Record |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |date=22 June 2022}} ==Priesthood== Rafferty was ordained at St Kieran's College on 25 April 1936 by [Bishop Patrick Collier](/source/Patrick_Collier). He arrived in Perth on 21 July 1936.{{cite web |title=Bishop John Joseph Rafferty † |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/braff.html |website=catholic-hierachy.org |access-date=28 April 2026}}{{cite news |title=Of General Interest |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/171920954?searchTerm=perth%20rafferty%20priest |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=Advocate |date=23 July 1936}} His first appointment was as assistant at [St Mary's Cathedral, Perth](/source/St_Mary's_Cathedral%2C_Perth). Three years later, he became secretary to [Archbishop Redmond Garrett Prendiville](/source/Redmond_Prendiville), serving in this role until 1947 when he returned to Ireland for a year. He returned in 1948 and was named administrator of [St Mary's Cathedral, Perth](/source/St_Mary's_Cathedral%2C_Perth). He was then made Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Perth in 1949.{{cite news |title=Mgr. Rafferty Appointed By Rome As Auxiliary Bishop To His Grace |url=https://issuu.com/archdioceseofperth_therecord/docs/the_record_newspaper_pdf_1955-07-14 |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=The Record |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |date=14 July 1955}} ==Episcopate== On 12 June 1955, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Perth and Titular Bishop of [Pharan](/source/Palaestina_Salutaris).{{cite web |title=Bishop John Joseph Rafferty † |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/braff.html |website=catholic-hierachy.org |access-date=28 April 2026}} He was consecrated on 26 October 1955 at St Mary's Cathedral, Perth by [Archbishop Romolo Carboni](/source/Romolo_Carboni), Apostolic Delegate to Australasia and Oceania.{{cite news |title=Bishop Rafferty Is Consecrated In Solemn Cathedral Ceremony |url=https://issuu.com/archdioceseofperth_therecord/docs/the_record_newspaper_pdf_1955-10-27 |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=The Record |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |date=27 October 1955}} ==Death== While holidaying in Ireland for a period of six months in, Rafferty suddenly collapsed after visiting friends and died on 6 January 1962. He had been due to return to Perth in just a few days. He was 49. His funeral took place on 12 January 1962.{{cite news |title=Perth Archdiocese Suffers Loss |url=https://issuu.com/archdioceseofperth_therecord/docs/the_record_newspaper_pdf_1962-01-11 |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=The Record |issue=3013 |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |date=11 January 1962}} Rafferty had been a popular figure among his brother priests during his episcopate, with one writing after his funeral: "The number of clergy present showed that wherever the late Bishop travelled he made friends."{{cite news |title=Discovering Auxiliary Bishop John Joseph Rafferty |url=https://therecord.com.au/news/the-record-magazine/discovering-auxiliary-bishop-john-joseph-rafferty/ |access-date=28 April 2026 |work=The Record |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |date=22 June 2022}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef | before=—}} {{s-ttl | title=Auxiliary Bishop of Perth|years=1955–1962}} {{s-aft | after=—}} {{s-bef | before={{ill|Jean-Baptiste-Maximilien Chabalier|fr}}}} {{s-ttl | title=Titular Bishop of [Pharan](/source/Palaestina_Salutaris)|years=1955–1962}} {{s-aft | after=Giulio Barbetta}} {{end}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Rafferty, John Joseph}} Category:1912 births Category:1962 deaths Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Pius XII --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Joseph Rafferty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Joseph_Rafferty) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Joseph_Rafferty?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.