Roman Catholic Cardinal. The son of a cycle manufacturer's manager and city councillor, Bernard Griffin studied at Birmingham, Staffordshire and Rome, joining in the meantime the Royal Naval Air Service during the Great War. During this period, he suffered a heart attack but concealed it from physicians in order to avoid a discharge which he feared would prevent his acceptance for the priesthood. Ordained on November 1, 1924, in Rome, he successively served among others at parish priest of Coleshill, chancellor and vicar general of the archdiocese of Birmingham, administrator of diocesan charitable homes and representative of the religious advisory committee of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Appointed auxiliary of Birmingham at the early age of 39, he received his episcopal consecration on May 26, 1938, with the titular see of Appia. An an air raid warden during the Battle of Britain, he was promoted to metropolitan see of Westminster, on December 18, 1943, and subsequently created cardinal with the title of Ss. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio by Pope Pius XII. He died suddenly of a heart attack, while holidaying at "Winwaloe", a resting house, in Polzeath Bay, Cornwall at the age of 57.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. The son of a cycle manufacturer's manager and city councillor, Bernard Griffin studied at Birmingham, Staffordshire and Rome, joining in the meantime the Royal Naval Air Service during the Great War. During this period, he suffered a heart attack but concealed it from physicians in order to avoid a discharge which he feared would prevent his acceptance for the priesthood. Ordained on November 1, 1924, in Rome, he successively served among others at parish priest of Coleshill, chancellor and vicar general of the archdiocese of Birmingham, administrator of diocesan charitable homes and representative of the religious advisory committee of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Appointed auxiliary of Birmingham at the early age of 39, he received his episcopal consecration on May 26, 1938, with the titular see of Appia. An an air raid warden during the Battle of Britain, he was promoted to metropolitan see of Westminster, on December 18, 1943, and subsequently created cardinal with the title of Ss. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio by Pope Pius XII. He died suddenly of a heart attack, while holidaying at "Winwaloe", a resting house, in Polzeath Bay, Cornwall at the age of 57.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
Inscription
CARDINAL
BERNARD GRIFFIN
SIXTH ARCHBISHOP
OF WESTMINSTER
1943 - 1956
CARDINAL PRIEST
OF THE TITLE OF
ST. ANDREW AND
ST. GREGORY
ON THE COELIAN HILL
BORN 21 FEB. 1899
DIED 20 AUG. 1956
MAY HE REST IN PEACE
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