Cornelius Keogh
Encyclopedia
Father Cornelius Keogh, OAM
, is an Australian Roman Catholic priest
who founded the International Community Mental Health Movement GROW
.
Keogh entered the Springwood
seminary at 18 years of age, and went on to study in Rome
, obtaining degrees in philosophy and theology, and was ordained. On his return to Australia he became Professor of Philosophy at Springwood
.
Keogh suffered ill health in 1954 and was treated in hospital for mental illness. In 1957, whilst he was recovering from his episodes of unwellness, he began attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous
, because there was at that stage no other support group available. Along with others who were also recovering from mental illness, Keogh began to develop the programme material and the structured network of support groups which became the GROW organisation. In 2004, Keogh was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his work with GROW.
Keogh had resided in Sydney
, Australia and left this world on November 24 , 2011 .
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, is an Australian Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who founded the International Community Mental Health Movement GROW
GROW
GROW is a peer support and mutual-aid organization for recovery from, and prevention of, serious mental illness. GROW was founded in Sydney, Australia in 1957 by Father Cornelius B. "Con" Keogh, a Roman Catholic priest, and psychiatric patients who sought help with their mental illness in...
.
Keogh entered the Springwood
Springwood
Springwood may refer to different locations:*Springwood Estate at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site*Springwood, New South Wales, a suburb in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia...
seminary at 18 years of age, and went on to study in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, obtaining degrees in philosophy and theology, and was ordained. On his return to Australia he became Professor of Philosophy at Springwood
Springwood
Springwood may refer to different locations:*Springwood Estate at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site*Springwood, New South Wales, a suburb in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia...
.
Keogh suffered ill health in 1954 and was treated in hospital for mental illness. In 1957, whilst he was recovering from his episodes of unwellness, he began attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
, because there was at that stage no other support group available. Along with others who were also recovering from mental illness, Keogh began to develop the programme material and the structured network of support groups which became the GROW organisation. In 2004, Keogh was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his work with GROW.
Keogh had resided in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia and left this world on November 24 , 2011 .