Brian Vincent Finnigan was born on 25 August 1938 at Port Fairy, Victoria. He is the youngest of twelve children, seven girls and five boys, of John Joseph Finnigan and Elizabeth Dorothy Russell.

Education: Brian was educated at Toolong State School and St Patrick's College, Ballarat.

His studies for the priesthood began at Corpus Christi College, Werribee in 1963 and, from 1967, continued at Corpus Christi College, Glen Waverley.

He was ordained to the Priesthood on 23 May 1970 for the Diocese of Ballarat.

Postgraduate studies, commenced in 1977, were undertaken at The Catholic University of America, (Master of Church Administration), St Paul University, Ottawa, Canada (Licentiate in Canon Law and Master in Canon Law), [1990-1991].

In 1998 he was asked by the Australian Bishops conference to take up the position of General Secreatary to the Conference, a position he held until his nomination as Auxiliary Bishop to the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

In the Roman Catholic Church, an auxiliary bishop is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because either the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, or more usually, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer.

In the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Bishop Finnigan shares auxiliary duties with Bishop Joseph Oudeman OFMCap.

As Canon law provides, no bishop can be ordained without title to a certain and distinct episcopal see which he governs either actually or potentially, therefore auxiliary bishops are titular bishops to sees (dioceses) that no longer exist.

Bishop Finnigan is the Titular Bishop of Rapido, a diocese that formerly existed in the Roman province of Mauretania (the western part of modern Algeria) in North Africa.

When dealing with a Bishop the more formal method of address is “My Lord…” but usually using the title of Bishop along with their christian name will suffice.