A NEW BISHOP.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 845, 17 June 1910, Page 6

A NEW BISHOP.

Q ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND. THE REV. DR. CLEARY APPOINTED. A DISTINGUISHED CAREER. His Grace Archbishop Redwood received cable advice from Rome yesterday morning advising him that tho Holy See had appointed tho Rev. Father Henry W. Cleary, D.D., of Dunedin, Bishop of Auckland, in succession to the late Bishop Lenihan. The ne.ws does not come as a surprise to anyone, as at the meeting of tho clergy of the Auckland diocese, held shortly after the death o£ Bishop Lenihan, the Rev. Dr. Geary, then touring iu South America, uas nominated "dignissimus;" or tho first choice of the ecclesiastical authorities oi! the diocese in which the high ottico had become vacant. Following tho usual practice tho names of three of the clergy were forwarded to Rome, but the Holy See is' not" bound to select any one of them, though naturally, in the case of a colonial bishopric, the Papal authorities—a council of Cardinals—usually accept such nominations as a guide in their choice. A Prophecy.' Admirers of the late Mark Twain will be interested to know, that tho distinguished humorist, philosopher, and man-of letters prophesied that one day Father Geary would be a bishop. This was after the. American writer had,met him in Australia. Strange to say, he was nominated "dignus" in connection with the Bishopric of Ballarat a few years later. Now the high ecclesiastical honour has fallen upon him, and Auckland will be the richer in gaining so distinguished a scholar ajid so uniformly. popular a priest.

Dt. Cleary, who received a thorough education in France, Italy, and Ireland, is a native of County WcxfoTd, where his mother still resides. After his ordination ho came out to Australia, and was given charge of a parish in Ballarat, where his name is revered as that of ail ideal priest. Added to his qualifications as such, lie evinced a strong turn for journalism, and wrote clearly and forcibly oil a variety -of subjects, but was particularly ■ strong in controversial matters affecting Roman Catholicism.

Comes to New Zealand. Wheal Dr. Verdon was appointed Bishop of Dunedin 12 years ago, he brought Father Cleary to Is'ew Zealand to edit the "New Zealand Tablet," and how lie raised that journal to its present position is well known. to every Rornaai Catholic in tho Dominion. The esteem in which he was held was evidenced when he left that city oh a tour of the world in December lost-, on which" occasion the clergy of the whole of New Zealand presented him with an address, in which they congratulated him most cordially on tho attainment' of the silver jubilee of his oTdination as a priest, and the conferring of the' dignity of Doctor of Divinity on him by his Holiness tho Pope. In referring to his work in connection with the "Tablet" the address said:— "By your great talents, your business capacity, and your indefatigable energy, yon have brought the 'New Zealand Tablet' iu influence and literary power into the front rank-of Catholic journalism. In the secular press and in your printed works you have ever been tound ready, when the occasion demanded it, to champion tho cause of your faith and Fatherland."

Dr, Cleary's Trip Abroad. Dr. Cleary is at present in Europe— possibly at Rome. Ho commenced his tour in South America, crossed tho Andes, and toured all the countries up to Mexico and the, United States. In those countries his' powers as a linguist were fully utilised, and, being well equipped in French, German, Spanish, Italian, and English, he experienced no trouble on the score of languages. From • New York Dr. Cleary wrote to Dean Regnault on March 24:—"1 visited New Orleans a second _ time, on my way from Mexico City to New York. I stayed with Father Lafkin, S.M., ono of tho best-known and most popular residents of the southern capital. His hospitality was charming indeed; so was that of Archbishop Blenk, S.M., who charged me to remomber him right cordially to His Grace of Wellington, who ordained him, to Dr. Kennedy (of whom he re- ■ tains the affectionate memory of au old fellpw-student and friend), to you as Provincial, to Bishop Grimes, and generally to tlie Marist Fathers ill New Zealand. Archbishop Blenk I found to bo an altogether charming man. Wo spent an entire day together in his fine palace, and talked on all. manner erf subjects, discovering that we had very many views in common, and I found it virry difficult to get away from his pressing and delightful hospitality. Will you do mo tho favour of saying to His Gract, the Archbishop that Archbishop Blen ! c has promised a paper for the next CAtholic congress ill Wellington. I took the liberty of suggesting to him as Ills subject, "Some Problems of Education in the United States," but at the saSno time left him free in the matter of choice. . There is even a chance of getting the Archbishop to conic to Wellington, and if he docs, his charm of manner and his many gifts would make liini an clement of real success at iho congress. I shall probably get. at. least ono other paper from the Catholic University at Washington, and .ono from the New York Catholic Truth Society, and I hopo a few from Ireland and England." New Bishop's Consecration. It is more than probable that the Rev. Dr. Clcarv will bo consecrated Bishop of Auckland in Rome, particularly if he happens to be there at the present time, as it is considered that for sentimental reasons he might wish to visit his native country and relations in his new and higher ecclesiastical capacity. The late Bishop Lenihnn was consecrated in Auckland, because he happened to be there when he was elevated to the Bishopric. Bishop Verdon was consecrated in Dunedin, and only had to come from Aus-tralia-for the purpose. In the case of Archbishop Redwood and Bishop Grimes, the consecration services were held in London. The local c|ergv lean to the opinion that Dr. Cleary will receive tho mitre in Rome, as he is certain to have an audience with the Pope, and a conference with tho Council of Cardinals, winch have to do with the affairs of the Church iu the colonies.