BISHOP CLEARY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1929, Page 13

BISHOP CLEARY

DEATH THIS AFTERNOON

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day. Bishop Cleary died this afternoon,

The lato Dr. Clcary was born at Oulart, County Wexford, in 1859, his father being a South of Ireland farmer. His early education was gained at St. Peter's College, Wexford, after which he went to Maynooth, the ecclesiastical college near Dublin, and later to St. Sulpice College, Paris, and the Appolinare College, Rome. It was in Rome that ho was ordained in 1885, by the Cardinal Vicax-. Returning to his native county, he was appointed ' assistant priest in the parish of Boolavoogno. After serving there for some time he joined the staff of the Mission House, Enniscorthy, and then that of his old college, St. Peter's.

Failing in health, towards the end of the 'eighties he came out to Australia, and in 1888 became a priest in the diocese of Ballarat. It was from there that'he was called to Dunedin to edit tho "Tablet," which Bishop Verdun had lately established, and he plied the journalistic pen for twelve years—until, in fact, the Vatican appointed him Bishop of Auckland in 1910, on the death of Bishop Lenihan. At the time this call came to him Dr. Cleary 'was at Montreal, in the course of a twelve months' tour, on the eve of which Be had been presented at Dunedin with a purse of sovereigns and a motor-car, to which contributions had been made by both Catholics and non-Catholics resident throughout New Zealand, so widely were his sterling personal qualities known and appreciated. The campaign was in the interests of a scheme for the distribution of Catholic news throughout the world, and extended through the United States, Canada, South America, and Great Britain. Dr.

Cleary's consecration as Bishop of Auckland took place in St. Aidan's Cathedral, Enniseorthy, and on his return to New Zealand in January, 1911, he entered upon his new responsibilities. In 1913 his name was one of three selected for the appointment of Bishop of Adelaide, but he declined candidature, x)l"e^crl'ing to remain in Auckland.

One feature of Dr. Cleary's administration in the North was his dealing with the Natives. Like the Anglican Bishop Selwyn, he made a special study of the Maori language in order to be able _to preach and to catechise the aborigines in their own tongue, and his figure was known in every kianga in his diocese, and known as that of a devoted friend of the race. Education, both in his editorial career and when he became one of the princes of his church, was a subject in which ho took especial interest, and many thousands of pounds were raised by the Catholics of the Auckland district for the eerction of their special schools. Further, the injustice which he considered to be inflicted upon his church by tho withholding of State aid to- Catholic education was a theme which he urged year in and year out, stressing as he did the importance of religious as distinguished from purely' secnlar education. It naturally followed that he was one of the foremost opponents of the Bible-in-schools movement. On this and kindred subjects tho pamphlets bearing his signature are numerous.

Dr. Cleary's interests were by no means limited to his church. In the industrial troubles of 1913 he was an influential intermediary between the maritime strikers and their employees. As long as the trouble lasted he was a regular visitor to the Auckland wharves, in close touch with the men, studying their attitude, and endeavouring to' bring about a settlement, on which, eventually,, his representations to the disputants had a *sry powerful influence. Far from being a religious recluse, the Bishop made a close study of all important movements. Most of his journeyings about the diocese were made in his motor-car, but he was also the first cleric to make use of the aeroplane, employing it on more than one of his pastoral tours, at a time when itwas quite a new machine to the Do-

minion.

His distinction went beyond the field of theology to that of journalism. Bofore his elevation to the purple he had been for many years the editor of the organ of his church in New Zealand, the "New Zealand Tablet," published at Dunedin, and a very incisive writer, and able organiser and good-natured controversialist he proved himself during the years in which he wielded the pen. After his installation as Bishop of Auckland his old hobby again asserted itself, and led him to establish another press organ, under the title of "The Month." To its columns he was one of the principal contributors, and many of his articles obtained circulation far beyond the columns of a sectarian journal. His journalistic training was also useful to his church whenever it became involved in any importj ant public controversy. Nothing came I amisß to his pen; he could write entertainingly, forcefully, and with an evident knowledge of facts, the result of wide and careful study, on a very largo range of subjects, and in his private relations with all sections of the community his personality and general good qualities won for him much love and admiration.

By no means robust in constitution, the Bishop's health was at various periods a subject of- concern to his friends and flock. In 1915 ho undertook a-long holiday tour to Australia and Europe, which included a visit to the Vatican, and in its course had to submit to more than one surgical operation. On his recovery he did valuable service by acting as a padre with the Dominion forces in the French trenches. Eventually he returned to Auckland much restored in health, and was given the assistance of Coadjutor-Bishop Liston in carrying on the work of his diocese. ,