NEW CATHOLIC BISHOP

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 847, 16 December 1929, Page 14

NEW CATHOLIC BISHOP

DR. LISTON’S CAREER SCHOLAR AND PRIEST Of the prelates officiating at the obsequies of the late Bishop Cleary, none attracted greater public interest than the Right Rev. Dr. Liston. As CoadjutorBishop, he succeeds the late Dr. Cleary as Bishop of Auckland. For the task of controlling the big diocese of Auckland, Bishop Liston is well fitted. The ten years spent as coadjutor-bishop have given him a wide knowledge of the needs of the district. As a student and teacher he has had a brilliant scholastic career, and his wide intellectual, theological, and literary talents admirably fit him for the position. The Right Rev. James Michael Liston was born at Dunedin on June 2, 1881. He received his early education at the Christian Brothers’ schools, Dunedin, and in 1893 went to St. Patrick’s Ecclesiastical College, Manly, Sydney, where he studied under the late Dr. Verdon, afterward Bishop of Dunedin. From there he went to Concliffe College, Dublin, in 1897, remaining until 1900. Next he went to the Irish

College, Rome, where he studied under Monsignor Kelly (now Archbishop of Sydney) and Monsignor Murphy, attending lectures at Propaganda College and the Roman College during a period of three years. He was ordained in the cathedral at Dunedin cn January 31, 1904, and took up his duties as professor at Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, until 1910, when he was appointed rector, a position he held until 1920, when he was appointed Coadjutor-Bishop of Auckland.

He was raised to the dignity of the episcopacy on December 12, 1921, at Dunedin, the consecration being performed by Archbishop Redwood, assisted by the late Bishop Cleary. Since his arrival in Auckland, Bishop Liston has paid particular attention to the schools and orphanages throughout the diocese, the building of St. Joseph’s College at Takapuna being largely due to him. Always keenly interested in educational matters, he has given great assistance to the teachers in the Catholic schools. Bishop Liston is also well known as a contributor to Roman Catholic and secular newspapers. Dr. Liston celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on January 31 of this year.