Resignation of the Bishop of Bendigo.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 18, 1 May 1902, Page 3

Resignation of the Bishop of Bendigo.

A good deal of surprise and very general jregret was felt when it became known that the Right Rev. Dr. Reville, 0.5.A., had tendered his resignation of the See of Bendigo to the Holy Father. Of course (writes the Bendigo correspondent of the Sydney Freeman's Journal) the newspapers immediately cast about for some sensational reason for this step, As reticence was observed in the only rpliable quarter, a theory was soon evolved to the following effect : — ' The original church of tho pariah, which the Bishop of Bendigo administers directly, was known as St. Eilian's. In the last 1 2 months a handsome new cathedral, known a 9 the Church of the Sacred Heart, has been built. Money was borrowed for the purpose upon the assumption thot a bequest of nearly £90,000 and £6000 a year by the late Dr. Backhans, would be available to liquidate the obligation incurred. Incidentally it may be mentioned that there is now some doubt whether the legacy oan be expended outside the limits of the original parish of St. Eilian's. The lump sum of £90,000 will, however, fall due in a few weeks, and, according to the testator's will, the bequest must be administered by a secular bishop, that is a bishop who is not a member of any religious Order. Dr. Reville is attached to the Order of St. Augnstine, and, accordingly, he feels that this provision in the will debars him from acting as administrator of the money.' This theory (writes the correspondent) has the very serious defect of being quite incorrect. As a matter of fact, there has been no development in connection with the bequest of the late Very Rev. Dr. Backhaas which would in any way account for Dr. Reville's resignation. The present Bishop was Vicar-General of the diocese when Dr. Backhaus died in 1882; be was subsequently for many years Coadjutor to the late Bishop Crane ; and nobody could possibly be in a better position to know the obligations imposed by the will than Dr. Reville. Besides it is preposterous to suppose that the bequest, valuable though it is, would in any way be permitted to regulate the episcopal appointment to Bendigo. The provisions of Dr. Backhaus's will, briefly, are ' that all tho real property in Victoria and South Australia is to be vested in trustees for ever, the income to accumulate for 20 years, and then to be applied by the parish priest for the time being of St. Eilian's for the benefit of St. Eilian's Church for religious and useful purposes. After 20 yearp, the income to be handed over annually to the said parish priest, provided that such priest be a secular priest. If not a secular priest, then the trustees to dispose of the accumulations and the annual income for the benefit of St. Eilian's Church and the congregation thereof in such manner as they may think proper.' So that it would require hostility on the part of the trustees to the best interests of the diocese and parish to prevent the administration of the funds under a regular priest. And this is an unlikely contingency. The Very Rev. Dean Barry, P.P., D.D. (who is a co-trustee in the estate with Mr. Charles Mundelein and the Sandhurst Trustees Company), says there was no trouble threatening regarding the estate, and whoever may be appointed to fill the vacancy, assuming the Pope accepted the resignation, would be no better off than Bishop Reville. It shrnld be stated, that under the terms of Dr. Backhaus's will, moneys arising from the estate should not be touched for over 20 years. That term will expire in a few months by which time it is calculated the estate will be worth £120,000. Three or four years ago, however, the church authorities obtained a loan from Mr. George Lansell, on the strength of expectations under Dr. Backhaus's will, and with this money the main portion of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Wattle-square has been erected. Dr. Barry explains that the best legal advice waa obtained in this, as in all other transactions regarding the administration of the estate, and the late Bishop Crane and Dr. Reville, who was then Coadjutor-Bishop, fully acquiesced in what was done. There was no difference between Bishop Reville and the trusteea of the estate, and so far as he (Dr. Barry) was aware, the only reason the Bishop had for resigning was the unsatisfactory state of his hpalth. Later inquiries have elicited the information that Bishop Revilie tendered his resignation to Cardinal Morau about the end of February, and as the mail steamer by which his Eminence left on his visit to Rome is about due at Naples, the Pope's decision regarding the acceptance or otherwise may come to hand at any time. Meanwhile rumor ia busy providing a successor to Dr. lleville, the names mentioned most prominently being the Very Rev. Dean Hegarty, of Eyneton, and the Very Rev. Dean U'Haran (private secretary to and at present accompanying the Cardinal to Rome). But it ia neodless to say that these rumors are purely speculative. The Augustinian Order, to which Dr. Reville belongs, has given four Bi&hops to the Australian Church — viz , the late Bishop of Bendigo (Dr. Crane), the late Bishop of Cooktown (Dr. Hutohinson), the present Bishop of Cooktown (Dr. Murray), and Bishop Reville himself. The last named was appointed Coadjutor-Bishop of Bendigo and consecrated under the title of Bishop of Ceramis, in partibuy. in 1883, and succeeded Bishop Crane on the death of that venerable prelate iv October last. During his connection with the diocese Dr. Reville has won the admiration of all classes by hia piety and the ability and holy zeal with which he has discharged the onerous duties of his high office.