Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 3 November 1921, Page 30

Commonwealth Notes

NEW SOUTH WALES. On Sunday next (says the Freeman’s Journal for October 13 editorially) the Hibernian Society will inaugurate its jubilee celebrations with a Communion breakfast in the Sydney Town Hall, and thereafter will conduct a programme of memorable events in honor of an occasion which interests over 50,(TOO members as well as the Hierarchy and clergy of the Catholic Church. We are not now concerned with the cradle-story of Hibernianism or the precise town which can claim the honor of being its birthplace; but there is no dispute that its. first bow to the Australian public was a very modest one, and that the pioneers of the society could scarcely have dreamed that 50 years after it had’been launched it would be one of the greatest and most beneficent forces in the Catholic Church in Australia. Even 25 years ago Hibernianism in New South Wales required to do a lot of trumpeting to make its presence felt, and middle-aged men to-day can remember when a Communion breakfast which brought together 50 or 60 people was reported with superlatives in the Catholic papers. It was during more recent years particularly that the society began to progress almost sensationally, piling up membership and establishing branches throughout the length and breadth of the land. And it was in recent years, too, that Hibernianism decided it would have another objective besides that of becoming the greatest friendly society in the Australian Catholic Church. When prelates and priests on occasions have fondly alluded to it as “the right hand of the Church” they have been mindful of something more than its care of its own members and its fine record of successful management. They have been recalling its practical interest in parochial works and in Catholic institutions that might be said to have a national character. The Hibernian Society has not only put its hand in its own pocket to help good causes out of the financial mire, but it has used its powerful and widespread organisation to secure regular funds for our great and struggling Catholic works. Thousands of pounds are thus to its credit on the charity side of the ledger, whilst in the building up of that great monument of Australian Catholicity, St. Mary’s Cathedral, the cheque-book of the Hibernian Society has played its part.

VICTORIA. His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne (Most Rev, Dr. Mannix) celebrated the ninth anniversary of-Ms-con-secration to the episcopacy on Thursday, 6th nit. His Grace was consecrated Archbishop of Pharsalus and Coad-jutor-Archbishop of Melbourne by his Eminence Cardinal Logue (Primate of All Ireland) in Maynooth. His Grace succeeded to Melbourne on May 6, 1917. There was a very large attendance (says the Advocate, Melbourne, for October 13) at the ceremony of blessing and opening the extensive additions to St, Patrick’s College, Grey Street, East Melbourne, last Sunday afternoon by his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr, Mannix), who was accompanied by the Very Rev. J. Barry, Adm. The grounds bore a festive aspect, being set off by flags of all nations. The platform was backed by the Australian flag and the Irish flag. St. Vincent de Paul’s Boys’ Orphanage Band, South Melbourne, played selections during the afternoon. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, his Grace the Archbishop, who was received with applause, said he was delighted to find so many of the old boys coming to give a helping hand to St. Patrick’s College(applause)though some of them were much older than they would like to acknowledge. (Laughter.) This was the first time that their alma mater had appealed to them. As Father Boylan had said, St. Patrick’s College was an historical landmark in the history of Catholic education in Victoria. Indeed, it was a landmark in the history of Victoria itself. For the establishment of St. Patrick’s College took them .back beyond the time of Archbishop Carr to the early days of Dr. Goold, when, with less than 20,000 Catholics in the whole of Victoria, the founda* tion stone of St. Patrick’s Cathedral was laid in 1850, and then the foundation stone of the college in 1854. In a week or two Sydney would be celebrating the centenary of its Cathedral. But v St. Patrick’s Cathedral and. St.

Patrick's College were quite young in comparison. However, a life of 60 or 70 years is not a small thing for a college in this young country. And in the years that had passed St. Patrick's College could point to a long line of distinguished men. He thought the college had established a record in this, that in all the years no appeal had ever been made to the old boys or to the public. Personally, he (the Archbishop) had reason to be very grateful to Father Boylan for improving the. outlook from St. Patrick's Cathedral so much. For every reason, he hoped that there would be a generous response to Father Boylan's appeal. In that and like functions they could feel that they were doing something practical to people the vacant spaces of Australia with good and worthy citizens. At present they were hearing a great deal about those empty spaces. It was not necessary to import a distinguished visitor to tell the people of Australia that their country was very big and their population very small. That was well known, though to read the papers now one would think that a great discovery had been made a few days ago. (Laughter.) It was certainly very desirable that Australia's vacant places should be peopled, but it was also desirable that the people to fill them should be the right kind of people, and that they should be assured of a decent livelihood. (Applause.)- One was inclined to be a little suspicious about this new-found interest in Australia. One was tempted to ask whether those behind this newspaper movement were really thinking of the good of Australia or of the good of other places at the other side of the globe. (Cheers.) After the war the old lands were struggling with unrest and unemployment, and in many places there was a surplus population of a very undesirable character. It was only natural that other lands would wish to get rid of their surplus, and that they would, above all, be anxious to get rid of their undesirables. But Australia should have no room for that class of immigrant. (Applause.) They were all familiar with the great clearance sales that were advertised from time to time. They were always told that great bargains were to be had at these sales, but sometimes the fact was that there was a surplus of soiled and damaged goods that had to be cleared out at any cost. Australians should see to it that, in this immigration project, they were not taken in by enterprising people, who might possibly be ready to dump damaged goods, undesirable immigrants, in the vacant spaces of Australia. (Applause.)

QUEENSLAND. With remarkable enthusiasm the Catholics of Brisbane recently celebrated the sacerdotal jubilee of their revered Archbishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Duhig. • His Grace was entertained at numerous functions and gatherings, and the jubilee gifts were both costly and numerous. In the Exhibition Hall the clergy and laity entertained the Archbishop at which the Lieutenant-Governor (Hon. W. Lennon) presided, and associated with him were the following visiting prelates: The Archbishop of Wellington (Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, S.M.), the Bishop of Armidale (Right Rev. Dr. O’Connor), the Bishop of Lisraore (Right Rev. Dr. O’Carroll), the Bishop of Wagga (Right Rev. Dr. Dwyer), and the Bishop of Rockhampton (Right Rev. Dr. Shiel). Occupying seats on the platform were the Very Rev. Dr. O’Reilly, C.M. (St, John’s College, University of Sydney). Eulogistic speeches were given and a message of congratulation from his Holiness the Pope was read. A gold chalice was presented to the jubilarian by Monsignor Byrne, V.G., on behalf of the clergy. An address was also given on jxehalf of the clergy by Father John O’Connell, and in addition to an address, the Lieut.-Governor presented his Grace with a set of silver requirements and vestments. - 7 • '