Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 4, 28 January 1925, Page 43

Commonwealth Notes

NEW SOUTH WALES. | Right Rev. Abbot B.Gariador; 0.5.8., Su-perior-General of the Subiaco Congregation of the Benedictine Order, is at present on a visitation to the monasteries of the province. He is accompanied by his secre- ' tary, Very, Rev. Father Palacios, 0.5.8., of the • Monastery of Montserrat, Spain. The distinguished visitors have just arrived from New Norcia, West Australia, and are the guests of his Grace the Archbishop at St. Mary's Cathedral Presbytery. They travel soon to the Philippines to visit the Benedictine monasteries there. The Subiaco Congregation of Benedictines has 5 provinces, 37 monasteries, 838 monks, and 299 novices in training. The provinces included under the jurisdiction of the Right Rev. Abbot are N Italy, England, Belgium, France and Spain. The Lord Abbot is a most cultured man. He speaks most of the European languages. For several years he was a member of the famous Abbey of Buckfast, in England, and for 13 years he was associated with his Order in Palestine. By the end of this month a new and valuable asset will be added to this town—the teaching Order of the Christian Brothers (say's the Young Chronicle). They will commence their teaching operations on the 27th inst. Already there is a stir in the town in preparation for their coming. | The Rev. James Isidore Larkin, a venerable member of the Franciscan Order, died in Paddington, Sydney, the other week. The .deceased priest was a native of Co. Galway, liTcknd, where he was born in 1845. lie studied for the priesthood, and entered the Franciscan Monastery in 1866. Ordained priest, at St. Isidore's Church, Rome, in August, 1871, he spent over thirty years on the Irish Mission. Seeking a change of health, he was transferred to Australia in 1905. Ht was attached to the Waverley Mission, where he stayed a few months, and went to St. Francis', Paddington, from there. His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney presided at the Requiem and delivered the panegyric. 1' VICTORIA. The Right Rev. Dr. Foley, Bishop of Ballarat, who is proceeding on a visit to Europe, will be absent for six months. During his trip abroad he will visit Rome to take part in the pilgrimage in connection with Holy Year. The Bishop has given a farewell donation of 25 guineas to St. Patrick's Day festival committee of Ballarat. A few months ago he donated £IOOO to the Jubilee Fair Fund, organised in connection with the completion of St. Aloysius' Church, Ballarat East, and the erection of new schools. During the absence -of the Bishop the diocese will be administered by the Vicar-General, Rev. Mgr. Marshall, of Warrnambool. The Bi>y2?p, who is a native of Cork, will stay for some time in Ireland. He received his theo"fefPjjfritraining at Maynooth College in that country. : -.'■'•■ J His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne

(the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix) has received calble messages of condolence in connection with the death of his mother;.also from his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate (Most Rev.' Archbishop Cattaneo) and the Hierarchy of Australasia. His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix), his Lordship the Bishop of Sandhurst (the Right Rev. Dr. McCarthy), his Lordship the Bishop of Goulburn (the Right Rev. Dr. Barry), and over fifty priests, attended the Requiem in St. Mary's Cathedral, Sale, on Friday, for the repose of the soul of the late Bishop Phelan (says the Freeman's Journal for January 15). His Grace the Archbishop presided, and the Bishop of Sandhurst sang Pontifical Requiem High Mass. There was a very large congregation, including many non-Catholics. Messages of condolence were received from the Apostolic Delegate (the Most Rev. Archbishop Cattaneo) and from the Hierarchy of Australia, His Grace the Archbishop, in the course of bis tribute, said that at times a man's qualities were exaggerated in the hour of death, but in the case of Bishop Phelan it was difficult to say anything in his praise which was not richly deserved. Writing to an intimate friend, Bishop Phelan, after the stormy life he had led, remarked that never once in the course of his long life had he met with a heavy cross, disappointment, or failure. Few men could say such a thing, and fewer with any semblance of truth, and yet he had experienced' one unfulfilled dosire—the desire to return to Australia to die among those with whom he' had labored. When all hope of life had been extinguished, and in spite of his weakness, he had booked his passage to Sale. . God had, however, ordained otherwise, and their beloved Bishop had found his last resting place in the native land which he loved so much. Bishop Phelan was a remarkable man, and by his passing Sale and Gippsland had lost an outstanding figure. The first citizen in the land, the priests, and the Catholic people, had lost not only an intimate friend but also a champion and defender, who was never found wanting in any crisis. He had great gifts of ■ heart and greater gifts of mind. He had a large, generous heart, and no man stood more staunchly foy his friends. He was a man of powerful intellect, eloquent, tireless and painstaking, and of indomitable will. He possessed magnificent optimism, and made failure but a stepping-stone to greater triumphs. His place would not readily be filled, for, with all his great gifts, he was a man with the faith of a simple Irish peasant woman. . QUEENSLAND. %■';. '".^ Referring recently to education, the Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr.' Duhig, said that although within the last 10 years they had doubled the number of their schools, several places were still 1 awaiting the coming of the Sisters and the Brothers.- The Christian Brothers' schools and colleges covered a wide

field, with marvellous success, yet he was not satisfied that anything like sufficient -; schools for the education of their boys had yet been provided, as it had been very difficult to get the necessary teaching staffs? Quite recently, .he had .purchased a j superb : site on the Brisbane River, and he hoped to see erected on it a college that would provide ] for their boys an education equal to anything which the Order that would conduct it was providing for the youth of Europe. His Grace referred to the many magnificent sites " acquired by the Church around the city and suburbs during the past decade. Catholics could point to these,' and hold their heads high, as they were an indication of the giant strides their religion was' making. Ho said that the 11 priests of 10 years ago in the city had increased to 40, and instead of 17 Sunday Masses in Brisbane, they now had 70, with churches packed to the doors. When his Grace had begun to purchase sites he was regarded as reckless, but time had proved the wisdom of every step thus taken, and every purchase made in the interests of religion. To-day many of these sites could not be purchased, and if they were available it would be at ten times their original cost. Dr. Duhig feelingly thanked the people for their generosity and spirit of faith, by which they, maintained. the splendid traditions of Catholic Brisbane.- For him the year had been a most strenuous;.one7 entailing travelling to the extent of 17,000 miles, t and work tnal had kept him constantly away from the city, but the consolations were much greater than the sacrifice which 'they postulated. i