"BOY" BISHOPS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 7, 8 July 1931, Page 10

"BOY" BISHOPS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 25th June.

By the appointment last -week of Father T. M. Tox, of Forbes (New South Wales) to the Eoman Catholic Bishopric of ■Wilcannia-lTorbes, Australia ijow has the distinction of having the three youngest bishops in the world. It is even stated that this trio of "boy" bishops is unparalleled in any other denomination throughout the globe. The appointments- are said to be in accordance with spoeial. instructions issued by the Pope that young Australian clergy should succeed to .the vai'ious bishoprics. For years these have been the monopoly of elderly Irish clergy. The appointments of Dr. o'Collins, of Melbourne, to the See of Geralton, Western Australia, and of Dr. Thomas Farrelly to the coadjutor bishopric .of Lismore, New South Wales, were the first indications of the fact that distinguished Australians were at last being given a definite place in the government of the Church in Australia. Dr. O'Collins, who is at present on an official visit to Borne, is only 36 years of age. Bishop Fox, also, is 36, and the youngest of the trio is Dr. Farrclly, who is not yet 35. Dr. Farrelly is a real Australian in every sense of tiic term.! While his comrades received portion of.their training in Eonio, lie was wholly educated in Australia, and the Australian Eoman Catholics are justly proud -of him. Dr. O'Collins, while he was attached to the Melbourne arch-diocese, was one of the loading amateur tennis players in the city area. . It is significant that young men are being appointed to important posts at a time whpii tho Church is entering moro and more into the public life of the community. All denominations ] seem to_ regard tho crisis through which Australia is passing as a special message to the Church as a whole to be "up and doing."