Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10th., 1929. BISHOP CLEARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1929, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10th., 1929. BISHOP CLEARY

*yilE death of Bishop Cleary removes from New Zealand one of its foremost Churchmen, and this fact is recognised by the series of tributes to his work and character coming from representatives of all the Churches. It is on such occasions, that differences of opinion are forgotten, and only the merits of the one honoured, are remembered. We have previously published a summary of the late Bishop’s career. His\seventy years of human life were fairly full of incident, and he will be long remembered in this country. He was never lacking the courage of his convictions, and was a doughty opponent. As editor of the “New Zealand Tablet,” he was a clever journalist, his contributions being read with interest even by many who did not share his views. The late Bishop was a recognised authority on education, and fought hard for the recognition of the principle that without religion there can be no real education. As was to be expected, his controversial writings and speeches aroused opposition in some quarters, but that did not affect his personal popularity. Proof of Bishop Cleary’s patriotism was forthcoming during the Great War, when he served as Chaplain with the N.Z.E.F., and later, in the trenches, with the Second Brigade. He was awarded the 0.8. E. when the war ended. He was keen on progress, and was the first Bishop to use an aeroplane for diocesan visits. Always busy with episcopal duties, he yet found time to undertake further journalistic work, editing and successfully establishing “The Month.” Altogether, it was not surprising that his health gave way, and that after a characteristic struggle, his strength failed, and his passing has to be recorded. His work for his Church is not a matter for comment in secular columns, but that he was a good and faithful servant to the' Roman Catholic cause was obvious. In public life, generally, he strove for social reforms and betterment of conditions for the weak and poor, and all parts of the Dominion will offer sympathy to the Auckland district, which has suffered a real loss by the passing of Bishop Cleary.