BISHOP’S DEATH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 19 August 1941, Page 2

BISHOP’S DEATH

FIJI VICAR APOSTOLIC RIGHT REV. C. J. NICOLAS i The death nt Suva of the Rt. Rev. : Charles Joseph Nicolas, S.M.. C.8.E., titular Bishop of Panopolis and Vicar I Apostolic of Fiji, is announced by ' Press Association cablegram. Nearly' i three years ago Bishop Nicolas celei brated the golden jubilee of his |oi dictation to the priesthood. He had I spent the greater part of his life in j Fiji, but was quite well known in : New Zealand. ‘ Bishop Nicolas always took a keen j interest, in New Zealand, and was most i hospitable ’to visitors from this counjtiy. He clid everything in his power :to welcome the New’ Zealand troops s-.ent to Suva, and opened the local Catholic Club freely to them. He was born in Metz. Lorraine, in 1860, and became a naturalised British subject. Ilis education was received at Montieny. Metz, and Dublin, and he joined the Marist Society in 1882. Bishop Nicolas was first sent to New Caledonia in 1888. and then became parish priest of Suva ProCathedral from 1889 to 1910. In the latter year he was appointed Provincial of Oceania and visitor of Marist Missions, posts which he held until, ir. 1918. he was elected titular Bishop of Panopolis and coadjutor of Bishop Vidal. He was consecrated in Sydney’ l in February. 1919, by the Apostolic delegate, Archbishop Cattaneo. When the Fijian Government was i seeking for someone to take control of the leper colony it was about to establish at Makogai, Bishop Nicolas freely offered the services of the mis- ■ sionary Sisters of Mary, and they have remained in charge of the work there i ever since. At the time of the jubilee ; of his ordination two towers were constructed on the Sacred Heart Cathedral by the Roman Catholic community of ’ Suva as a jubilee gift to the bishop.