BISHOP CROKE IN AUSTRALIA.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 196, 25 May 1872, Page 3

BISHOP CROKE IN AUSTRALIA.

The Sydney Freeman's Journal of the 30th April contains a full report, from its Bathurst correspondent, of the proceedings on the arrival of Bishop Croke at Bathurst. The correspondent states that on Sunday, the 24th April, it was announced that Bishop Croke had arrived at Sydney, and was to pay the Bishop of the diocese at Bathurst a visit. It was then resolved that sbme public demonstration of the respect in which Bishop Croke was held should be made on his arrival ; and stated that “ his claims to this public demonstration of respect and welcome were manifold. In the first place, lie has been for a quarter of a century the bosom friend, as he was in his youth the class-fellow in Rome, of our Bishop. Secondly, he has been for over five years the acting Vicar-General in Ireland of this diocese, supplying it with good and zealous priests and holy and devoted religious ladies, whose combined labours have turned the once barren wilderness into *a lovely garden abounding with the choicest spiritual fruits and flowers. In compliance with the wishes and desires of our Apostolic Bishop, he travelled not only through the length and breath of Ireland, but crossed over to France in search of aids and instruments for the evangelisation of the interior of this vast diocese.” Finally he attended the great Vatican Council in the capacity of representative of the Bishop of Bathurst, where his theological abilities and virtues, and business habits, shone so conspicuously that his Holiness, Pope Pius IX, at once nominated him for the vacant See of Auckland." Preliminary meetings were held amongst the people, and a public procession was resolved upon, and addresses of welcome prepared. Great enthusiasm prevailed, and more than 1,000 people went out to meet Bishop Croke and his party as they approached from Sydney. By the time the procession reached its destination, the Cathedral of Bathurst was crowded, and on arrival “their Lordships Dr Croke, Dr O’Mahony, and Dr Quinn advanced to the high alter. The ‘Te Deum’ was then chanted," after which a very flattering address from the Catholics of Bathurst was read to his Lordship by Mr W. G. Stephens. We regret that the demands upon our space are too great to give the address in full, and it is one of a kind that cannot lie abridged satisfactorily. After the reading of the address was finished, an “ Address on behalf of the members of the Bathurst branch of the Holy Catholic Guild " was next read by the Warden, Mr W. O’Keeffe. Both addresses were beautifully executed and illuminated; arid aft r being handed to Bisiiop Croke by the gentleman who read them, Bishop Crolc- replied at some length. He confessed that lie could not adequately express bis emotions at the inngiiificient reception that had been so generally accorded him. Whilst expecting a welcome, of the warmest kind for their Bishop, he candidly avowed that he anticipated no such demonstration of respect and welcome at their hands. When in the capacity of Vicar-General, he saw the extraordinary zeal and energy of their Bishop, and was glad of the great progres religion had made amongst them. He conscientiously assured them that they had only seen the commencement of the many tilings God had in store for them and for their children. Wherever he had travelled since his consecration—in Sail Francisco, New York, the islands of the Pacific, and in New Zealand—extraordinary marks of respect had been paid him because of his Apostolic office. And now, when he touched the noble continent of Australia, he found the same love and veneration which, greeted his sacred office in other lands meeting him there. This signal manifestation of reverence and love had not been anywhere more conspicuous than amongst his fellow countrymen of Ireland. The conviction was forced upon him that they were all Irish or of Irish parentage by their respectful demeanour and attention since he had commenced to address them, lie asked them never to forget that glorious land—the home of poets, scholars, and saints. He concluded thus : —“ Go where you will, you will, find them respectful and obedient to their pastors, and by word and deed aiding and assisting in the spread of their holy religion. Persecution, penal enactments, death itself, cannot shake thpni in their love of the fine old faith, which flourishes now as it did eighteen centuries past, and which has put forth its branches and ramifications even thus far—to the uttermost ends of the earth. May God in his mercy grant that when you, and I, and your venerated Bishop, shall have passed away, the seeds of our combined labours may flourish through the vast extent or this young and magnificent continent.” The Bishop of Bathurst then addressed the meeting, and assured his hearers that, daring his whole life, he had never found one who was so sincere a friend as the Bishop of Auckland. “The congregation then knelt and received his Lordship’s benediction, after which their Lordship’s retired to the convent, and the vast assemblage wended their way homewards.”