A GREAT PRIEST'S JUBILEE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 34, 29 May 1891, Page 20

A GREAT PRIEST'S JUBILEE.

(Melbourne Advocate, May 16.) His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne will celebrate the silver jubilee of his priesthood in St. Patrick's Cathedral to-morrow (Sunday), and it may be confidently expected that the ceremony will be in all respects worthy of the occasion. His own people, on whose reverence and gratitude his Grace has the first and strongest claim, will surely crowd the sacred edifice. As many of the clergy as can be spared from their parochial duties will be present to mark their profound respect for tha wise ruler whom God has set over them, and to whose gentle but firm Bway they always render ready obedience, from a sense of duty in the first place, but also from the conviction that the exercise of his authority is paternal, and solicitous above all things for their own spiritual good and the best interests of the people entrusted to their care. To the ceremonies, imposing in themselves, the presence of several suffragan bishops will give additional solemnity and grandeur. These will be tne chief features of the celebration, and their significence will be unmistakable. They will nuke it manifest that his subjects of every rank and degree most loyally and affectionately unite with Dr. C»rr in celebrating an eventjof deeply pious and joyful interest to his Grace. Reluctant as the Archbishop will be to dwell with any other feeling than that of thankfulness to God for the privilegei vilege of serving Him in the sacred ministry during a quarter of a century, it will yet be scarcely possible for bis Grace to exclude from his observation that, in the opinion of a host of witnesses, his career has been a distinguished one, not alone in the service of bis Mas'er, but also in literature, science aDd art. For these are facts that are unknown to few of those who will crowd St. Patrick's Cathedral tomorrow, and also facts that will inspire their prayers and their thoughts as they join in the solemn thanksgiving peculiar to the occasion. A few of the more important events of the great priest's career may be fitly recalled by ns in anticipation of to-morrow's celebration. He was born in County Galway in 1839, and received his early education in St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, whence he proceeded to the Royal College of Maynooth, where he was a classmate of the present Archbishop of Dublin, and with him succeeded yearly in carrying off the first prizes. After a distinguished course there Fr. Carr was ordained priest on Pentecost Sunday, 1366, Thw first years of his priesthood were spent in missionary labours in his native district, and from that humble sphere be was callei first tj a professorship in St. Jarlath's College, and afterwards in 1873 to assume the duties of Dean of Maynooth. Two y Mrs later he became professor of dogmatic theology. In 1875 his was amongtt th ■ nvne-> submitted for the position of Ooiijutor to th > i!lu*trioui John Archbishop of Tuum. In 1880 Dr Carr was appointed vice-president of Maynooth, which office he held till 26th Au£us\ 1883, when be was appointed to the episcopal sic <i Galway. Tbe occasion of his consecration was a no.able one. Bishops and priests from every part of Ireland — many of whom bad studied under Dr Carr in Maynooth — testified by their presence to the affectionate tsteem in which they held him, and to the pleasure they felt at his well-merited elevatioD From ISBO to 1883 his Lordship was editor of the Irish Ecclesiastical Record. He was also the author of a work on the censures of the bull Apostollca, Sedis, and the views he took on that important subject were held in high regard. While in Maynooth his counsel on matters of importance was frequently sought by the Irish Episcopacy. When, in 1886, be was appointed to Melbourne, the bishops of Ireland felt they were losing one of the most distinguished of their Order. Of Dr. Carr's administration of affairs since his Grace succeeded the Most Rev. Dr. Goold, of revered memory.it is unn cessary to say much, as the many good works he has accomplished are well known. It may, however, be briefly mentioned that his Grace has largely multipliei prieste, parishes, convents, and schools, and has been a great light and help to Catholics on the (Education question. His more remarkable services did not end there. Tbe building of St. Patrick's had been suspended for want of funds ; the venerable prelate took up tbe matter, and the solendid success achieved is a testimony to his own earnestness and to the devotion of bis flock. The cares of the Archdiocese, of course, engaged bis chief attention and most of his time. His Grace has, nevertheless, found leisure, as few ecclesiastics with such a responsibility on their shoulders could have done, to play his part as a distinguished citizen, and he has done this with a dignity, suavity, and success which won the admiratioa of bis own people and commanded tee respect of all classes of the community. The culture so remarkable in all his public utterances, and the evidence of extensive erudition and wide scieniific knowledge which distinguish his platform addresses, have beea acknowledged by the literati of th« colonies, and have raised iv public estimation tbe status of the denomination of which he is here the su pi erne bead. In the celebration of his silver jubilee his Grace will consequently have the sympathy of all citizens of intelligence and observatioo,

and, joining in the widely prev»iling good- will, we most gladly avail ourßelves of this opportunity o( expressing oar most earnest wish that health, happiness, aad length of days may await Ma Graca.