DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 6, 7 June 1895, Page 15

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

THE REV. FATHER BURKE. The Bey W. Burke, who was elected dignissiimis — the most worthy to BDeceed the late lamented Dr Moran— was born at Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland, in 185P» Having made bis preliminary Btndieß in the local classical school, he entered in '72 St John's College, Watei ford, where his course of studies proved a singularly brilliant one. He obtained first place throughout in the classes of rhetoric, philosophy, and theology. In recognition of his merit, the late Most Rev Dr Power, Bibhnp of "Waterford, took him from his place on the college roll in ihe order of entrance, and promoted him to the place, during the last two years of his college coarse, of

" Senior "of the college. During these two years he obtained a distinction rarely won in a college— that of primus inter primos — first of first— from 76 competitors, in all subjects,— theology, Sacred Scripture, ecclesiastical history, and eacred eloquence. In his day at Maynooth Dr Walsh, the present Aichbishop of Dublin, performed the same all-round feat. Immediately after hi& ordination, early in '79, his Bishop appointed the Rev W. Burke Dean of the theological college and professor of the humanities and mathematics. The Most ReT Dr Moran visited St John's College on the second day after his arrival in Ireland in '81, and represented his great need of priests for his distant mission in New Zealand ; whereupon tbe Rev Father Burke r Mgned his collegiate offict i and, abandoning the cr-eer which lay before bim in his native diocese, volunteered to come with the Bishop. Having bsen. attached to St Joseph's, Dunedin, for some time. Father Burke took charge of the Port Chalmers mission in '84. Here he erected St Leonard's Church, clearing it of all debt wltbin a few monthß after its opening, and paid off over £400, then due on 8t Mary's handsome piesbytery. H« was appoint d to Qaeenstown in 1890. Within this small and declining goldfields district he raised in three years, without recourse to tbe outside public, over £10UC to clear of! long standing debtß and procure for his assstant priest the grounds and residence now occupied by him at Arrowtown. He h r s been Bishop's synodal examiner since '86, and he was appointed diocesan inspector of schools in '94 at the late Bishop's suggestion, by the unanimous vote of Ihe clergy.