DIAMOND JUBILEE OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF HOBART.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 9, 1 July 1898, Page 31

DIAMOND JUBILEE OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF HOBART.

His Grace the Archbishop of Hobart, the Most Rev. Dr. Murphy, on Sunday, June 12 last, oelebrated his sacerdotal diamond juuilee. His Grace is still happily possessed of good health, and was the recipient of congratulations from all sides on the joyful occasion, felicitations being offered from the leading people of every denomination. One of the principal features in" the calculation.-, which were held to celebrate the jubilee of his Lordship was the solemn dedication of St. Mary's Cathedral, which is now m its completed state. Pontifical High Mass was celebrated at 1 1 o'clock, and a special discourse was delivered by the Rev. Father Garthui. .s .!.. of Sydney. At the conclusion of the solemn service, his Enxclli ney the Governor (Lord Gormanston) presented an address to his (h-ac '■ on behalf of the Catholic laity, while addresses were also pro-> -nted by the clergy and the Hibernian Society. Archbishop Murphy has had three jubilea festivals in hart. The first was his sacerdotal golded jubilee in KSSB, the second his episcopal jubilee in lSDii. while now he has celebrate 1 his sacerdotal diamond jubilee. On the occasion of his episcopal jubilee a distinguished gathering of the prelates of Australia and leading laymen waited upon his Urace to congratulate him, and conuratulations were also received from his Holiness the Pope, the Bishop of Cork, Archbishop Croke, the Primate of all Ireland, and the Bishop and people of Hyderabad, India.

Archbishop Murphy was born in Belmount. near Microonin the County of Cork, and for twenty years after his ordination he laboured in India, being selected by the Holy See as the first VicarApostolic of Hyderabad. At the close of hi-, mission, there were in Hyderabad twenty-five chapels, each with its large congregation, there were schools scattered through the various di-tuct-. there was a well-organised asylum for orphans, particularly dear to the heart of the good pastor. There was a flourishing coll.ge frequented by Europeans and natives, and, touring in splendour above the buildings oi all other demoninations, there was a grand Catholic cathedral. Dr. Murphy went through the terriblj time of the Indian Mutiny. !S.iid Lord Gormanston. speaking at the Hobart banquet in the Archbishop's honour in IS% : — 'There are but few of vs — I say us advisedly — who recollect that terrible time. During that time his Uraoe, with his usual pluck and energy, enrolled and armed his students, and this not only prevented any attack upon his college, but materially aided in the defence ot the small h.nidtul of Europeans who were theiu.'

Dr. Murphy l.unlcd in Hobart in ISCdi, when he was appointed coadjutor Bishop ot the iir.st Bishop of that city (Dr. Willsiui"), and a short time after the latter zealous prelate passed to hi.-, reward. In 18(i(i there was one convent in the diocese ; there are now l(i convents, and some of them even in their material structure would be worthy of any dioce-e in Christendom. A befitting Kpis'opal residence has been completed. The parochial districts have been fully equipped with a zealous clergy ; they have their parochial residences, their school-*, their churches. The completed Cathedral is the Archbishop's noblest monument. A cathedral had boen partly completed by Dr. Willson at a cost of £1:5,000. One Irish colonist, Mr. Roderick O'Cornor, gave £10,000. Unfortunately, the foundations were bad, and Archbishop Murphy was obliged to pull the building down and re-erect it on solid foundations. The expense was very great, but, thanks to the devoted energy of one of the clergy, the Very Rev. Dean Beechinor, who is still in full vigour as parish priest of Launctston, this difficulty was overcome. The Dean set out on a collecting tour, and travelling through every 'part

of Queensland and through ot,her districts of Australia, he collected no less than £ lO,OUO. The work of re-construction was energetically carried on, and the Archbishop had the consolation, in 1881, of dedicating the sacred edifice and re-opening it to the worship of God. At the celebration of the venerable prelate's Episcopal Jubilee in 181H5, all the Jubilee offerings, amounting to over £1000, were at his Grace's request placed on the corner stone of the Cathedral tower. The stone was laid by the Cardinal- Archbishop of Sydney.