THE LATE BISHOP BYRNE OF BATHURST.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 3, 17 January 1901, Page 10

THE LATE BISHOP BYRNE OF BATHURST.

A bhiek cable message in Monday's daily papers announced the demise of the Right Rev. Joseph Patrick Byrne, D.D., Bishop of Bathurst. The deceased prelate had been for a considerable time in failing health, and suffered greatly from the insidious attacks of internal cancer, which he bore with wonderful pood spirits and Christian fortitude. He attended the meetings of the First Australasian Catholic Congress held in Sydney during Ijwt September after which he made a short stay at the pretty seaside resort of Kiama. Irom there he rjtuined to hiß episcopal residence at Bathurst, wheie a tew days ago he succumbed to the dire mal&dv that had so long afflicted him. «*■*•/ The late Right Rev. Dr. Byrne was a native of Dublin He made his early Btudies for the ecclesiastical state at St Lawrence O'Toole's Seminary, Harcourt street, in that city, under the direction of Dr. Matthew Quinn, who was subsequently appointed Bishop of the See of Bathurst. Dr. Bryne's ecclesiastical studies were completed in France, and after his ordination to the priesthood he aLCompamed Dr. Quinn, his former president—who was consecrated Biahop of Bathurst on November 14, 18(>5— to his new sphere of labors under the Southern Cros*. Except for a short period during which he conducted missions in the diocese of Maitland the remainder of the late prelate's life was devoted to the work of the sacred ministry in Bathurst. For several years he held the responsible position of President of St. Stanislaus' College, and discharged the arduous duties of Vicar-General and Administrator of the diocese during the absence of Bishop Quinn. The latter died on January 17, 1885, and Dr. Byrne was, at the unanimous request of the prelates of the province, appointed to succeed him. Dr. Byrne was consecrated in the Cathedral at Bathurst on August 9 1885 The Right Rev. Dr. Murray, Bishop of Maitland, wm the conseorating prelate, and was assisted at the solemn function by the Right Rev. Dr. Lanigan, Bishop of Goulburn, and Dr. Torreggiani Bishop of Armidale. The deceased prelate ' has,' says Cardinal Moran in his great History of the Catholic Church in Auttralaria 1 strenuously and successfully carried on the great works of education and religion begun by his predecessor, and, like him, has been a model to his clergy in his unwearying and self-sacrificing toil. \\ ith his Lordship's approval, a vast extent of territory was in 1887 detached from the diocese of Bathurst to form part of the newlyerected diocese of Wilcannia, whilst some districts belonging to the see of Armidale were added to Bathurst.' The late Bishop was greatly beloved by his priests and people, among whom his memory will long be affectionately cherished. —R.l.P. THE LATE DR. SALVADO. A cable message to the Sydney Freeman from its Rome correspondent states that the Right Rev. Dr. Salvado, 0.5.8., died in that city on December 2<». The venerable prelate was the doyen of Australian prelates. Consecrated in 1849, he waß by two years the senior of Archbishop Murphy, of Hobart. His Lordship had been working on the W.A. mission since 1846, and had attained the fine age of M> year-. The late prelate was a Spaniard by birth, and one of the oldest, if not the patriarch, of the British colonial episcopate. He was Bishop of Adreana and Lord Abbot of the Monastery of New Norcia. in Western Australia. After a glorious episcopate of more than half a century in one of the wildest, as it is now one of the richest, of British possessions, the aged and revered Bishop went to Europe to seek there a new batch of willing and zealous apostles to carry once more the torch of faith and civilisation to the benighted chililn n of the aborigines of Western Australia— to follow in the footsteps of their countrymen who 70 years ago left the port of Barcelona for the then uncivilised regions beneath the Southern Cro^-s, and in which they reaped a rich harvest for Jeans Christ and the Church of God —R.I.P.