The Archbishop of Hobart.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 28, 10 July 1902, Page 3

The Archbishop of Hobart.

WHILE the famous battle of Waterloo was being fought on the plains near the Belgian capital on June 18, ISI3 (pays the Tasmanian Monitor), there was born at Crookstown, County Cork, one who was destined to gain honor and diptinction in the service of the Church, and who is now the beloved Archbishop of Hobart. Hie Grace entered his 88th year on Wednesday, June 18, and on that occasion received many letters and telegrams of congratulation, all breathing the hope that the aged prelate, who has long outlived the ordinary span of man's life, may yet be spared for years to come. By age and length of service he ranks next the Holy Father as the oldest prelate in Christendom — the Pope being but five years older than he. On the Archbishop's birthday anniverpary a deputation, representing the laity of the diocese, waited on his Grace at the Archiepiscopal residence. It consisted of the Hon. K. Mulcahy, Minister for Lands and Works ; Mr E. A. Counsel, SurveyorGeneral and Secretary for Lands ; Mr Leventhorpe Hall and Mr Osmund J. Roper, Crown Lands Department ; Messrs J. L. Forde, G. E. Kelly, J. Davern, Pierce J. Keating, M. Parer, and H. J. Harvey. The Right Rev. Bishop Delany. the Revs. M. Meagher and Martial Mary were also present. His Grace had no notice of the

& U r!f ti0 °. an A^ a 8 taken qnite by Baf Prise, though he wu not the less pleased at tins unexpected evidence of the people's eoodwill towards him. Mr Mnlcahy, in explaining the purpose for which the deputetion waited on his Grace, remarked that it was notable that while the chief Bishop of the Church at Rome— his Holiness Leo Xril — was now 92 years of age, here, at the uttermost end of Christendom, a venerable prelate, only five years the junior of the Pope, ruled the Church He respeotfully urged on the Archbishop that he ought to live at least as lon* as the Pope, otherwise his death would be a renou* reflection on the climate of Tasmania as compared with that of Italy. He assured hia Grace that all Mb people throughout Tasmania—and he was glad to say a great many outside his own flock— rejoiced that God had Bpared his life so long, and they hoped he would remain amongst them for even many years yet to come. Hib Graoe Archbishop Murphy, in acknowledging the congratulations on his attaining his 87th natal anniversary: expressed hie warmest appreciation of the kindness and thoughtfulness shown by the visit, and, m return, wished those present and their families every happiness. Speaking of the age of Pope Leo XIII. and himseJ r, he said that twenty years ago he was at Rome and had an audience of the present Pope. In taking leave of his Holiness, the Pope said to him : < This is the laet time we shall meet in this wo f d - Ten years later he was again at Rome, and in conyereation with the Pope, reminded him of what he had said when he had last had an audience, and he told tbe Pope that in that matter, at all events, he had not been Infallible. Well, ten more years had gone by, and the Pope and he were still alive, and if he were at Rome again he would remind his Holiness of his non-infallibility concerning the period of either of them going to heaven.