Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 22, 3 June 1909, Page 875

Intercolonial

The total amount sent from Tasmania to the fund for the benefit of Mrs. K. I. O'Doherty (' Eva' of the Nation) was £104 odd. The golden jubilee of the opening of the Goulburn Convent of the Sisters of Mercy will be celebrated about the end of next November. The Freeman's Journal of May 20 states that the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly, of Thames (Auckland), was at the time on a health visit to Sydney. St. Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton, was crowded at the farewell gathering on the eve of Bishop Duhig's departure for Europe. His Lordship was presented with monetary offerings totalling close on ~£&00. We desire to congratulate our esteemed Catholic contemporary, the Melbourne Tribune, on its progress and continued prosperity, as evidenced by the installation of new printing machinery and the enlargement of the paper. At the invitation of the directors of" the company, a large number of gentlemen assembled recently at the printing works, Flinders court, Melbourne, to witness the ceremony of starting the new specially imported for printing the enlarged THbune. After inspecting .the many interesting details of an up-to-date printing plant, including the linotype machines, the working of which was explained by the operators, an adjournment was made to the composing room, where the company were entertained by tha directors. Interesting speeches were delivered by the Rev. D. B. Nelan, Hon. J. Gavan Duffy, Senator St. Ledger, Senator Findley, and others, who expressed their appreciation of the good work of the Tribune. The Bishop of Sandhurst received. congratulations on all sides for the presentation of a painting (a highly artistic work by Agliafdi) of his Holiness the Pope, Pius X., to the Bendigo Art Gallery. The Hon. the Premier of the State was present, and declared that he was honored by the invitation to unveil the painting. The Mayor of the city accepted, in gracious terms, the compliment the Bishop of Sandhurst paid the citizens in handing over to them this highly valued work of art. The Bishop, in asking the Premier to make the presentation, said that more than two years ago, the late lamented president of the Art Gallery, Mr. Davis, asked me to procure for the Art Gallery a portrait of our Holy Father the Pope, Pius X. lat once undertook to comply with his request. I secured the services of one of. the first artists in Rome, who in due time, considering his many occupations, executed his task in a most satisfactory manner. lam glad now to be in a position to fulfil my promise, and to hand over the painting to the Gallery. Sincere regret was felt in Melbourne when the news cf the rather sudden death of the Very Rev. M. J. Maher, CM. (Vice-Provincial of the Vincentian Fathers), was made known. Father Maher had been told by his physicians that owing to the state of his heart he would have to be very careful, and for the past two years he did littlo missionary work, the Very Rev. T. Hegarty, CM., having been appointed Superior. The end came on May 13, the last rites being administered by the Rev. R. Ryan, CM. As a missioner his name was a household word in Victoria. .In the course of its obituary of the deceased priest the Argus said: ' Few. priests were better known to Catholic congregations in and around the archdiocese of Melbourne than the Very Rev. M. Maher. -|-tis missionary work carried him into nearly all the churches during the past seventeen years. Father Maher had a fine command of language, a cheering voice, and a natural eloquence, which aided his scholastic attainments in* winning - a high place amongst Melbourne preachers. He was-ordained in 1879, after having been educated at Castleknock College, Dublin. Shortly after he became professor of theology and philosophy in Dublin, and was afterwards transferred to? the Irish College in Paris. On his return to Ireland he was appointed spiritual director of the Maynooth College, and in 1892 he came to Australia as the first Superior of the Vincentian Order at Malvern. In the intervening years he established his reputation in Melbourne as a preacher and as an administrator, and in 1894 was appointed ViceProvincial of Che Order* in Australia. He held that position till the beginning of"the present year, when ill-health compelled his retirement.'