Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 20 November 1913, Page 51

Intercolonial

The Brisbane Catholic Club has a membership of between 400 and 500.

Rev. Father Roney, S.J., formerly of St. Mary’s, Ridge street, North Sydney, who has been stationed at Norwood (S.A.) for nearly four years, being Superior of the Jesuits there for the greater part of the time, has been transferred to Richmond (Vic,).

Mr, Justice Heydon, of Sydney, in the course of the inquiry into the cost of living, remarked the other day that if people want to get on in life they have to stint themselves. ‘I did so in my early days,’ he said, ‘ because I wanted to get on.’ - That is really the keynote of the success of most of the prominent men in Australia, especially of the old school.' They stinted themselves in a manner that would be intolerable to the present generation.

, The town of Young has witnessed many great Catholic celebrations, but none more successful or enthusiastic than those connected with the Sacred Heart Hospital on Sunday, November 2 (says the Catholic Press), when the foundation stone of the new additions that will cost upwards of £3OOO was laid by Bishop Gallagher, of Goulburn and the State Premier (Mr. W. A. Holman), and the annual meeting was held. Over 2000 people were present, the town and district being thoroughly represented.

A return furnished at the meeting of the Mount Morgan at the instance of one of the aldermen, shows the Catholic community of Mount Morgan to be in the proud position of possessing twice as much landed property as the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist Churches and the Salvation Army combined. The land held by the Catholic section is 5 acres 2 roods 5 perches in extent, and it is not only twice as large as all the pieces held by other denominations, but its value is considerably greater. The Catholic church, presbytery, convent school, convent and Cardinal’s hall, which in themselves are worth some thousands of pounds, are situated on a block in a central position in the town.

The Premier (says the Brisbane correspondent of the Catholic Press), has redeemed the promise he made in March last at the first annual meeting of subscribers to the Mater Misericordiae Public Hospital, when' he stated that the great charitable and philanthropic work accomplished by the Sisters of Mercy entitled the hospital * to share and participate in the funds of the Home Secretary for the up-keep of charitable institutions.’ The Estimates of the Home Department, which have now been passed by Parliament, provide for the payment in this financial year of the sum of £IOOO to the hospital. The grant is well-deserved. Mr. Denham himself has declared his personal knowledge of the strictly non-sectarian lines on which the devoted Sisters conduct the hospital, and at that meeting his Excellency the Governor paid a high tribute to the nursing skill of the Sisters of Mercy.

The Rev. Father J. P. O’Farrell, who for the past quarter of a century has been stationed at Coonamble, was on the occasion of the silver jubilee of his ordination honored by the parishioners and general public of Coonamble at a conversazione. Early in the year the residents decided to mark in some fitting manner Father O’Farrell’s jubilee as a priest, and his services to the town and district. A very reluctant consent was won from Father O’Farrell, whose personal inclinations were against any . public demonstration; but his objections were over-ruled, and on the evening of October 29 St. Patrick’s Hall was crowded by a gathering representative of all classes and all denominations. The Mayor of Coonamble (Alderman Sullivan) presided. A presentation of,a cheque for £2OO was made to Father O’Farrell by Councillor Landers, deputy-president of the Shire Council. He said that the presentation came from the, numerous friends of Father O’Farrell all round the district: '

The sixteenth anniversary- of the consecration of St, Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, was celebrated on Sunday, November 2. His Grace the Archbishop presided at- Solemn High Mass, and the occasional discourse was preached by the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix, who spoke in part as follows;—It is scarcely more than half a century since Catholics, here in Australia, were thrown into prison, or publicly flogged, for refusing to attend Protestant services. It is hard to realise it, but it is true, that these things happened in Australia as late as 1843, and that the foundation stone of this Cathedral in which we are assembled was laid in 1850. The Catholics of Melbourne were then less than 6000, even if we count men, women, and children, and the whole population of the city was not more than 23,000. But that handful of Catholics, in the midst of a hostile majority, in a land which, a generation before, had heard the haughty threat of the Protestant Governor at Sydney; in a land which, only a decade of years before, had heard the lash descending upon the bare shoulders of Catholics who refused to abjure their faith; these pioneer Catholic heroes of Melbourne planned this Cathedral, which to-day stretches its lordly length across the summit of Eastern Hill. Truly there were giants in those days among the Catholics of Melbourne. Their courage should be to us an inspiration amid the stress and difficulties—light and trivial by contrast of our own day. -names should go down in honor, as long as this Cathedral looks out calmly, proudly, yet with a patient yearning, over the fair city at its feet.