Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 2 November 1916, Page 53

Intercolonial

The Rev. Rather Cooney, who succeeds CaptainChaplain Lonergan at Bathurst, was entertained by the residents of Oberon, prior to his departure for the -'mission, and presented with a valedictory address and a cheque. News was received in Queensland recently that Mr. Austin Lennon had distinguished himself while on - active service in France. For his bravery he had been awarded the Military Cross. Prior to enlisting he held a responsible position in the Bank of New South Wales (Queensland). He is a son of the Hon. William Lennon, Minister of Agriculture, who was attacked for his Irish sentiments the other day. In the Legislative Assembly Mr. James Tolmie (leader of the Opposition) offered his congratulations to the Minister, and his felicitations received the unanimous endorsement of all present. Speaking the other day at Hamilton (Queensland), his Grace Coadjutor-Archbishop Duhig said that Catholics were all proud of the part which their boys were playing in the war (says the Sydney Freeman). They were proud to claim as a Catholic the man who won the first Y.C. for Australia—Corporal Jacka. They were also proud to claim as a Catholic the winner of the last Y.C.—Private Martin O’Meara, of West Australia. Catholics, the Archbishop declared, had done as well as any one could expect. Archbishop Duhig went on to refer to the part played by the priests of France and Belgium in the war. Regarding the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces —General Sir Douglas Haig —they might say there was no one more proud of him to-day—apart from his mother, if she was still alive—than his brother, who was a devoted Redemptorist priest in London. Fifty golden years ago Rev. Father Cleary, C.SS.R., offered the Adorable Sacrifice of the Mass for the first time (says the Melbourne Advocate of October 7), and rarely, very rarely, has he failedthrough sickness or journeys only has he failed—-to offer up the Holy Mass daily. During these fifty years he has worked as a zealous missionary, and at times occupied the important and responsible positions of Director of the Juvenate in Limerick, Novice Master in Australia, and Rector of Waratah (N.S.W.). At present he is a member of the Ballarat community. Amongst the very many messages of congratulation and felicitation he received, he prizes two of them in a very special manner—the one an autograph blessing, with Plenary Indulgence attached, from our Holy Father the Pope, and the other a most cordial letter of congratulation from his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate. He is still hale and hearty, and we wish him ad multos annos. In a letter to a friend in Adelaide, dated August 7, Mr. W. J. Denny, the well-known Catholic member of the South Australian Parliament, who was one of the few of our politicians who volunteered for active service, states that the Australians are praised by friend and foe alike, and quotes some of the opinions expressed by English and German war correspondents. He says : ‘lt is, of course, impossible for us or anyone else to conjecture the length of the war. The end does not yet seem to be even in sight. To us who see the really vital facts it seems clear that the German has lost his offensive —and that, of course, must be the beginning of the end —and many instances in proof can be given but the road to Tipperary appears just as long as it was at the beginning of the war. That the Hun will eventually be driven back to his lair is never doubted. It is sufficient for us to know, however, that . every Britisher will answer every call that the defence of the country renders necessary. Every available man is needed at the front if the fight is to be won, and the initial mistake of Gallipoli is to be avoided. I was therefore extremely sorry to hear that there was a slump in the enlistments in South Australia. Surely that must be rectified, and at once.’