THE NEW ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE

New Zealand Tablet, 31 May 1917, Page 22

THE NEW ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE

A DISTINGUISHED PRELATE. Archbishop Mannix, who now succeeds the late Archbishop Carr, in the Metropolitan See of Melbourne, has been in Australia a little over four years. Although, as a rule, the office of Coadjutor-Archbishop allows few opportunities for the disclosure of a prelate’s policy, the strong personality of the new Archbishop, and the confidence which Dr. Carr placed in him, at once proclaimed him to be a leader of men. Archbishop Mannix was 48 when he arrived in Melbourne, just one year older than his predecessor, but, whereas Archbishop Carr, though a strong man, emphasised the “suaviter in modo,” the new-comer laid stress on the “ fortiter in re.” Much discussion has been aroused by the new policy, but one important feature of Dr. Mannix’s attitude is lost sight of. Thoilgh his methbd of dealing with opposition is aggressive, he has never been the aggressor. He was not here six months when one of the Melbourne daily papers chose to select some remarks of his for a text of paternal advice and warning, and the method in which the Archbishop hit back has made him an enemy for life of the quasipatronising journal. It is now hardly possible for him to deliver the most innocuous address, and he is not much given to soft twaddle, without finding his remarks twisted into aggression, with suggestions of disloyalty. To those who have read of the notorious “ Papal Aggression ” campaign in England, when Cardinal Wiseman’s famous pastoral was published, and who remember the more recent and persistent attacks on

Cardinal Moran, this conduct of the ascendancy press is not surprising. Apparently, from the narrowness of their reading these journalists are ignorant of the term liberty, and are still of opinion that Catholics are persons .quite apart from citizenship, and only to be tolerated when they look upon their rights as gifts from their superiors. But the Australian people are no longer led by these blind leaders of the blind. The Archbishop of Melbourne will inspire his flock with the spirit of the Irish in America. He will appeal to the workers of Australia, with the voice of a Church that is always on the side of the toilers, and the response will be the downfall of class or sectarian ascendancy. The Archbishop comes into office at a time when the personal ambition of a few politicians and the panic of a strenuous hour have returned the ascendancy party to power but he need have no fear of the sanity of Australian public opinion if those who lead the workers are prepared to sink personal aims for the public good.

The late Archbishop’s work for the ecclesiastical edifice has been noble and successful, Archbishop Mannix finds himself at the head of a well-organised and efficient Church and school system, which only needs the infusion of fairplay into public life to enable it to become one of the most valuable assets in national efficiency. With the hearty co-operation of his flock, which we are sure will be fully given to him, the Victorian province will steadily continue the remarkable progress of the last thirty years. The new Archbishop has a very distinguished record. He was born at Charleville, Ireland, on March 4, 1864, and is therefore in his 54th year. He was educated by the Christian Brothers until he entered St. Colman’s College, Fermoy. He passed thence to Maynooth. When he was ordained priest he entered the Dunboyne establishment. In 1891 he was appointed to the chair of philosophy, and three years after was made professor of theology, and (remained so until his promotion to the vice-presidency, and a few months later to the presidency of Maynooth in 1903. Dr. Mannix has been the recipient of many ecclesiasti-

cal honors. Pius X. made him a Domestic Prelate of the first rank, with the title of Monsignor. His Bishop in Ireland appointed him canon of the Cloyne Chapter. Upon Maynooth entering into relations with the Royal University he was elected senator, and, with the president of the Queen’s University, Belfast, he was made an honorary doctor of laws. Subsequently, on the dissolution of the Royal University, he was nominated by the British Government as senator of the National University College, Dublin. When the late King Edward visited Maynooth in 1903 Dr. Mannix entertained him. In 1904 he received the Papal Delegate, Cardinal Vannutelli, and welcomed their Majesties King George and Queen Mary at the college in 1911. On Easter Sunday, 1913, Dr. Mannix arrived in Melbourne as Coadjutor-Archbishop to the late Dr. Carr, holding the title of Titular Archbishop of Pharsalus, which he received in 1912. His chief constructive work in Australia has been in connection with the Newman College, for which he has raised sufficient to cover the cost of the building, and is now establishing an endowment fund.