COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 30 October 1919, Page 30

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

NEW SOUTH WALES. The visit to Armidale of his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate, to eventuate on December 14, is being looked forward to, and preparations, are being made for a fitting welcome. His Excellency will consecrate the Cathedral and lay the foundation stone of the new orphanage. The Municipal Council has decided to accord his Excellency a civic welcome in the Town Hall. Archbishops Mannix and Duhig, as well as a number of the Hierarchy, are expected to attend the ceremonies. His Excellency will probably visit Tamworth, Gunnedah, Uralla, and Glen Innes during his sojourn in this diocese. The Holy Father has appointed Right Rev. John Gallagher, D.D., Bishop of Goulburn, assistant to the Pontifical throne. Dr. Gallagher, who was born in Tyrone 73 years ago, was educated and ordained in Maynooth. He was appointed Coadjutor-Bishop of Goulburn in 1895, and Bishop five years later. His Lordship's jubilee will be celebrated on November 16. His Excellency the Apostolic Delegate will visit Goulburn, and will bless and open a new girls' school, and the additions to St. John's Boys' Orphanage. VICTORIA. It may be remembered (writes the Melbourne correspondent of the W.A. Record) that the Sale Borough Council made itself ridiculous some months ago when it passed a resolution that the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix should be prosecuted for having taken part the St. Patrick's Day celebrations there. This resolution was later quietly rescinded, but) Catholics did not forget the leading part in connection with it that was taken by Councillor Lyon. It happened that, owing to a deadlock at the council meeting, a referendum was held among the ratepayers to choose the Mayor of Sale for the coming year. One of the candidates was Councillor Lyon, another was one supported by Catholics, Councillor Brennan, while there was also a third party, Councillor Futcher, who, however, only polled 45 votes. There was considerable local excitement when it was found that Brennan was leading on the first count by 40 votes. When Futcher's preference votes were counted he was still leading by 19 votes, and he was accordingly declared Mayor. This election is very gratifying to Catholics, and it also conveys an important lessonthat is, that Catholics can never afford to lose a chance of polling solidly at elections. Pre-election talk is useless, except that it leads to organisation, and the latter must be thorough and lasting. And again, individual Catholics must never get into the habit of saying, "There's no need for me to vote. One vote more or less can't make much difference." The result of the Sale election gives a conclusive answer to such apathetic jargon. Referring to the coming Irish Convention in Melbourne the other day, Archbishop Mannix said he was quite sanguine of its success. The spirit of the Catholic people of Australia was one of intense loyalty to Ireland. Whether the conference be great or small, the ' spirit would be there; the spirit that was with them that night. They stood for freedom for the land of their birth, and they would not be denied that freedom by anybody, even by the whole British Empire. They merely stood, in regard to that question, where thousands of others had pretended to stand when they declared that the war was for the rights of small nations and for an untrammelled democracy. He .thought that on their behalf he could, tell Ireland "Australia would be there." "".*"" :;.,, The new series of lectures devoted to ; an exposition of Catholic belief and practice was begun ; recently in the Cathedral Hail, which .was crowded to, the doors. These lectures • were intended to have been delivered earlier in

the year, but prevailing conditions of influenza and the strike caused their 1 postponement to 'the present. The lectures are intended for non-Catholics as well as for the instruction of Catholics, and it is satisfactory to note that many non-Catholics were present. The lecturer for the evening was the Rev. Father Sullivan, SI J., Rector of Aavier College, and the subject dealt with was "Infallibility of the Church and Her Teaching Power." The lecture was comprehensive and decisive, and listened to with close attention by those present. At the close, his Grace Archbishop Mannix reviewed the lecture, and made some reference to the results of the Church's claim to infallibility, and the- action she took in pursuance of her belief in that doctrine. . :-,■.■: ... : , The Catholic Federation has announced the arrangements for the Summer School to be held under its auspices at Queenschff, a seaside resort about 50 miles from Melbourne. This has become an annual affair, and on this occasion will be held from February 7to 14, 1920 Application is made by those who wish to attend to the Federation, which arranges for the accommodation. A programme of lectures, and social functions is being drawn up by a special committee, and every effort is being made to cater for the intellectual and social enjoyment of the visitors This is a unique opportunity to combine pleasure and profit, and those Catholics who attend the Summer School should return to the ordinary avocations much benefited both mentally and physically. These schools offer an opportunity of learning a great deal about the Church and current problems and also of coming into contact with Catholics of all parts of the State. i TASMANIA. ' At a meeting of the University Council, the Rev. Brother P. S. Mulkern, M.A., LL.B., of St. Virgil's College, was appointed as one of the members cf the Committee of Public Examinations. University men and educationalists generally have learned with regret of the decision of the Rev. Father T. Kelsh, P.P., of Westbury, to sever his connection with the University Council, when the term for which he was elected expires— at the end of the year. Father Kelsh is a Hobart native, and his recent ill-health has brought about the decision referred to. His councillors hold him in the highest esteem, and the University has lost the assistance of a distinguished scholar. Father Kelsh was educated for the priesthood at the Propaganda College at Rome. He is the last of the original members of the council, he having been a member of in since 1890, when the University was established. His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Barry, Coadjutor to his Grace the Archbishop of Hobart, has been elected to the place on the Council of the University of Tasmania vacated through the resignation of Father Kelsh. His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Delany (Archbishop of Hobart) recently received letters of sympathy at the death of Mgr. Gilleran, V.G., from the Bursaries Board, Hobart, and the Teachers' and Schools' Registration Board. Appreciation of the long and faithful services rendered by the late Monsignor were recorded by the boards, the members of which paid tribute to. his. happy relations with them for so many years. The positions held on the Teachers' and Schools' Registration Board and the Bursaries Board by the late. Mgr. Gilleran are now filled by the Rev. John Hugh Cullen, 8.A., of St. Joseph's parish, Hobart. QUEENSLAND. His Grace Archbishop Redwood, of Wellington, N.Z., was on a visit to Toowoomba recently, as the guest of his nephew, Mr. Leo Redwood. . His Grace celebrated the 9 o'clock Mass at St. Patrick's Church, Toowoomba. He later proceeded to Melbourne to attend a conference of the Archbishops. " . His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Shi el, Bishop of Rockhampton, recently returned home after a two months' visitation of the north-western part of his diocese. At most of the places he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation, no fewer than 600 candidates being confirmed. In travelling from Longreach to Winton, to Kynuna, to Maxwelton, and also from Kuridale to Cloncurry and back, his Lordship used his own motor car. At Longreach the Bishop blessed the new additions to the Presentation Convent, the cost of which totalled £2400, of which • a substantial sum has been subscribed. At Hughenden his Lordship blessed the new church in honor of the Sacred Heart. The church is of the Roman lonic style of architecture, and is built of -reinforced concrete. The . total cost was £4OOO, £625 of which was incurred in. repairing the damage caused by ! the' 1 fierce storm which struck the town in March last. The dßishop.;-, was assisted by his Lordship Dr. Heavey, of ,CQoktown^ in performing the 'ceremony of ■dedication, after" which Pontifical Mass was celebrated." **&■& ?r ft