Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 24 November 1921, Page 30

Commonwealth Notes

NEW SOUTH WALES. The Right Rev. Dr. Dwyer, Bishop of Wagga Wagga, received a splendid welcome from the crowded audience which assembled in St. Patrick's Hall, Goulburn, on Monday evening, Ist inst., to present him with a testimonial. When his Lordship entered the hall the lady members of the choir a thundering chorus in "Faith of Our Fathers." Bishop Gallagher, who presided, said that on that day he completed the 52nd year of his ordination as a priest of the diocese of Goulburn. In no other way could the anniversary be more fittingly celebrated than in giving effect to the object that had brought them together. Dr. Dwyer, his Lordship continued, might be looked on as a child of the diocese. He had received his secondary education at St. Patrick's College, and since his ordination for the diocese at Rome in 1894 he had been a tower of strength in almost every form of work that could fall to. the lot of a priest in a young country like Australia as professor in the college, as inspector of schools, as Administrator at Albury, as parish priest -at Temora, as educationist, as lecturer, and as liturgist. "But," added the speaker, "the most beneficent work he has yet accomplished is the work which, however disagreeable to himself, he has done for us in connection with the now famous Liguori case." (Applause.) As a result of that case, the

voice of calumny and of malignant -anti-Catholic bigotry, had, the speaker hoped, been silenced for a generation at least. The sinless, unselfish, laborious lives of the consecrated Sisters had been placed in the clearest light. Some proof or evidence of the higher life which the Sisters led should perhaps be furnished to the outer world from time to time for its enlightenment, and for its own good. The Liguori case had afforded a good opportunity of furnishing that evidence, and his Lordship the Bishop of Wagga Wagga had been the principal actor in that drama. They were assembled on that occasion to honor him, and to thank ,him for the great work he had done. (Applause.) The Very Rev. Father W. F. Cahill regretted having to apologise for the absence of several of the priests, who were unable to attend through parochial duties. He appreciated Bishop Dwyer’s admirable defence in the Liguori action, and thought that it was most fitting for them 1 to gather together to honor his Lordship, who was at one time a priest of the, diocese of Goulburn, The total amount raised to the testimonial was £1155 9s 3d, and never before had Goulburn diocesan Catholics subscribed to a fund so freely and so spontaneously. In thanking them for their kind gift, the Bishop of Wagga Wagga said that he did not like the limelight in which the metropolitan press had placed him during the proceedings in the Liguori case. The Sydney daily papers were the most contemptible organs of public opinion whiSh ever existed. He would like to see a fair-minded Catholic or Protestant paper start in Sydney. He was most grateful to them for their magnificent reception and gift. He was pleased that the campaign of calumny against the Church had failed most miserably. As an instrument to damage the Catholic Church, its enemies had used a young lady who was ignorant of what she was doing, and who was held a captive in' a prison of .calumny and lies. The Bishop had not the slightest antipathy towards ex-Sister Liguoriin fact, he sympathised with her. It was a scandalous thing that this young innocent lady could be held in captivity by a body of persons whom he called the “League of Liars.” The meeting concluded by the audience rising and singing “Advance, Australia Fair,” with marked enthusiasm, after which cheers were given for Bishops Dwyer and Gallagher and the Sisters.

VICTORIA^' On his way home from Sydney (says the Catholic Press for November 10), Archbishop Mannix presided over a packed audience at the Albury Christian Brothers' College concert in the Mechanics' Theatre. Long before the hour fixed for starting, there, was not a vacant seat left, and many who had neglected to book were left lamenting. His Grace, when he ascended the platform to distribute the awards to the prizewinners at the recent college sports, was accompanied by the Right Rev. Dr. Dwyer (Bishop of Wagga > Wagga), Right Rev. Dr. McCarthy (Bishop of

Sandhurst), and Rev. Brother Doyle (principal of the college). Referring to Ireland, Dr. Mannix said, the Australian press had been. telling them that the Irish representatives and the Irish people had climbed downthat President de Valera had hauled down his flag. The representatives of the Irish people had not hauled down their flag. Why should they when victory was within their grasp:' It was said some time ago that they had climbed ■ down from the highest rung of the ladder; but, strange to say, after a few weeks it was suddenly found that they had not climbed down,'and ere still on the highest rung. During the last 12 or 18 months or more it was said that bands of assassins and murderers were over-running . Ireland. He claimed to be as well informed as to what was happening in Ireland as the Australian press, and when people asked him—and many did ask him—about, these assassins and murderers, he told them that there, were no assassins and murderers there unless they had been imported. Whoever had climbed down, it was not'President de Valera or the Irish people. If any one had climbed down it was those who, after saying that they* would never touch those so-called assassins and; murderers with a wet finger, then met them in conference. Australia and the other Dominions were free to vote themselves - out of the British Empire if they so desired. English Cabinet Ministers told them that Ireland had never ■; been in the British Empire, and she claimed to be free to choose whether she would or would not come into it. Ireland did not seek to tell the Australian people what sort of government they should have. The Australians decided that:: for themselves, and the Irish people claimed the same right. If England relied on brute force to keep the Dominions within the Empire, then she would fall, as other and greater empires had fallen. The lawns at the Presentation Convent, Windsor, were the scene of much money-making on Saturday afternoon, October 29, when- a garden fete in aid of the convent : was opened by the Most Rev. Archbishop Mannix. His Grace, «ho was accorded a warm welcome, was escorted by the Irish pipers. A guard of honor formed of members of the H.A.C.B.S. received his Grace at the entrance, and students of the convent formed a-guard extending from the gate to the effectively decorated platform which had been specially erected for the occasion. The Archbishop, who was cordially received, said that he was glad of the opportunity of helping the Sisters. They were burdened with heavy financial responsibilities, and he was. confident that they could count on the generosity of the St, Kilda • people to help them. In Sydney recently and on his journey back to Melbourne he had seen wonderful evidences of the progress of Catholicity in this country. The centenary of the Sydney Cathedral had just been celebrated. It was a Cathedral- worthy of the ancient capital of Australia, and it was a proof of the. marvellous generosity of the people. The Church of Christ was built on the Rock of Peter, and the splendid Catholic schools of Australia were the cause of the rapid growth of the Church in this land. Nowhere not even in Ireland— the. system of the Australian Catholic schools surpassed. (Applause.) The Sisters and the Brothers apd the lay teachers were the ones to whom, under God, Catholicity owed its marvellous progress in the Commonwealth of Australia. There was much talk of bringing immigrant children to this country. Before doing that the Government should provide for the little orphans already here. There was no need to bring children from the other side of the world to populate Australia. If Australian men and women did their duty and obeyed the laws of God and nature, Australia would be populated soon enough. In conclusion, his Grace congratulated the Sisters on their successful work for education, and he congratulated Father Lynch on having such excellent teachers in his parish. He hoped that the fete would meet with the highest measure of success. (Applause.) ,