Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 29 December 1921, Page 30

Commonwealth Notes

NEW SOUTH WALES. Speaking at the opening of a new church-school at Meadowbank on a recent Sunday afternoon, his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney asked the people to remember Ireland in their prayers, and to do 'so continuously until all that Ireland wished for had been accomplished. In the ways of this world might was right. In the ways of God, right conquered might, for justice could not be defeated.. At present there was a world-wide campaign of misrepresentation, and only a few days ago in Sydney there was an instance of how the press would misrepresent a certain party. Millions were being spent on this worldwide propaganda of misrepresentation. His Grace had read recently in a reliable American organ that there was more terrorism in the United States of public opinion and the people by the capitalists than by any unions. They went so far that they were able to capture police and judges for the purpose of making might right. He had been hearing of this for a long time, but he saw it expressly given in that journal called America, just lately. When he was in Rome in the nineties, he was dining one day with the American Ambassador, and some others, and they were discussing railway management. The American Ambassador said that certain people who wanted to have a railway built -in a certain way bought over a judge and got him to trample upon justice- in their interests. The same thing was true of Ireland, and particularly so until the present time. The eyes of the world were now opened, and now there was something like a real conference. He did not know whether prayers were, said at that conference, but there were prayers in the English Parliament, although there were none in the Italian or French Parliaments. But whether they prayed at the conference or not, we would pray for them that their eyes might be opened, and that Ireland might be as much for the Irish as England was for the English, so that both might join hands as sister nations, in mutual goodwill. His Grace concluded his address by paying a tribute to the work of Rev. Father Gell. If it had not been for that zealous priest there would have been no church at Meadowbank. He hoped Father Gell would remain a long time there. If they lost him it would be difficult to replace him. His Grace ; the Archbishop of Sydney presided at the inaugural meeting of the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations Committee an St. Mary’s Chapter Hall on Monday evening (says the Catholic Press for the Bth inst. His Grace was received with prolonged applause when he rose to address the meeting.- He said they were gathered there again to prepare for. the next St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and to discuss the various matters appertaining thereto. In connection with a previous St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Sydney, it had been said that those taking part in it were disloyal. It was right to say that the Agricultural Ground was a place of amusement, and that no section using it had a right to give offence to others in the community. That was a right and sound principle, and we subscribed to it. But when they said, you Irish people, by a certain resolution passed at the Agricultural Ground, contravened that principle, we denied it. Now, it was recognised that every word of the resolution in question was borne out by facts, and we were free to use the Agricultural Ground as we had always used .it, without .in any way surrendering our principles.

VICTORIA. Referring to the report of the Australian Catholic Truth Society, read at the annual meeting held on Monday, the sth inst., his Grace Archbishop Mannix said that he was glad . that the society was on the upgrade both financially and otherwise. Reference had been made to the profits of the society. In reality the society' made no profit, for whatever 3 was left over after liabilities had been met went into, the funds/ Neither the president, secretary, nor the members of the executive gained a penny. Whether the profit was £5 or £SOOO, it made no difference to them, for all the money went to extend /the operations of the society. ■ He v thought that those who were levying a tax on the society were unjustly doing so, and should be appealed to. The society ought at’least be .free from the invasions

of income tax collectors; v (Hear, / hear.) All Catholics should strive- to put* the society on a proper basis." He Uras glad to see that Victoria held pride of place amongst -the States; yet they should not be intoxicated with pride, as there was a small enough membership in Victoria. He hoped that there would fee a decided improvement all round—laity, clergy, bishops, • and archbishops. (Laughter and applause.) , - - ; > By the . Sydney express train on Thursday, Ist inst. (says the Advocate), his Lordship the ’Bishop of 1 -Sale,- the Right Rev. Dr. Phelan, returned from his ad limina visit to his Holiness the Pope. He was absent from Australia close on seven months, and Spent some time in Ireland, where he had opportunities of ' coming into close touch with the Irish leaders. He is deeply impressed with the spirit of the Irish people, who repose' the utmost confidence in their leaders; In, America Bishop Phelan found -evidence of a strong Irish sentiment in various centres, and he also addressed meetings on the Irish question. •

QUEENSLAND. Speaking .publicly a few - days, ago, his -Grace■, Dr. Duhig said ;it was his ; great desire to get-the finances, of -: the archdiocese straightened out before his departure for • : Rome. The Vicar-General (Right Rev: Mgr. Byrne, ..of Ipswich) will accompany the Archbishop, and they have • made arrangements to leave' Sydney for Europe •by the : steamer Osterley qn Easter Tuesday, April 18, 1922./ When < making this■. announcement, Dr. Duhig humorously re- K marked: “I hope •we shall have matters • (financial sufficiently square by April, on our-leaving/ without the police n following us.”

His Grace Dr. Duhig mentioned while speaking . -at Bowen Hills recently, that the report which he .was pre- - paring for presentation to his Holiness the Pope would be a very pleasing one. It would shojv, since the report presented in 1910, . that, an enormous field of work had been } covered in the decade just closed. : Churches and schools' 1 ! had been multiplied, and they were filled „to overflowing. ■ There was scarcely a country district to-day with anything * of a Catholic population that had not its church ; and school. .Some of the churches were' architecturally ; very; handsome. He-hoped: on his visit to America to secure> a community of men from- Notre Dame University, to carry ; on in Queensland - the ‘ work rof agricultural education. - Catholics had erected -schools,equipped*' them; ;:and kept the machinery going for the education in the archdiocese of *• 15,000 children. “Take .these,”' added Dr. Duhig, “and • set them down, at least from £7 .to £lO each, for - the cost;: of their education every year, and,' when you have made that up, you will see what an enormous -amount, of money Catholics are saving to the State every year.” 1 • • i '

TASMANIA. During -the course of his remarks in connection with the laying of the foundation-stone of the new church /sit' Sheffield, Tasmania,, the Most Revi - Dr. ‘Barry -/Coadjutor-/ r Archbishop of Hobart, impressed the people regarding the ; Catholic Church. I He stated that the Catholic* Church; the pioneers of which were the Apostles' Peter and Paul! had grown to a remarkable extent, ; this : was * due tn / the suffering and sacrifice which. had laid the foundationstone of the church; The new * church :at Sheffield: had been dedicated ,to God / and religion, ; and the people of Tasmania owed much to the pioneer Catholics who Shad - ' achieved much/; He instanced the greatness of the Church in Australia :by showing % that there were 1,000,000 Cathdies therein/; who were ministered to ; by priests numbering :: a thousand. ' Dr * Barry: concluded his remarks by tributing the good work of Father O’Donnell/ ■’*//