Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 35, 16 September 1925, Page 41

Commonwealth Notes

fj NEW SOUTH WALES. ,'.'_.• ' Marked enthusiasm characterised the joyous event in the Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday (says the Freeman's Journal tor September 3), when the revered Brother Barron, formerly Provincial of the Christian Brothers, was entertained by the pupils of the ' Christian Brothers of Sydney and suburbs and their friends., along with many distinguished citizens. The happy event was the celebration of the golden jubilee of Brother Barron, whose remarkable activities in the ; promotion of the progress of religion and education mark a golden page in the history of the Church in Australia. Great preparations arc being made in Ar- >,•• midale for fitting celebration of the Golden Sacerdotal Jubilee of his Lordship Dr. O'Connor, which occurs on September 15. It is expected that thirteen or fourteen members of the Hierarchy will be present, in- ;• - eluding the Apostolic Delegate, the Most Rev. Dr. Cattaneo. Born in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, 76 years ago. Dr. O'Connor came to Australia in 1876 and officiated as priest in the diocese of Armidale lor 27 years. He was made Dean in 1882; Vicar-General 1886;. Domestic Prelate, 1900; and was consecrated Coadjutor-Bishop of Armidale on May 3, -1903. and succeeded to the See on the death of Dr. Torreggiani in January, 1904. Dr. O'Connor had the .distinguished honor of being the first priest in Australia to receive from the Sovereign Pontiff the gold cross of-the first class. Pro Eccles'm et Pontifice. In the old days Dr. O'Connor endured all the hardships of ' the pioneer, v and his people have many memories of his courage and self-sacrifice when he carried religion and education to the furthest outposts in "The Big Scrub." "We are not beating the air in regard to our Catholic schools," said the Archbishop of Sydney at the blessing of foundations of the new school at Eastwood, on a recent Sunday. The completion of the Cathedral _ is a work for the archdiocese, and when everyone takes a practical interest in it. all would be well. The Cathedral was begun about 103 years ago, and according to the papers of the time was called a Roman Catholic chapel. Father Therry had splendid ideas in regard to the structure, which was worthy of a cathedral, and he encountered great difficulties, but had much patience. All knew the history of St. Mary's since those days, and of the great work Providence had placed in their hands for its completion. In that effort no parochial work would suffer. All would continue in the good work when they would have God's blessing on themselves and on their families, and for the good of Australia. VICTORIA. A pioneer of the Christian Brothers in Victoria, Rev. Brother M. S. Nunan, died ifmja&n St. Benedict's private hospital, Malvern, _, 1 1 on Sunday, August 20, at the age of 76 years. j He was the first novice to join the Order in A Australia in 1873. For 30 years he avis a

member of the staff at St. Vincent de Paul's Orphanage, South Melbourne. Requiem Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, at SS. Peter and Paul's, South Melbourne, after which the funeral took place at the Melbourne General Cemetery. In his address at the opening of the North Melbourne convent chapel the other Sunday afternoon, his Lordship the Bishop of Sandburst, the Right Rev. Dr. McCarthy, made eloquent reference to the unequalled value of Catholic education and its completeness in all branches. Additional schools and teachers were needed, and he appealed to parents to place no obstacles in the way of their girls entering religious life. He was confident that there were hundreds, probably thousands, of suitable girls who were anxious to devote themselves to God's service, and parents should regard it as a great privilege and give them every encouragement. There, was plenty of room for double the present number of Sisters in the State, and Dr. McCarthy said that parents and girls could rest assured that convent life made for the greatest happiness. The will of Dr. Patrick Phelan. the late Bishop of Sale. (Jippsland, who died in Ireland on January 5. has been lodged at the Victorian Probate Office. By his will, dated November 1-1, 191!). Dr. Phelan bequeathed the whole of his estate in Victoria, consisting of personal property of a gross value of £2143. to the Bight Rev. John McCarthy, Bishop of Sandhurst, and the Very Rev. Father Peter Curran, parish priest of Maffra, who were appointed executors with absolute authority to dispose of the estate. St. Mary's Church, Fast St. Kilda, the mother-church of the southern suburbs, which was at one time the only Catholic Church between St. Finbar's, Brighton, and. St. Francis's, Melbourne, is being thoroughly renovated and modernised, to make it more suitable for present requirements (writes the .Melbourne correspondent of the Catholic Pess). The historic Milestone edifice, with its miniature windows and ancient belfry overgrown with ivy, has long been an interesting landmark and living link between past and present. It was erected by the late Dr. Corbett, first Bishop of Sale, who previous to his consecration to the Hierarchy was parish priest of St. Kilda, and on August 25, 1887, was consecated Bishop by the Most Rev. Dr. Carr, late Archbishop of Melbourne, in the beautiful church which, it was his proud boast to aver, had to a great extent been built and beautified by the hard-earned contributions of the working girls of the parish who, at that time in Melbourne's early history, formed a large percentage of the congregation. The magnificent piece of statuary depicting the "Taking Down from the Cross," which adorns the baptistry, was purchased from the trustees of the first International Exhibition of Melbourne. St. Mary's is an example of Early English Gothic architecture ,and, being free of debt, is one of the few consecrated churches in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.N

QUEENSLAND. ~ *' -■ ~> •■■, ■ ■<■■ ~• ■, Death came with tragic suddenness ; on August 25, to Rev. Thomas Lalor, parish, priest at Ashgrove, Queensland, who was exceedingly ' popular with all sections of the community. He was crushed to death in the seat of his own motor car through a collision with a tram car at Red Hill. His pelvis was fractured, and both legs and arms broken. The impact was so severe that portion of the tram was knocked off the line. Father Lalor's sole companion at the time was a Mr. Ovens, who was sitting alongside him in the front seat. He was fortunate enough to escape with minor injuries. • The deceased priest was a native of Crow's Nest, and was only 37 years of age. He had a very sue-' cessful college career, and was ordained priest in 1916. He served at Goondiwindi and Dalby before being given metropolitan parishes. Very Rev. Father Powell. O.P. (Provincial of the Dominican Order in Australia), paid a visit to his Grace the Archbishop the other week. Father Powell is a man of refined culture, and his fame as a preacher, has spread throughout Australia and the British Isles.