have, domiciled in the inconvenient four-roomed brick cottage, then constituting the Presbytery of St. Francis', working unrestingly through both day and night, and given up body and soul in promoting the spiritual salvation of his flock, would wonder h o w the small, spare, h u m a n machine could have physical endurance for half the material and mental toil it passed through. Father Therry died at Balmain (N.S.W.), in 1864.
The Departure of Father Geoghegan
Was regarded with regret by the Roman Catholics, as well as by many members of other denominations, and accordingly on the 2nd October, 1846, a public meeting was held at the school-room, on the church ground, to express' sorrow at his leaving, and adopt the necessary means for presenting him with an address and testimonial. 'Phis gathering was presided over by Mr. Moor, a late Mayor, and more than ,£100 subscribed instanter. T h e 4th October, the anniversary of the foundation of St. Francis', was to be Mr. Geoghegan's last appearance. High Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Mr. Cotham, from Launceston, then visiting Melbourne, acting as High Priest, with the Revs. Messrs. Geoghegan and Therry assisting. Father Geoghegan's parting sermon was an effusion of pathetic oratory rarely to be listened to. In the course of an eloquent peroration, the preacher exclaimed in broken utterances—"There m a y have occurred between myself and some individuals of m yflock,occasional differences. In the nature of circumstances such must at times occur. Some, perhaps, I m a y have vexed or offended ; of them, I n o w humbly beseech pardon. But one thing I can from m y heart most solemnly declare, that no sun ever went d o w n upon m e an enemy to anyone." There was a loud sobbing response from all quarters of the building, and the profound emotion was only checked, as the preacher concluded, by the loud voice of the Celebrant, chanting the Dominus Vobiscum, which recalled the attention of the congregation to the resumption of the solemn ceremony they were engaged in. O n the 22nd October, a complimentary address with a viaticum of 200 sovereigns was presented to Mr. Geoghegan as a mark of respect, not confined merely to R o m a n Catholics, but including the signatures and donations of a number of the best known and most trusted members of the other religious communities. T h e Rev. Mr. Therry returned to Sydney in April, 1847, prior to which he received an address and testimonial from the Father Matthew Total Abstinence Society, of which he was Patron, and a staunch supporter. Father Geoghegan in due time returned (March, 1851), resumed his charge, and m a d e an excursion of some weeks' duration through the Western District, where he was bit by a dog one day, but returned with a solatium of ,£250, netted during the trip. H e had not been back long, when his equanimity was disturbed by a cry of his Church in danger, and, on examination, it was discovered to be more than a mere empty voice. At this time, Elizabeth Street, from the Post Office northwards, was suffered by the Corporation, to subside into a shocking state of impassability. A large rut ran along from the intersection of Lonsdale Street on the Eastern side by the Church paling. There was no footway, the chasm was daily widening its yawn by the friction of the storm-water, and as St. Francis' was not literally built upon a rock, it was feared that the ravine would go on broadening until it undermined the Western wall of the edifice, and there would be a considerable smash. T h e T o w n Council was appealed to on the subject, and it required m u c h urging to compel that often dilatory and frequently capricious body to do its duty, which, after a time and with not the best grace, was unwillingly done. S o m e miscellaneous incidents of interest have now to be recorded. Father Kenny, stationed in Geelong, was making great exertions towards advancing his new Church, and Mr. James Atkinson gave a church site at Belfast, and added £ 1 0 0 towards the building. T h e Rev. John Kavanagh was sent to Portland, and the Rev. Dean Coffey arrived from Sydney to assist Geoghegan, n o w holding rank as a VicarGeneral. Dean Coffey was an Irish priest, the very opposite of Geoghegan in size and general physique, with a tongue that distilled brogue of such a soft creamy flavour that it was like listening to Irish music to hear him speak. Gifted with neither the culture nor diplomatic ability of his chief, he had all his zeal, sincerity, and bonhommie. H e rendered invaluable service to the mission, until after the elevation of the diocese to the dignity of a bishopric, and when he went back to his humble country parish in N e w South Wales, (1850) he did so amidst a general feeling of regret and respect, and with a couple of hundred sovereigns as a parting remembrance, in his purse.
