The Chronicles of Early Melbourne/Volume 1/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS: THEIR FOUNDATION AND FIRST CELEBRATIONS.
SYNOPSIS: —Early Troubles. —The First Priest. —Rev. P. B. Geoghegan. —First Mass. —The Original Church of St. Francis. —First Catholic Sermon. —Ways and Means. —Father Geoghegan's Early Career. —His Subsequent Promotion. —His Death and Burial. —The First Charity Sermon. —Catholic Population in 1841. —Laying Foundationstone of St. Francis' Church. —Thieves Abstract the Coins Therefrom. —First Solemnization of High Mass. —Dr. Pohlding's Arrival. —First "Baby Show." —Laying Foundation St. Mary of Angels, Geelong. —Rev. Mr. Geoghegan's Departure. —Rev. J. J. Therry locum tenens. —Father Therry Suspended by the Governor. —"Old Colonial Days." —Father Therry's Labours. —His Departure. —Address and Testimonial. —Father Geoghegan's Return. —His Solatium. —£250 for a Dog's Bite. —Miscellaneous Incidents. —Dean Coffey. —Opening of Catholic Chapel at Brighton. —Right Rev. Dr. Goold, First Bishop. —Discontent at His Selection. —Father Geoghegan a Favourite for the Office. —The Bishop's Arrival —Cavalcade and Demonstration. —Jehu Kippen's Belief in Dr. Goold and St. Patrick. —The Bishop's Installation. —His First Sermon. —Arrival of the Vicar-General, Dr. Fitzpatrick. —The First Native Australian Priest. —The Catholic Association. —Dr. Geoghegan's Mission to Europe. —The Bishop's First Confirmation. —Pope Pius IX. —Outrage at Geelong. —Laying Foundation-stone of St. Patrick's Church. —St. Paul's Chunk, Peulridge. —The Revs. Dunn and O'Hea. —The Bells of St. Francis. —Arrival of new Priests. —Church of St. Monica. —Bishop Goold's Departure for Europe. —Presentation of "New Chums." —Religious Order of Monks. —The "Hippo" Monastery. —The Prayer Question in the Legislative Council. —Dr. Geoghegan and the Press. —The Dying of the Storm. —Catholic Census in 1851, 1881, and 1886. —Dr. Goold created Archbishop. —Fees Prohibited.
The Roman Catholics.
A MR. PETER BODECIN, a carpenter by trade, and a very zealous French Catholic, once on a time occupied a small weatherboard cottage in the then thinly built on Collins Street West, on the side opposite St. James' Church, and this was the humble and unassuming home of the first Roman Catholic worship in Melbourne. At the beginning of 1839 there was, so to speak, only a mere handful of that persuasion in the community, and amongst them was Bodecin, recently arrived from Sydney, where he had been favourably known to the Bishop and clergy, as a man who had conformed scrupulously to the spiritual requirements of his creed. Though the wooden conventicle on the Western Hill was supposed to be open to "Free selection" on afternoons, it is a practice of Roman Catholics not to be participants in a usage which is not seldom availed of by other dissenting persuasions; and so it came to pass that the few Catholics said they would hold Sabbath services in Bodecin's house. Of course it is not meant by this that the usual Divine service took place, for this could not be without a duly accredited priest, which there was not; and for the Mass, Bodecin simply read aloud some of the Rosaries and Litanies of the Catholic Prayer book, his hearers making the responses. On the Easter Sunday, at the usual prayer-meeting, the necessity for taking some action towards the erection of a church and obtaining a pastor was discussed, a subscription list commenced, and a collecting staff organised. A memorial was also adopted for transmission to the Right Reverend Dr. Pohlding, the Roman Catholic Bishop, praying that a clergyman might be sent to Melbourne, where the Roman Catholics were solicitous "to be united by discipline, as they have ever been in faith, with the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church." The memorialists added an appeal on behalf of their proportion of the "rising generation," and communicated the not uninteresting intelligence in an infant settlement, that their children "were daily increasing." As a wordly inducement they declared that there is "not a place in which the temporal advantages of a clergyman could be better or more amply provided," an opinion fully verified in the future. Bodecin's most active colleagues were Messrs. Adam Murray, Thomas Halfpenny, Robert Hayes, and William Cogan.
Mr. Murray, secretary to this movement, had a plausible diplomatic way of doing business, and on his suggestion, an earnest, and indeed, eloquent appeal was made to the Protestant section of the inhabitants for co-operation in building a Church of R o m e . There is a dash of unwitting humour in the coolness which prompted the issue of this manifesto, at a time when it was well known that the Episcopalians had hard work to raise funds for the erection of their o w n intended church, and the Wesleyans and Presbyterians had their hands full in the same way. T h e document was judiciously drawn up and the case well put, as this extract will show :—" W e (the Catholics) are," it declared, " among you, before you, and w e need but refer you to our numbers, industry and talent, to induce you to acknowledge our importance to a new-born, rising, and struggling colony. W e are, however, poor as a community, and therefore call upon you with confidence for assistance in our undertaking. W e need not, at the present day, revert to those bugbears, the offspring of ignorance and fraud, which kept our fathers at variance for so m a n y ages." T h e appeal was met in a generous spirit, and several contributions followed, the most remarkable being the receipt of £2 12s. 6d. "from the privates of the 28th regiment," a detachment of which was then quartered in the town. Several of the red-coated donors were members of the R o m a n Catholic persuasion.
The First Priest.
The petition asking for a minister was anticipated by the Bishop, for it and the so much wished for clergyman passed each other on the route between Melbourne and Sydney ; and so the Rev. P. B. Geoghegan, the pioneer-priest, arrived per the "Paul Pry," on the 15th May, 1839, and was followed by the Rev. Richard Walshe in September. Four days after his arrival, on Pentecost Sunday, (19th M a y ) Father Geoghegan celebrated thefirstMass in the colony, in an unroofed store, belonging to Messrs. Campbell and Woolley, at the corner of Elizabeth and Little Collins Streets, the now site of the Colonial Bank ; and it is a remarkable coincidence that thefirstMass, and thefirstProtestant church service, were both solemnised in temples with no other covering than the canopy of Heaven. T h e new priest was not a m a n to lose time in grappling with difficulties, and he set to work without delay. Mr. Arthur Hogue, of Banyule, near Heidelberg, allowed him to use an empty store as a place of worship, the collectors were urged on in their money-hunting mission, and on the 25th May, the indefatigable priest published an address to the Catholics of Port Phillip, which formulated a declaration that ought to be preserved as a golden legend by every religious denomination, viz. :—" Po recognise the right of every one to worship G o d according to his conscience, is a noble and enlightened principle; it alone can give a permanent basis to society, because upon it alone can be combined the various forms of Christian worship into a structure for the c o m m o n good." Mr. Peter Bodecin was appointed thefirstclerk, funds were increasing, and at the end of June the military sent in ,£3 ios. as a second instalment of their good-will. T h e weekly worship was continued for some time at Mr. Hogue's store, and Father Geoghegan, w h o was as methodical a m a n of business as the proverbial "old bachelor," in order to save the expense of advertising the subscriptions of R o m a n Catholics, had the list posted every Sunday on the chapel (store) door. They were not yet in a position, financially, to make application for a grant of land from the Governor; but Father Geoghegan had wanly chosen a site which Captain Lonsdale, the Government Administrator, permitted him to occupy, pending the sanction of the Executive. This site was at the intersection of Lonsdale and Elizabeth Streets. The place was then literally forest land, and here in the bush was run up, at the cost of £ > o , a small wooden chapel, which was opened for service at 11 o'clock on Sunday, the 28th July. This was the original church of St. Francis, so-called after St. Francis of Assisium, the founder of the Franciscan Order of Friars, of which Brotherhood Father Geoghegan was one. _ O n thefirstand succeeding Sabbaths it was arranged to hold three services, viz. : - i . I or families and servants, short service at 8.30 a.m. ; 2. Parochial serv.ce, n a.m. ; 3. Exhortation on some practical subject, 4 p.m. T h efirstR o m a n Catholic sermon or exhortation in Port Phillip was delivered on the 28th Tulv ; subject—" Social Duties." . ' O n the 29th September, r 8 3 9 ) a meeting was held in the temporary chapel to consider the important question of " W a y s and Means." T h e amount of collections was reported as ,£116 in cash and .£20 in promissory notes If ,£300 could be raised the land grant would issue, and an annual salary of ,£150, be allowed for the minister. The temporary chapel had cost, to date, ,£172. There was a sum of ,£200 in hand, and as promises were numerous, there could be no reasonable doubt as to success. The appeal to the " Dissenting Brethren " must have been attended with some productive results, for this resolution was passed by the meeting, viz. : — " That our thanks are gratefully offered to the esteemed individuals of other persuasions, who have so generously aided us in erecting a place to worship God, according to our conscience; and we pledge ourselves to maintain to the uttermost of our power, the liberal Christian spirit which at present distinguishes the district of Port Phillip." Like the Rev. Mr. Grylls, Father Geoghegan "was of small stature," but no "stammer" detracted from his elocutionary powers, which were considerable. H e was a round, chubby, natty little man, a perfect picture of health and cheerfulness, and though most uncompromising in maintaining his rights and privileges, was as liberal-minded and tolerant as he was kind-hearted and charitable. There never was in the colony so universal a favourite with all classes, and when he left to assume the responsibilities of the R o m a n Catholic Episcopate of Adelaide, it was amidst feelings of general regret. As he is the only one of our early clergymen who subsequently obtained the highest ecclesiastical promotion, it may be interesting to give a few historical particulars of his career. H e was born in Dublin, and was a schoolfellow of that great lost star of the theatrical firmament, the lamented G. V. Brooke. H e completed his education at Rome, and came out to Sydney in 1837. After the arrival of Bishop'Goold, he officiated in Melbourne as Vicar-General and Vicar-Foran, and was for some years pastor at Williamstown. In 1859, he was nominated Bishop of Adelaide, (S.A) and on the 8th September consecrated as such at St. Francis' Church. Singular to say the city of his cradle became that of his grave, for, after all his wanderings in both hemispheres, he died in Dublin, after undergoing a surgical operation, on the 4th June, 1864, and was buried there. Thefirstadvertised charity sermon preached in the colony was by Father Geoghegan, at 2 p.m., on Sunday, 22nd December, 1839, w hen a collection was made towards the expense of enclosing the general burial ground at Melbourne. A great inconvenience was felt by the congregation, inasmuch as there was no bell to chime the hour for prayer, except a sheep-bell on which old Bodecin rang the changes in an astounding manner at the church door; and on the fact becoming known to Mr. R. H. Browne, of Heidelberg, he generously presented one, and now there was a bell on the hill (St. James'), and one in the plain, the former being close to the then centre of population, and the other far away from it. In December, 1840, after afifteenmonths' stay, the Rev. Mr. Walshe left for Norfolk Island, and was replaced by the Rev. M . Ryan. The Government had long since granted the land, and assigned the stipend as the momentous ^ 3 0 0 had been raised, and things began to brighten considerably, the most welcome event of all being an influx of immigrants from the South of Ireland, which not only helped to swell the Sunday attendances, but the collections as well. About this period also appeared in the young settlement one destined to take a prominent place amongst a generation of public men, who for ability and patriotism, have certainly not been excelled since. This was Mr. (afterwards Sir) John O'Shanassy. H e was a host in helping the small Catholic community; he was the trusted friend and counsellor of Father Geoghegan through struggles and difficulties of no ordinary nature, and no man, be he priest or bishop, ever served the church of which he was a worshipper, with more zeal or disinterestedness than he did, at a time when such services were as rare as they were priceless. At the end of 1840, the position of the R o m a n Catholic Church was thus:—Pastor, Rev. P. B. Geoghegan; Pastor's Assistant, Rev. R. Walshe ; Trustees, Right Rev. John Bede Pohlding, Rev. P. B. Geoghegan, and Alexander M'Killop, Esq.; Schoolmaster, Mr. John Lynch ; Schoolmistress, Mrs. Mary Lynch. In May, 1841, the Roman Catholics resident in the town of Melbourne and County of Bourke were reckoned at 2073. Plans and specifications having been prepared and approved, a contract entered into, and the 4th October was appointed for laying THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF ST. FRANCIS' CHURCH.
The weather was tempestuous and threatening storm and rain. The attendance was large in
proportion to the population. Mass was said in the Provisional Church by the Rev. Mr. Ryan, after which 
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was offered, and in the usual cavity was placed a hermetically-sealed bottle, containing several gold and silver coins, and a parchment scroll, bearing two inscriptions in Latin and English, viz. :— Ecclesicz Sancto Francisco dicatce Lapidem primarium, PATRITIUS B O N A V E N T U R A G E O G H E G A N ,
Presbyter Hibernus, O.S.F, Primus Qui in Australia Fetici Sacrum fecit, Fosuit. Die IV., Octobris, anno Recuperat,c Salutis, MDCCCXLI. Gregorio X V I , Pontifice Maximo. Joanne Beda Pohlding, Episcopo Ecclesia:, Australasia: Vicario Apostolico. Victoria felicissime Regnante. Georgio Gipps, Equile, Vicem Regiam Gerente. Carolo fosepho Latrobe, Provincice P?-a:feclo. Samuele Jackson, Architecto.
PATRICK B O N A V E N T U R A G E O G H E G A N , A n Irish Priest, O . S . F , the first w h o offered the Sacrifice in Australia Felix, Laid the foundation stone of S T . F R A N C I S ' C H U R C H , on the 4th of October 1841. In the Pontificate of His Holiness Gregory X V I . J o i n B E D E P O H L D I N G , B I S H O P , being the Vicar Apostolic of the Church of Australasia. In the happy reign of Q U E E N V I C T O R I A . SIR G E O R G E GIPPS,
Governor of the Province. C H A R L E S JOSEPH
LATROBE,
Superintendent of the Province. S A M U E L JACKSON,
Architect.
The stone was next laid, and after the ceremony the assemblage retired to the temporary church, when Father Geoghegan preached an impressive sermon, taking as his text the 8th, 9th, and ioth verses of 2nd chapter of the Prophecy of Aggeus : " A n d the desired of all nations shall come, and I willfillthis house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. T h e silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. Great shall be the glory of this last house more than of thefirst,saith the Lord of Hosts, and in this place I will give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts." T h e building fund was considerably augmented by the day's ceremony. So far, there was an auspicious beginning, but on the workmen coming next morning, it was discovered that during the night some of the Melbourne thieves, " not having the fear of G o d before their eyes, and instigated by the devil," had displaced the upper stone, opened the bottle, and stolen the specie. It was not often Father Geoghegan was bested, but for once the knaves had got to windward of him. This outrage was never repeated at the inception of any other public building, because a watchman was placed on guard until the stones were effectually secured from pillage; or, as was more than once the case, the practice of burying coins was discontinued. Ere the end of the year the Rev. M r . Ryan was called away. In December the Rev. M r . M'Guinness arrived, and in the early part of 1842, the Rev. Mr. Geoghegan proceeded to Sydney, and was absent for several months. H e was relieved by the Rev. M . Stevens, w h o was detached to Geelong on the return of Mr. Geoghegan. Meanwhile the building of the new church proceeded, its progression measured by the intermittent ratio in which the all-needed money supplies came in. In 1843, t h e Rev. Daniel M'Evey, a young clergyman of exceptional ability, arrived from Dublin, and on the 17th March (St. Patrick's D a y ) High Mass was solemnised for thefirsttime in Port Phillip. Father M'Evey was the celebrant, with the Rev. Messrs. Geoghegan and Stevens as Deacon and sub-Deacon. T h e singing was very effective, as several gentlemen, members of the Philharmonic Club, volunteered their services as an amateur choir, and acquitted themselves creditably. T h e St. Patrick's Society, in keeping up their National Anniversary by a procession, attended the church, and their banners of green and gold unfurled over the crowded congregation, were picturesquely suggestive of a green isle far away, which, though abandoned by most of those present, was not forgotten. At the termination of the service the Rev. Father Geoghegan ascended the altar-steps (there was no pulpit) and preached a sermon replete with thrilling eloquence, from the text, Luke, 12th chapter, v. 4 9 — " I a m come to sendfireon the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled." O n Sunday, 24th December (Christmas Eve), and the following Christmas day, the Sacrament of C o m m u n i o n was administered by Father Geoghegan to no less than 215 persons, a religious fact of sufficient import to be chronicled in some of the newspapers.
Arrival of two Bishops.
The October of 1844 was signalised by an event as gratifying as it was unprecedented, viz., the arrival, on the 15th, via Launceston, of the Most Rev. Dr. Pohlding, the Archbishop of Sydney, accompanied by the Right Rev. Francis Murphy, the newly consecrated Bishop of Adelaide, Archdeacon M'Encroe of Sydney, and the Very Rev. Dr. Ryan (the former Melbourne curate), now Vicar-General of Adelaide. T h e presence of so many dignitaries of the church in the quiet town of Melbourne created no small excitement, and the R o m a n Catholics were in a high state of jubilation. T h e aisle of the new church was now opened to the public, and on Sunday, the 20th, Mass was offered by the Archbishop, at which Bishop Murphy preached to a large audience, including many from the other religious branches of the community. At 3 p.m. the members of a Temperance Society established in connection with St. Francis', assembled, formed into procession, and escorted the Archbishop and other ecclesiastics to the (now old) cemetery, when the R o m a n Catholic compartment of the ground was consecrated. Though the day was dusty and windy, more than three thousand persons attended. Next day (Monday) there was a grand Pontifical High Mass at St. Francis, with the Bishop of Adelaide as celebrant, Archdeacon M'Encroe deacon, and Father M'Evey sub-deacon. Mr. William Clarke, a well-known music-teacher, and some members of the Philharmonic Society assisted the choir. After the services, confirmation was administered to 312 postulants of all ages. T h e following (Tuesday) morning, the prelates, accompanied by Archdeacon M'Encroe, Fathers Geoghegan and M'Evey left, per steamer for Geelong, where on Wednesday they held a confirmation, and on the same evening, the Archbishop, Archdeacon M'Encroe, and Father M'Evey preceeded overland to Portland. Dr. Murphy and Father Geoghegan returned from Geelong, and the Bishop of Adelaide, with his vicar, proceeded by the earliest sailing vessel to bis episcopate. The Archiepiscopal party came back from their trip on the 13th November, and on the 17th His Grace preached at St. Francis' a magnificent sermon upon the blessings of a good education. H e left for Sydney on the 19th, in the brig " Christina." There was a great "baby show" at St. Francis' Church, on Sunday 13th October, 1845, when twenty-seven infantile squallers were submitted to Father Geoghegan, to undergo the rite of baptism, and be so cleansed of original sin. T h e little angels bore the cold water test with anything but a heavenly temper, and the kicking and howling were literally of a " stunning " character. S o m e of the newspapers recorded the gathering as a strong indication of the procreative prosperity of the new colony. The erection of the church transepts was now urged on vigorously, and a solemn opening and dedication of the church took place on the 23rd October, 1845. T h e attendance included the mayor (Mr. H . Moor), and many other dissenters, with several of the leading Jews. T h e admittance was by cards, and a handsome sum was raised towards the building fund. High Mass was chanted by the Rev. Mr. Geoghegan, assisted by the Revs. Messrs. M'Evey and Walshe. T h e choir was reinforced by several amateurs, with Mr. Megson, the leader of the orchestra at the theatre, and Mr. Clarke w h o presided at the seraphine. Before the year terminated the diocese was deprived of the valuable services of Father M'Evey, w h o returned to Ireland for the purpose of rejoining the Order of Franciscans to which he was affiliated. In a short time some additional clergymen arrived, and were appointed to the localities most needing them. The R o m a n Catholics of Geelong strained every nerve to make a beginning of their new church, for which a splendid site had been obtained from the Government, and at length commenced the realistic
portion of the work. T h e period fixed for so doing was the 19th August, 1846. St. Mary of Angels
was to be its designation, and on the foundation day, the "Aphrasia" steamer was chartered to convey from Melbourne to Geelong, a large Catholic contingent anxious to witness the interesting ceremonial. The band of the Father Matthew Society also went down on board, and about noon the steamer disembarked its living freight amidst torrents of rain, which, however, in no way quenched their enthusiasm. The Revs. Messrs. Geoghegan and Walshe officiated, and the stone was laid with the usual solemnity, Divine Service having been previously offered in a small weather-board shed in the vicinity. In the stone was enclosed the usual bottled scroll, with a Latin inscription thus translated : — The First Stone of the Church of ST. M A R Y O F A N G E L S , Laid on the 19th day of August, 1846, in the Pontificate of His H O L I N E S S G R E G O R Y XVf, Under the jurisdiction of J O H N B E U E , Lord Archbishop of Sydney, R I C H A R D W A L S H E , Parish Priest, in the happy reign of Q U E E N V I C T O R I A , S I R C H A R L E S A U G U S T U S F I T Z R O Y , Governor, His Honor C H A R L E S J O S E P H L A T R O B E ,
Superintendent, S A M U E L J A C K S O N , Architect.
Returning to the temporary chapel, the Rev. Mr. Geoghegan preached from Matthew 24th chapter and 14th verse. A collection was made in aid of the Building Fund, and the unprecedentedly large sum of ,£223 in cash was collected, the major part of which was owing to the liberality of visitors from Melbourne. FATHER THERRY. The Rev. Mr. Geoghegan resolved upon a trip to Britain, and, in September, the Rev. John Joseph Therry was sent from Sydney to act as locum tenens. 'Phis venerable minister became such an historical personage through his connection with the early convicts of N e w South Wales, that a few lines of digression respecting him, will not be deemed unpardonable : — H e was born in Cork in 1791, and, arriving in Sydney in 1820, commenced his missionary labours under a regime which imposed so many disabilities upon the exercise of the R o m a n Catholic religion as to amount practically to a penal code. In consequence of some religious difference with the Church of England chaplain (Rev. Mr. Marsden) Father Therry was not only reprimanded, but suspended by the Governor, so far as withdrawing all public sanction of his clerical status and stopping his salary, which, at a time when the number of free settlers was insignificant, meant almost everything. The brave priest, however, persevered, and was unconquerable ; so, after a kind of living martyrdom of twelve long years, justice was at length done him, and all interdiction removed. There was hardly ever in the world a more painstaking, self-denying, devoted preacher of the Gospel, and his labours on behalf of the wretched convict and emancipist classes in N e w South Wales were such as to become interwoven with the traditions of that colony, where his name is still a household word. A plain and unadorned narrative of his colonial career would reveal sensational situations unequalled in romance, and add further verification to the adage "that truth is stranger thanfiction."Such were his incessant labours, bush hardships, miraculous escapes in journeying, all seasons and weathers, through the wilderness, not to mention his extraordinary efforts to bring sinners to repentance ! Ex uno disce omnes—take the following, which I extract from Bonwick, a Protestant writer, in his interesting work on N e w South Wales, " Old Colonial Days." " Word was brought to Mr. Therry that a convict, sentenced to execution, desired to see him for confession. Many miles had to be traversed in haste, for the time was short, the season was late, the roads were unformed, the floods had come down, and bridgeless rivers had to be crossed. Coming, towards the close of day, to the side of a great raging torrent, which his horse was unable to enter, and on which no boat could live, the distressed priest shouted to a man on the other side for help, in the name of God, and of a dying soul. Getting a cord thrown over by means of a stone, he drew up a rope, tied it round his body, leaped into the stream, and was dragged through the dangerous passage by m e n on the shore. Without stopping for rest or change of clothing, the brave man mounted another horse, and arrived in time to whisper words of'peace and hope in the ear of the convict on the scaffold." During his stay in Melbourne, the missionary labours of this excellent man were incessant, and any one who could have seen him, as I 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. There is one reminiscence arising out of the early history of the church in Port Phillip, i.e. the freehandedness with which the followers of one creed helped to put up a place of worship for a different denomination, and this was especially noticeable as regarded the Episcopalians towards their less numerous and less wealthy fellow-colonists—the R o m a n Catholics. Another m a y be adduced by the first R o m a n Catholic Church at Brighton, the site for which was given by Mr. J. B. Were, and the building funds were largely helped by the contributions of local residents professing creeds different from Catholicity. O n the 30th April, 1847, the Brighton Catholic Chapel was completed, and opened by Mass from Dean Coffey, and ,£10 4s. 6d. collected. In connection with this event it would be unfair to omit the n a m e of Richard Martin, a queer old market-gardener of Little Brighton, to whose unceasing exertions in money-hunting, m u c h of the early success of the movement m a y be justly attributed. For some time exertions had been m a d e towards the erection of a second temple of the Catholic religion in the eastern part of the town of Melbourne, and the requisite ,£300 (which included ^ 1 4 ios. contributed by the T o w n Police) being raised, an application was m a d e to the Executive for a suitable site, and in July, 1848, it was notified that two acres of land had been assigned for the purpose. This land was situated on the northern verge of what was k n o w n as the Eastern Hill, and a newspaper of the time describes the locale as "being in a picturesque position on a line with Collins Street, between St. Peter's and a Government paddock" (the n o w Fitzroy Gardens). Melbourne was to be divided into two parishes, with Swanston-street as the boundary line. A second school was to be established, and Dean Coffey, it was anticipated, would be the pastor of the n e w district. Matters were thus progressing until the
Arrival of the first Bishop.
For a year or so, rumours, authorised to a certain extent, were in circulation that it was the intention of the Supreme Pontiff to appoint a Bishop to the n o w important Province of Port Phillip. M u c h curiosity was evinced as to the selection by the Court of R o m e , and the following names were mentioned, from which the new Prelate would be chosen, viz.:—The Very Revs. P. B. Geoghegan, Dr. Gregory (of Sydney), Dean Goold (of Campbelltown, N.S.W.), and the Rev. M r . Turner (Sydney). Father Geoghegan was unquestionably the local favourite, and possessed the strongest claims both on the score of past services, ability, and undisputed eligibility for the high office. W e r e betting allowable in such a case, the odds would be as 50 to 1 on him against thefield;but the end showed thefieldersto be gainers, as the winner, though certainly in the running, took m a n y by surprise. In February, 1848, official advices from Sydney announced the appointment of the Very Rev. James Alipius Goold as R o m a n Catholic Bishop of Melbourne. There was m u c h disappointment, and there were not wanting persons to openly express their disapprobation, not at the personnel of the selection, but because, as they believed, the best m a n had been passed over. T h e discontent soon melted away, and there was a general acquiescence in the choice made, because nothing else could be done than to yield a dutiful obedience to the behests of the Holy See, and M r . Geoghegan himself was thefirstto inculcate it. There was always an unexplained mystery attending the elevation of Dean Goold to the Episcopacy. S o m e power had been at work, to the outside world invisible, and it was never clearly ascertained why Father Geoghegan was shelved. I enjoyed the privilege of his personal friendship, and know for a certainty that he had been led to believe, from sources on which the utmost reliance could be placed, that he was designed as thefirstBishop. Archdeacon Pohlding was the main contributory to the result arrived at, and it was alleged on his behalf that his recommendation of Dean Goold had been occasioned by His Grace, when in England, having had intimation from Australia that Father Geoghegan had resigned his pastoral charge at Port Phillip and intended withdrawing altogether from the Australian Mission. All that can be written of the matter n o w is that a possible misconception on the part of the Archbishop induced him to act as he The Right Rev. Dr. Goold was consecrated in St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, on the 6th August, 1848 (the Feast of the'Configuration), by Archbishop Pohlding, assisted by Bishop Murphy, w h o travelled from Adelaide via Melbourne for the purpose. After a brief return to Campbelltown, to bid his old flock farewell the new Prelate started overland for Melbourne, accompanied by four clergymen. H e travelled m his o w n carriage with four horses, and recent heavy rains rendered it a matter of uncertainty when he would arrive at his destination. T h e Rev. M r . Geoghegan left Melbourne, intending to meet the Bishop at Albury; but Dr. Goold's travelling was so quick that Mr. Geoghegan had not proceeded further than Seymour when the Bishop drove into that township. This was on the ist October, and arrangements were at once m a d e by which the party would arrive in Melbourne on the 4th. Meanwhile there were active preparations in town to accord His Lordship a befitting reception, and at 9 o'clock of the eventful morning, a cavalcade (if the term will apply to harnessed as well as saddled horses) started from St. Francis' to meet the Bishop and escort him back. 'Phis demonstration consisted of about thirty vehicles (gigs and buggies) and fifty horsemen. A w a y they went, in high good humour, along the Sydney Road, and on nearing Somerton (some sixteen miles distant) they descried the Bishop's carriage approaching. His Lordship, w h o passed the night at Kinlochewe, resumed his journey after breakfast, and this is h o w the meeting occurred so near town. In the hamlet of Somerton Dr. Goold got thefirstsight of a contingent of his new flock, from w h o m he received a cordial and respectful welcome, and a procession was immediately formed— equestrians in front, Episcopal vehicle in centre, and the other conveyances forming a rear-guard, in which order of march, or rather, gallop, they dashed on to Melbourne. Every mile passed brought in acquisitions to the flying procession, so that by the time it passed through Brunswick, the mounted m e n numbered a hundred, and the vehicles fifty. O n reaching the point of the town n o w corresponding with the intersection of Victoria and Swanston streets, an immense crowd of pedestrians let off such a ringing, warm-heated salvo of cheering as has not been surpassed in Melbourne since, after which the faces and feet of the multitude, bipeds and quadrupeds, were directed towards St. Francis', opposite which, in Lonsdale Street, a general halt was called about 3 p.m. His Lordship then alighted from his carriage, and after a few words of thanks for the kind reception given him, entered the church, and, pronouncing a benediction, the people quickly dispersed. Dr. Goold was at this time a young m a n , the youngest m e m b e r of the Episcopacy on record, for, born on the 4th November, 1812, he was then not quite thirty-six years old. H e did not look in any way the worse after his long and toilsome travel, for as he stepped lightly on the ground, he presented quite a picture of health and spirits, with a round, good-humoured face, such as a painter would design for a full-grown cherub. H e had reputedly a high character for piety, learning and humilityattributes afterwards well tested in Melbourne, where his presence for more than as m a n y years as his then age has afforded an ample opportunity for judging whether the good qualities with which he was credited were exaggerated or not. It is a remarkable coincidence that his advent at St. Francis' was the seventh anniversary of the laying of its foundation by Father Geoghegan. Dr. Goold was the first to make the overland trip from Sydney to Melbourne in a coach and four. H e was nineteen days on the journey, but travelled onlyfifteen,and so averaging forty miles per diem. Very slow going, no doubt, compared with the locomotion of our n o w North-eastern railway; but, in consequence of the state of the roads, or rather, the bush tracks, the only thoroughfares of the era of which I a m writing, a more practically marvellous feat of transit than the far-famed boast of Daniel O'Connell's drive of a coach and six through an Act of Parliament. T h e Bishop's horses were placed in comfortable quarters at the " Repository " of a Mr. Quinan, w h o kept livery stables in the neighbourhood of the church. But no small share of the kudos of this expedition was fairly due to its conductor, M r . Charles Kippen, w h o must have tooled his four-in-hand team with exquisite skill to avoid the perils of ruts and ravines, boulders and stumps, creeks, swamps, and rivers on the route. This ancient Jehu was then aged 62. H e was an old Campbelltown follower of Dr. Goold, and, if there were two people in or out of the world in w h o m he thoroughly believed, they were Dr. Goold and St. Patrick. In less than two years after old Charlie quietly passed out of this life at St. Frances' Presbytery, and, as he died on St. Patrick's Day (17th March, 1850), there were not a few people w h o had the simplicity to believe that his Patron Saint had something to do in removing the veteran whip from this wicked world. T h e Bishop's carriage, though it stood the wear and tear of the 600 miles' pulling remarkably well, was considerably knocked about, and was forthwith consigned for a general overhaul to a coach factory in Queen Street, kept by Messrs. Liddy and Passfield. T h e Bishop's installation took place on Sunday, 8th October, 1848, in the presence of the largest congregation ever to that time assembled in a place of worship in Melbourne. M a n y members of other denominations were present, and the ceremony was a grand and imposing one. At half-past 11, the Bishop made his appearance in full canonicals, attended by Dean Coffey, arrayed in a cope of crimson velvet. Mass was said by His Lordship, and an appropriate sermon preached by Dr. Geoghegan, after which he formally introduced the Bishop to hisflock,and was pleased to style him " T h efirstPontiff of Australia Felix." 1 he Vicar-General then fervently prayed that a long line of Bishops may succeed the present one, and that good works m a y result from his Lordship's appointment; in order to achieve which, he besought of all Catholics to pay strict obedience to the Church. T h e new Bishop looked remarkably well, and appeared deeply impressed by the responsibilities of his exalted position. A s an evidence of the courtesy with which Dr. Goold was received by distinguished persons o different religious communions, one of thefirstto call upon him was Mr. Justice A'Beckett. O n the 15th October, the Bishop preached for thefirsttime in his diocese at St. Francis', and made a very favourable impression. At the conclusion of the service he announced his commission to declare that Dr. Geoghegan had the approval of the Archbishop for the manner in which he had hitherto administered the affairs of the mission in the district. T h e Rev. M r . Stevens returned to the province in a few days, rejoined the mission, and was located at Belfast. THE VICAR-GENERAL.
On the 6th November, the "Shamrock," steamer, arrived from Sydney, bringing amongst its passengers the Rev. John Fitzpatrick. H e was to have accompanied the Bishop, but a day or two before the latter left, he was indulging in a little equestrian exercise, and whether his horsemanship was not equal to the occasion, or the animal he bestrode was too "fast" for him, the reverend rider was "bucked" out of the pigskin, and sustained an injury to one of his knees, which necessitated the postponement of his departure. T h e Rev. John Fitzpatrick is the Dr. Fitzpatrick—the "old Fitz," who has become so well known and respected from that day to this. H e is one of the identities, who, once seen in the streets, is never forgotten. Like a certain well-known politician, he never ventures abroad in any weather, wet or dry, day or night, without his umbrella ; and those who are familiar with his habits aver that by the position in which he carries this sheltering machine, the state of his mental atmosphere may be diagnosed as unerringly as a barometer acts as a weather gauge. Dr. Fitzpatrick was at once appointed to St. Francis', between which place and St. Patrick's he has gravitated ever since, performing the part of a good priest and a good citizen. But it is in connection with that noble pile of ecclesiastical architecture on the Eastern Hill, slowly creeping upwards, that his n a m e will go down to posterity. Were it not for him it would n o w have no existence, and if historical justice is to be done, his n a m e "will be, per omnia secula, associated with the fortunes of the R o m a n Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick, a structure which, whenfinished,will be such an ornament to the city as to make every true Melbournian proud of it, no matter before what altar he m a y kneel. Towards the end of the year several clerical changes were made, viz, the Rev. Mr. Kenny left Geelong, and was presented with a purse containing ,£30, and the Rev. Mr. Stevens was sent to Belfast. The Rev. Mr. Kavanagh was one day in wet weather riding with the postman in the Portland district, and in crossing a river was nearly drowned. H e was soon after transferred to Gippsland. In December an organ was procured by the Bishop for St. Francis'. In the year 1849, the shingled roof of St. Francis' was replaced by slates; and on 7th January there was a High Mass celebration, conducted by Dean Coffey, with the Revs. Fitzpatrick and O'Connell. T h e last named gentleman was on his way to his birthplace, Hobartown, and he was, what might be termed thefirstAustralian Native ordained for the priesthood. THE CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION.
After Bishop Goold's arrival it became apparent that there was an insufficiency of clergymen, and it was determined to organise a society for the three-fold purpose of—(a) obtaining priests from the h o m e country; (b) the erection of suitable places of worship, and (c) the promotion of Catholic Education in Australia Felix. T o give effect to this intention there was a public meeting at St. Francis' on the 25th January, 1849, which the Bishop, the resident clergy, and a large number of the laity attended. His Lordship presided, and effective addresses were delivered by the Chairman, Dr. Geoghegan, D e a n Coffey, Rev. Mr. Kavanagh, Messrs. J. O'Shanassy, and E. Westby. T h e Catholic Association was formed for the purpose of raising funds for the passages of clergymen from Europe and otherwise, and to secure the advancement of the Catholic religion and Catholic teaching by every practicable mode. A s a beginning, the s u m of ,£60 was paid d o w n on the spot. A branch association was soon after started at Geelong. Dr. Goold, like Dr. Perry, wrorked hard in the early times, and did not allow himself m a n y " hours of idleness." At a time when bush travelling was the reverse of what it is now, they used to m a k e lengthened trips through all quarters of the colony in their efforts to propagate the faith in which each truly believed, and for which each worked hard. Bishop Goold, in February, started on an Episcopal tour of the Western District. O n his return to Melbourne it was announced that Dr. Geoghegan would be commissioned as the delegate of the Catholic Association to Europe, where, by means of the funds n o w subscribed, he would be enabled to realize an instalment of the purposes so m u c h desired. H e left accordingly in the early part of March 1849 via Hobartown, and was accompanied to the wharf by a troop of sincere friends. T h e same month Kilmore received itsfirstresident pastor in a recently-arrived Rev. Mr. Clarke. T h e St. Francis' Seminary, to provide an education of a kind superior to that hitherto obtainable, was opened in M a y under the special patronage of the Bishop. T h e terms were very moderate, graduating from £2 to £1 is. per quarter, with music as an extra at 10s. T h e Bishop held hisfirstconfirmation on Sunday, 27th May, and was assisted by Dean Coffey, with the Revs. Fitzpatrick and Kavanagh. This was the second ceremony of the kind held in the province, Archbishop Pohlding having officiated at the first in 1844. POPE PIUS THE 9™ Was in great tribulation through various causes in the year 1849, and, when intelligence of his reverses reached Melbourne, active steps were taken to contribute some expression of practical sympathy from the R o m a n Catholics of Port Phillip. A collection was m a d e throughout the diocese, and, on the 12th August, the presentation was transmitted through the ordinary official channel. It consisted of an address from the Bishop, clergy, and laity, accompanied by a s u m of money subscribed towards "relieving His Holiness from any difficulties in which he might be involved, by his departure from the ' City of the Pontiffs.'" The document concluded thus: " M a y G o d in His goodness grant that long ere this respectful assurance of the love andfidelityof your children in this remote dependency is submitted for your acceptance, Your Holiness m a y enjoy the blessing so fervently asked in your behalf, by the Catholic world prostrate in prayer, for the recovery of your throne, and for the affections of the people you fondly love." In August, 1850, a communication was received from the Pope conveying his warmest thanks for the tribute of sympathy from so distant a part of the world. Banns for the marrying of 15 couples were called at St. Francis', on Sunday, 13th January, 1850, which was noticed by one of the newspapers as ominous of the advancement of the colony; and in February, the Rev. Mr. Kavanagh resigned the mission to return to Ireland. T h e church of Geelong was the scene of an atrocious outrage on the night of the 14th February, when some villains effected a felonious entry and stole a quantity of valuable property. In the building was a strongly-made cupboard, as a receptacle for a safe, containing a silver chalice, pyx, and communion cup. T h e safe was removed and found next day, broke open and empty, in one of the foundations being sunk for the erection of a new gaol. N o n e of the valuables were ever recovered, and no trace ever had of the robbers. It has been already stated that a most suitable site in the Eastern quarter of Melbourne had been obtained from the Government for a second place of worship. This was no sooner known than a section of the City Council, more bigoted than patriotic, objected that the course decided on by the Executive would be a serious injury to the city, as it would block up the continuation of Bourke Street, and interfere materially with the municipal intentions of a prolongation of streets eastward. T h e R o m a n Catholics, of course, resisted what they believed to be a most unwarrantable interference between them and the Government. The land was promised, and the Governor's word should be his bond, &c. The controversy raged for some time, and fuller details will be found in the Corporation Chapter of this work. Suffice it here to say that the opposition, almost universally ascribed to purely factious motives, failed, owing to the firmness of Mr. Latrobe, the exertions of Dean Coffey and Mr. O'Shanassy, and the valuable co-operation of Alderman Greeves. It is to this quartette that the R o m a n Catholics owe the fact of St. Patrick's Cathedral being now where it is, and, living or dead, their names should be held in permanent remembrance for the services so ably rendered, though so long ago. Preparations were pressed on to make a commencement of the proposed new building, and at length the day was fixed for the ceremony, the FOUNDATION STONE OF ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH
Being laid on the 9th April, by Dr. Goold, assisted by Dr. Fitzpatrick (now a Dean), Dean Coffey, the Revs. Messrs. Downing and Clarke, Messrs. Jackson (the architect), O'Shanassy and others. This was the most spectacular exhibition of the kind that has yet taken place. A n application to the St. Patrick's Society for the use of its banners (though that institution had no connection with any religious denomination), was acceded to. There was a Father Matthew Society then in existence, which had an efficient band, and by these means the colours might be said to have been obtained by the intervention of thefirst,and the music supplied by the second, apostle of Ireland. T h e weather showed most unmistakable symptoms of bad humour, but the sulks and tears disappeared towards noon. A large tent, or marquee, was pitched on the ground, near the stone, and the Hibernian streamers were placed to much advantage. A large banner of green and gold, representing St. Patrick converting the Irish kings on the hill of Tara, was spread out, like an eagle on open wing, over the place to be occupied by the Bishop : a beautiful harp-flagflutteredfrom a staff on his right, and a life-sizefigureof the Saint nodded and waved its head in approval over the entrance to the marquee. The ensigns of the Father Matthew Society were posted at intervals, in the company of a squadron of Union Jacks, borrowed from some of the ship-captains in port. The Temperance band discoursed creditably enough some popular Irish airs, and the Father Matthewites, arrayed in white silk scarves and rosettes, marched up at quick step, trying to keep time to that entrancing, time-honoured Irish melody, Garryowen. T h e children attending the R o m a n Catholic schools were there in hundreds. In the midst of more than two thousand persons the ceremony was performed after the prescribed ritual. There was the conventional cavity in the stone, in which a sealed bottle was buried, but not before there was placed inside of it a strip of vellum, bearing a Latin inscription, thus anglicised :— THE
F O U N D A T I O N S T O N E O F ST. PATRICK'S CHURCPI, M E L B O U R N E ,
Was laid by His LORDSHIP, T H E CATHOLIC BISHOP OF M E L B O U R N E , O n the 9th day of April, 1850. PIUS T H E 9TH being Supreme Pontiff: V I C T O R I A being Queen of England : C H A R L E S A. FITZROY, Governor of Australia Felix: C H A R L E S J. L A T R O B E , Superintendent of Port Phillip: S A M U E L J A C K S O N , Architect.
A prayer was invoked upon the day's work, and after an appropriate address from the Bishop, a procession was formed, and proceeded round the trenches sunk for the wall-foundations, coming back to the stone, upon which the Bishop placed a purse, enclosing a liberal personal donation for the Building Fund. This example seemed to have an electric effect, for it was followed by a small hillock of cash, representing, for the time, the large sum of ,£170. T h e plan of the church had been altered from the original design, which was prepared in conformity with the cruciform style prevalent in Catholic churches, such as St. Francis'. In this case the edifice was to be a square building. It was in an advanced state when the gold discoveries of 1851, not only retarded, but temporarily stopped, every public work in the colony. In due time it wasfinished,opened, and used, until the period arrived when it was forced to make way for the cathedral now in course of erection. In little more than two months another church was founded, viz, at Pentndge (now Coburg), and dedicated to St. Paul. This ceremony took place on the 30th June, 1850, and was attended by the Father Matthew Society, with regalia and band. T h e church is n o w under the shadow of the huge Penal Establishment, the nucleus of which, a dozen wooden sheds, might be seen at that day, in course of erection, a short distance off in the bush. At u a.m. a procession was formed, led by the Father Matthew Band playing sacred music, and closed by the Bishop and his attendants. After making a circuit of the church ground, and returning to the starting point, the stone wTas laid with the customary formalities. U p o n it the Bishop placed a purse containing the donation of a lady, and those present subscribed ,£70 A n adjournment was then m a d e to an adjacent marquee, where mass was celebrated, and a sermon preached by his Lordship, after which the band outside gave the National Anthem, followed by " St. Patrick's Day." T h e Rev. P. Dunn, a new arrival, had been recently inducted as pastor of Pentridge, where he was soon succeeded by the Rev. C. A. O'Hea, w h o continued his ministration there for some time. H e is now Dean O'Hea, and has always been a painstaking, indefatigable clergyman, and, what cannot be said of all his order, has been ever held in high esteem by such of the Dissenting denominations as were resident in his extensive district. During this interim the important business for which Dr. Geoghegan had gone home, showed some of the results of his priest-hunting expedition. Amongst thefirstarrivals were the Rev. G. A. W a r d (practically the founder of the R o m a n Catholic Orphanage at Emerald Hill), P. Dunn, M'Sweeney, and Holohan. They were followed by a shoal of others in the early part of the next year, to w h o m further reference will be made. THE BELLS OF ST. FRANCIS'.
In some way or other originated a notion that it would be a very agreeable and useful acquisition to St. Francis' to be surmounted by a peal of bells, and steps were taken to m a k e it a reality. Of course, a subscription list, the only true talisman in such a case, was started, and contributions and promises were abundant. T o give public sanction to the proceeding, a meeting was convened for the evening of Sunday, 26th January, 1851, at St. Francis'. T h e Bishop was in the chair. There was a good attendance, and the occasion was turned into quite a musical event by the presence of Mr. H e m y , a newly-arrived musician from Sydney, a performer of considerable merit, and the new organist of the church. By means of the then choir, and the aid of a couple of amateur friends, the following programme was got through to the great delight of those present, and the benefit of the bell fund :—" List to the Chimes of the Vesper Bell," " T h e Vesper H y m n , " " T h e Old Abbey Tower," " A l m a Redemptoris," "England in the Olden Time," and " A n O d e to Pope Pius the 9th, as sung by the Romans." T h e Bishop did the greater part of the speaking, italicising his oratory with a cheque for ,£5 ; £ 1 0 0 was paid down, and the cost of the bells was estimated at ,£700. This appeal for a peal of bells was carried out with m u c h spirit, and responded to with such ringing readiness, that the sum total of the coin required soon jingled in the Bishop's cash box. His Lordship, on his departure for Europe (which soon followed), took h o m e both the money and the order; and the bells subsequently purchased, were procured from Murphy, an eminent bell-founder, in Dublin, and formed an exhibit at the great show of All Nations, inaugurated by Prince Albert, in London, in 1851. In due course the bells were transported to their destination, though never placed in the church, for which it was originally intended; for it came to pass that St. Francis, by a verification of the frequently applied adage of sic vos non vobis, was deprived of the chimes purchased for his delectation, and St. Patrick finally monopolised all the honour and glory of the campanology, whose chimes are n o w diffused from the Eastern Hill. In March, 1851, another instalment of new priests arrived from home, and with them returned Dr. Geoghegan in charge. Their arrival was a source of m u c h satisfaction, and afforded strong testimony of the efficiency of the Catholic Association in procuring funds for what must have been a considerable outlay. T h e new comers were the Rev. Messrs. Bleasedale, Martin, and Stack, and others were under sailing orders to follow. T h e Rev. Mr. Stack was sent to Belfast, as a colleague to the Rev. Slattery, whilst Messrs. Martin and Holohan were assigned to Gippsland, and W a r d to Geelong. O n the 21st April the foundation of the Church of St. Monica was laid at Heidelberg, where mass used to be for some time previous offered in a small wooden shed. T h e R o m a n Catholics of the locality behaved very liberally considering their means, but they were helped in a most praiseworthy manner by their more wealthy Protestant neighbours. T h e return of Dr. Geoghegan afforded the Bishop an opportunity to visit the H o m e Country. Though Dr. Geoghegan's trip to Europe had been very successful, it was considered that the Bishop's visit to R o m e and Ireland would give a prominence to the R o m a n Catholic Mission in Victoria, which it would take a long time to otherwise attain; it was therefore resolved that go he should, and with him Dr. Fitzpatrick as a clerical fidus Achates. O f course, upon such an eventful occasion an address and a testimonial were indispensable, and it did not take m u c h time to get them up. It was also arranged that the Bishop should take a public farewell of his people, and as Dr. Geoghegan had not yet, since his return, m a d e any public appearance outside the strict routine of his sacerdotal duties, it was happily contrived that the EasterSunday Meeting of the Catholic Association should perform a dual function, " T o welcome the coming, speed the parting guest,"
by receiving the one Doctor and wishing the other good-bye. It is no exaggeration to say that St. Francis' was never more crowded that on this noteful evening of the 20th April, and the addresses of the two "guests " were all that could be desired, making some allowance for a difference in the quality and texture of the articles. Dr. Geoghegan gave a graphic and lucid narrative of his wanderings by sea and land, whilst Dr. Goold was very profuse in his compliments as to the manner in which his Agent-General had acquitted himself of his by no means easy task. T h e funds of the Society benefited to the extent of ,£50 by the evening's gathering. T h e Bishop started on his homeward-bound trip per " S h a m r o c k " steamer to Sydney on the 23rd April 1851, and Dr. Geoghegan settled d o w n to the business of the Mission. A n event of an amusingly interesting character, took place at a meeting of the Catholic Association on the 18th M a y . T h e several priests w h o had recently arrived had not been yet collectively introduced to the R o m a n Catholic community; and Dr. Geoghegan, w h o was a master of the art of producing effects, and a believer in them to a certain extent, availed himself of this opportunity of holding a species of public reception, at which a mutual presentation of priests and people might be made. T h e " new c h u m s " were accordingly mustered in full force, and trotted out in style, something after the fashion of the Horse-Parades, and their various good points dilated upon by their conductor with all the good humour and unction of a popular auctioneer. T h e experiment was a vast success, the spectators enjoyed the performance immensely, and the collection plates, the inevitable sequel, were heaped with money, from the ragged bank-note to the shabby little three-penny bit. T h efirstof the novelties submitted to inspection was the gentleman afterwards so universally k n o w n as Dr. Bleasedale, blushing like a peony, and looking as bashful as one of those affianced damsels depicted in Moore's Oriental romance as taking " a last look in her mirror" on the eve of her nuptials. H e was introduced by Dr. Geoghegan "as a Catholic clergyman w h o had lately c o m e amongst t h e m — a Saxon, but who, in the words of that eminent bishop (Dr. Ullathorne), at whose instance he (Dr. Geoghegan) had been induced to visit the colonies, as applied to himself—was an Irishman born in England"—whereat the individual so eulogised m a d e a profound obeisance, and declared "that though not an Irishman, he might adopt a phrase he heard used in his o w n country, and say he was an Irishman's first cousin." T h e Rev. P. D u n n was next led forth, a good-looking, simple-faced young m a n , and he was ticketed by Dr. Geoghegan as the " Benjamin of his choice." T h e Rev. M . Stack followed, fresh from that remote corner of Old Ireland, the ancient kingdom of Kerry, famed alike for hardy men, winsome w o m e n , little cows, and the most delicious mutton in the world. In the course of a couple of months, Melbourne was visited by the Rev. Dr. Hall, the Vicar-General of Hobartown, long remembered through a couple of magnificent sermons which he preached. For some time there had been a vague notion of establishing a Religious Order of Monks, and in November, 1851, Dr. Geoghegan notified that the Bishop had given his special sanction and encouragement to the establishment of a monastery to be called " Hippo," on a section of land at the Deep Creek, some five-andtwenty miles from town, purchased for the purpose "and partly paid for by pious alms;" but one-half the money was still owing, and to aid in securing this M r . P. J. Cregin volunteered his services as a collector. This " H i p p o " affair turned out afiasco;it was forgotten during the gold-fielding complications, and soon sank into complete oblivion. THE
INTRODUCTION OF T H E P R A Y E R QUESTION
In the first Legislative Council, produced a controversy bitter and bad-tempered, and it was naturally to be expected that it would extend to the Catholic Association. This it did, and an uncompromisingly trenchant address delivered there by Dr. Geoghegan led to an acrimonious warfare between him and the Daily News and Herald Newspapers. T h e former journal never affected m u c h interest for the R o m a n Catholics, but the latter assumed the part of a quasi friend, though always a hollow and insincere one. Mr. Cavanagh, the proprietor and nominal editor of the Herald, was essentially a " trimmer," w h o set the sails of his journal to catch any wind that paid best; and though he cared not a doit about the Catholics, and they thoroughly distrusted him, so matters went on very well for years, through a weak bond of mutual interest —for his paper in a small way served their purpose, and they (because they could not do better) accorded to the Herald a certain amount of support. O n the one side it was a kind of " Hobson's choice," and on the other a mere commercial consideration. It was now, however, an open feud; the gauntlets were thrown down, and Dr. Geoghegan pitched into the two offending newspapers, which, for once, buried their o w n personal hatreds, and retaliated in a combined attack. T h e Association moved on to the front to sustain its founder, for which purpose a special meeting was held on the 28th December, where Dr. Geoghegan's views were emphatically endorsed, and a resolution passed expressing the deepest indignation at the Herald and Daily News "distorting the real sentiments declared by our beloved and venerable pastor, the Very Reverend the Vicar-General, and assailing his personal and official character with unmerited vituperation;" and offering an "earnest tribute of our warmest sympathy, heart-felt attachment, and undivided co-operation, in testimony of our admiration of his zeal and earnestness in the cause of truth and liberty." A committee was also appointed to take steps to secure " a more impartial means of asserting our just share in the civil and religious immunities of the colony." T h e storm so raised died out as harmlessly as m a n y another gale has done, a result m u c h assisted, no doubt, by the rejection by the Legislative Council of a proposition utterly needless and unserviceable. In the beginning of the year, 1852, it was announced that letters had been received from the Bishop communicating the welcome tidings that his Lordship and Dr. Fitzpatrick, after an enjoyable passage, had arrived at Southampton on the 19th August; that the Bishop was on the point of starting for Ireland, where hisfirstact in Dublin would be to order the bells for St. Francis', and after a brief stay in the Green Isle, he would set out for R o m e . O n the 31st December, 1851, from a return furnished to the Government, there were only five R o m a n Catholic Churches in Port Phillip, estimated to hold 1720 persons, and usually attended by 1670. T h e census taken in March, 1851, gave the total Catholic population as 18,014, of w h o m 5631 were resident in Melbourne. Dr. Goold was created Archbishop of Melbourne on the 31st March, 1874, and remained in the active administration of the Archiepiscopate of Victoria (in which there are n o w three dioceses, i.e., Melbourne, Sandhurst, and Ballarat) until his death on the n t h June, 1886. There were, in 1881, in connection with the R o m a n Catholic denomination of Victoria, 93 registered clergymen, 531 places of worship, providing accommodation for 98,790 persons, with a usual attendance of 70,780, and an approximate number of yearly services of 48,638. T h e R o m a n Catholic population was some 215,500. Mr. Hayter's tables for 1886-7 give the following numbers :—Population, 232,849;* number of ministers, 129; number of churches, 564—affording accommodation for 112,511 persons; uumber of services, 66,262; average attendance, 85,816. T h e following notification, evidently authorised, appears in Kerr's Port Phillip Directory for 1842 :— "There are no fees exacted in the R o m a n Catholic Church, excepting for burial, and these have never been demanded or received in Melbourne. Marriage, as well as baptism, is considered a sacrament, and were a R o m a n Catholic clergyman to demand remuneration for the administration of any sacrament, he would be held to have committed simony, and be punishable for that offence. It is customary for the flock, according to their goodwill and means to make presents or voluntary offerings on such occasions ; but there is no specific law in the Church affixing any fees. T h e return to the Government of fees received by the R o m a n Catholic chaplain of Melbourne has hitherto been "nil.
• Including Catholics not otherwise denned.