The Archdiocese of Perth has last week officially launched the biographies of Archbishop Patrick Clune CSsr, written by Fr Christopher Dowd, and Bishop Martin Griver, written by Odhran O’Brien.
The books provide a unique insight into the lives of Bishop Martin Griver (1814–1886) and Archbishop Patrick Clune (1864-1935), recalling the stories of faith, empire and social justice during the challenging early years of the local community in Perth and the Church in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Archdiocese commissioned the books during the restoration of St Mary’s Cathedral, which was completed in 2009.
More than 150 guests attended the launch, which was held at the Redemptorist Monastery in North Perth and who were officially welcomed by Chairman of the Archdiocesan Historical Commission, Monsignor Brian O’Loughlin.
In his opening speech for the occasion, Monsignor O’Loughlin spoke about the work of the Historical Commission of the Archdiocese, paying special tribute to the role of Fr Pat Cunningham, who passed away in late 2014, as custodian of the oral history of the Archdiocese.
Monsignor O’Loughlin went on to describe the process undertaken by the Historical Commission and its members in the decision to have the histories published.
Guests at the launch were also presented with a special Q&A session hosted by former ABC journalist Peter Kennedy and the authors.
In launching Faith, Ireland and Empire – The Life of Patrick Joseph Clune CSsr, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB praised the work of author Fr Christopher Dowd OP, while also providing some insight into the life of Archbishop Clune.
“When Patrick Clune entered the seminary of All Hallows in 1881, he did so knowing that he was embarking on a journey of study and formation which would see him become priest not just for Ireland itself, but for what the All Hallows Annual for 1903/1904 would describe as greater Ireland beyond the seas,” the Archbishop said.
“Luckily for us here in Western Australia, that greater Ireland included Australia and our western corner of it.
“As we have heard, the young Fr Clune arrived in Sydney in 1886, and the story of his life of administering service in our country had begun,” the Archbishop continued.
“That story is told with great sympathy and great insight by Fr Christopher Dowd OP, who at least one commentator has described recently as one of Australia’s leading Church historians.
“Fr Dowd has done the Church of Western Australia, and indeed the whole Catholic community of Australia, a great service in bringing this important figure, the fourth bishop and first Archbishop of Perth, to life in such a readable and accessible way.”
Both Archbishop Clune and Bishop Griver made significant contributions to the design and development of St Mary’s Cathedral during their respective terms of office.
As Catholic bishops, Griver and Clune were charged with both the spiritual and earthly care of the Catholic community in Western Australia.
In addition to vigorously travelling the expanse of Australia for their pastoral duties, they built churches and schools, established charitable organisations and campaigned for better social welfare on behalf of the underprivileged.
A friend of Bishop Rosendo Salvado, the founder of New Norcia, the Spaniard Martin Griver was both a surgeon and a scholar of saintly reputation.
His accounts of traveling the Western Australian outback in the 1850’s and 1860’s give a unique glimpse into colonial life in the Antipodes.
Meanwhile, Irishman Patrick Clune was a renowned preacher who was appointed a chaplain in World War I and later acted as an intermediary between Lloyd-George and the Irish leaders during the Irish War of Independence.
In launching Martin Griver – Unearthed, by Odhran O’Brien, Archdiocese of Perth Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey spoke about the title of the book and its significance.
“The book that has been written about him, is called, aptly enough, Martin Griver, Unearthed,” Emeritus Archbishop Hickey said.
“He was literally unearthed only a short time ago, along with the body of Bishop Gibney, but he has been unearthed as a person of great substance and importance in the history, not only for Western Australia but especially of the Diocese of Perth as it was then.
“The presence of so many people here tonight, convinces me that history generally is of great interest, and the history of the Diocese, later the Archdiocese of Perth, is an enormous interest to Catholic people.
“It’s full of scandals, it’s full of trials, it’s full of fights and excuses and arguments – it’s wonderful really.
“It shows how much one can draw from the different personalities – the conflicts, the tensions, with beautiful results.
“And when we look back we can see the hand of God working in the lives of all the people responsible for the progress made here in the diocese of Perth.
Archbishop Emeritus also paid tribute to Odhran O’Brien for his work on publishing the life of Martin Griver.
Originally from Ireland, Mr O’Brien has been applying his research skills to his work as a Heritage Advisor for the Town of Claremont and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Western Australia on the relationship between the Catholic Church and government of Western Australia during the colonial period.
The review of Martin Griver – Unearthed features in this week’s edition of the e-Record. Click here.
Don’t miss next week’s report of the Q&A session, hosted by former ABC journalist Peter Kennedy with authors Fr Dowd and Odhran O’Brien.