I am the Director of Archives and Information Governance Office for the Archdiocese of Perth, having previously worked in the area of cultural heritage conservation for state and local government. A member of the Professional Historian's Association (WA), I have been associated with a number of archaeological works within the colonial precinct surrounding St Mary’s Cathedral and my Master’s thesis on Western Australian Catholicism was published by St Paul's Publications in 2015. These projects developed my interest in the history of Western Australia and in 2014 I began a PhD at the University of Western Australia in the field. Supervisors: Prof Jenny Gregory and Dr Colin Barr
St Mary's Cathedral: A History in Photographs, 2020
A short history of St Mary's as a place of worship considering its builders, community, artworks,... more A short history of St Mary's as a place of worship considering its builders, community, artworks, architectural features and much more.
Martin Griver’s life provides an intimate glimpse into major events of the nineteenth century – r... more Martin Griver’s life provides an intimate glimpse into major events of the nineteenth century – revolution, faith, emigration and colonial expansion. Born in 1814, Griver grew up in the agricultural region of Granollers in the Spanish province of Catalonia. Throughout his youth in the 1820s and 1830s as political instability and anticlericalism engulfed Spain, Griver remained resolute in his vocation for the priesthood. In Barcelona throughout the early 1840s he studied medicine as the profession was rapidly developing from advances in scientific knowledge.
As a newly-ordained priest, Griver travelled to Western Australia in 1849 to become a missionary. The life of a Catholic minister in the colony included travelling the outback administering spiritual and charitable assistance to scattered and isolated Catholic communities. Father Griver wrote detailed reports of significant events during the expansion of the colony as well as the lives of ordinary settlers and the Aboriginal people.
In 1862 Griver was placed in charge of the Catholic community and developed a collaborative leadership style, endeavouring to engage the Anglican-dominated civil officialdom with the ministry and social welfare of Roman Catholicism. For the majority of the nineteenth century, under Griver’s government of the diocese, there was minimal sectarian tension between Catholics and the Protestant denominations in the west. Having demonstrated competence as a leader, Rome appointed him apostolic administrator and subsequently bishop of the Diocese of Perth.
Largely removed from the Irish clerical machinations of the eastern colonies, under Griver’s leadership the pastoral focus of the diocese remained practical and dedicated to providing the congregation with churches, schools and priests. With Griver’s guidance the clergy and religious also maintained a social welfare outreach to the Aboriginal people and a passion for the needs of the poor and the treatment of convicts. The administration of Perth’s second bishop had a spiritual and secular influence on the social, political and religious landscape of Western Australia.
Odhran O’Brien, drawing on the methods of the eminent biographer Professor Richard Holmes, has travelled across Australia and around the globe, accessing historical archives and visiting significant places in his subject’s life to illuminate the story of Perth’s second Catholic bishop. This work reveals Griver’s deep spiritual faith and marked impact on the landscape of a fledgling colony and mission.
Over his long career Mathew Blagden Hale (1811-1895) participated in key aspects of nineteenth ce... more Over his long career Mathew Blagden Hale (1811-1895) participated in key aspects of nineteenth century Australian colonialism. Hale was ordained as a priest in the Church of England at the age of 26, an exciting time for idealistic young Britons following the abolition of slavery in 1833, and a high point of enthusiasm for missionary work around the empire. But it was not until 1847 that he joined the new Bishop of Adelaide Augustus Short in travelling to the colony of South Australia, where his long-cherished desire to help Aboriginal people prompted him to establish Poonindie Mission, near Port Lincoln. He first visited Western Australia in 1848, where he met his wife Sabina, of the prominent Molloy settler family. He was appointed the first Anglican Bishop of Perth in 1857, and during his tenure made significant contributions to the institutions of church and education, as well as important debates of the day such as transportation. In 1875 he was appointed Bishop of Brisbane. He retired in 1885, and returned to England, where he continued to promote the Church's mission to Aboriginal people to the end of his life.
There was a significant monetary cost associated with establishing Catholicism in colonial Wester... more There was a significant monetary cost associated with establishing Catholicism in colonial Western Australia. The bishops and clergy funded the development of the local Catholic Church through donations from European benefactors, offerings from the congregation, and sponsorship from the Colonial and British Governments. As donations from Europe were variable and the resident Catholic population were largely poor, the government grants were the most reliable income for the Diocese of Perth. The government issued grants to support the establishment of congregations, schools, and social welfare institutions. The development of congregations in new settlements was the Catholic Church’s core ministry and the government issued stipends to Catholic chaplains to administer spiritual care to settlers and convicts in particular districts. Government grants were based on the census results and the Catholic Church was required to establish local church congregations and recruit clergy, and demonstrate an ability to contribute towards the maintenance of both. From 1852 to 1886, Bishops Joseph Serra, Rosendo Salvado and Martin Griver took charge of establishing congregations, managing clergy and lobbying the governors and other civil officials to fund colonial chaplaincies. The government also expected that the chaplains would promote moral and social order among the ex-convicts transported from Britain.
Throughout the mid-colonial period the colonial chaplains developed an important role in the frontier society of Western Australia, and Catholic and civil leaderships partnered to resource the establishment of Catholic congregations. Despite the significance of the chaplaincy to Catholicism and broader society, little attention has been given to these clergy and their work. Among the few who have considered the chaplains are Marian Aveling, who questioned whether civil officials preferred the Church of England over the Catholic claim to state aid, and D.F. Bourke, who stated that officials actively undermined applications by Catholics for funding. Exploring the work of chaplains and the engagement of Catholic leaders with officialdom will further the scholarly understanding of the role that Christianity and Christian leadership played within the social structure of the colony. It will also test the thesis of Renae Barker, that the colonial authorities created a plural Christian establishment, and Rowan Strong, who has argued that the Colonial Government implemented the principle of religious equality in the colony. Finally, it will provide insight into Catholic leadership, particularly in relation to its ability to access government resources and sustain the Catholic mission in providing spiritual care for settlers. The study of these themes in this article is based on an expansive survey of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical correspondence within the Colonial Secretary’s Office records, the colony’s peak administrative apparatus.
The following paper was originally prepared as a blog article for the Australian Research Council... more The following paper was originally prepared as a blog article for the Australian Research Council Discovery Project: ‘A Baroque Archbishop in Colonial Australia’. Hosted by the University of Melbourne and the University of Divinity, the project sets out to: ‘investigate the cultural vision of the first Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, James Alipius Goold OSA (1812 to 1886)’, through an examination of Goold’s collection and patronage in the fields of art and architecture.1
The arrival of convicts left a remarkable impression on the young colony of Western Australia. Hi... more The arrival of convicts left a remarkable impression on the young colony of Western Australia. Historians have noted that the investment from the imperial government provided for much-needed development in the settlement following successive stretches of economic stagnation. The effect was even more far-reaching than the current historical landscape has suggested, particularly in regards to the religious ramifications. Prior to the transportation of convicts, senior Catholic clergyman and governors had long debated the equitable level of state-aid for the Diocese of Perth. The arrival of convicts both accelerated and exacerbated the diocese's impetus for support from the government. The spiritual and physical care given to convicts became a central concern of the Church. Prison riots, the dramatic escape of incarcerated Fenians and other events associated with convicts acted as the catalyst for conflict between the colonial governors and Bishops Joseph Serra, Rosendo Salvado and Martin Griver. Despite intermittent conflict, these clergy were able to gain significant state-aid. Therefore, this paper explores the response of Catholic and civil leadership to convictism in Western Australia and its impact on Catholic Church-state relations.
The years 1862 to 1886 were arguably the 'Golden Age' in the relationship between New Norcia Mona... more The years 1862 to 1886 were arguably the 'Golden Age' in the relationship between New Norcia Monastery and the Diocese of Perth in Western Australia. Under the leadership of Bishop Rosendo Salvado, Superior of New Norcia, and Fr Martin Griver, Apostolic Administrator and ...
Brigadier Richard Holmes, biographer and military historian, has stated that he seeks the ‘charac... more Brigadier Richard Holmes, biographer and military historian, has stated that he seeks the ‘character of the man’ in his biographical studies of such British political figures as Winston Churchill. In undertaking a biography of Bishop Martin Griver, I have been endeavouring to realise that same objective. The ‘search for Griver’ began on a completely physical level with an exhumation of his remains from within St Mary’s Cathedral, the place of worship that he helped design and build. In many ways much of the knowledge about his contribution to Western Australia’s Catholic Church has been laid to rest with him—until now. The object of this thesis is bring new life to Griver’s story and reveal the essence of the man through investigation of a plethora of correspondence, reports, memoranda, diaries and other historical material much of which has never been researched. Due to certain limitations of the historical record this biographical account focuses mainly on Griver’s missionary career in Western Australia. The revision of primary and secondary sources has taken place and considered in conjunction with the cultural remains from Griver’s time namely his home in Perth, the churches he built and institutions he created. These footprints of Griver’s time have made it possible to identify the key issues and themes within the life of the man, his impact on Catholic Church in Western Australia and its interaction with its counterparts in the eastern colonies and Rome. Further, Griver significantly changed the place of the Catholic community within colonial society. In all, this biography reveals the life of a man who had a devotion to missionary work, that led him to become the leader of the Catholic community in Western Australia. Throughout his time as leader, he maintained a close pastoral relationship with his congregation. This enabled him to see the need for more churches, schools, social welfare and a united Catholic hierarchy. He focused the administration of the Perth Diocese on achieving initiatives which directly benefited the people it served. When he died he was the first active bishop of the Diocese to both die in office and be buried within its ecclesiastical territory. His legacy further included a financially stable, spiritually enriched, and cohesive Catholic community. To this end, although an unwilling leader, he achieved the ideal for a bishop by successfully promoting the unity and welfare of his flock.
"The first Fantastic Forebear in Drive's new series was a surgeon and a seminarian who lived thro... more "The first Fantastic Forebear in Drive's new series was a surgeon and a seminarian who lived through the Spanish Civil War.
He was arrested on suspicion of being a spy in the Franco-Prussian War, moved to Perth in the earliest years of the colony and went on to become the city’s second Catholic bishop.
The man we’re talking about is Bishop Martin Griver. Bishop Griver's historian and biographer Odhran O'Brien spoke to Russell Woolf about the life and times of our Fantastic Forebear, including his role in Bishop Griver's exhumation during the restoration of St Mary's Cathedral."
WA History Foundation Grant in 2009 for research at the National Library of Australia on records ... more WA History Foundation Grant in 2009 for research at the National Library of Australia on records from Propaganda Fide Archives in Vatican City made available in Australia by the Australian Joint Copying Project.
The Award, offered by the Australian Catholic Historical Society, comprises a $500 prize and cons... more The Award, offered by the Australian Catholic Historical Society, comprises a $500 prize and consideration for publication in the ACHS Journal. It is offered by the Society for the purpose of encouraging the study of Australian Catholic history and is funded annually by the MacGinley family in honour of their late father.
The Franklin Broeze Memorial Fund was established in 2002 and funded 3 Annual Lectures. The balan... more The Franklin Broeze Memorial Fund was established in 2002 and funded 3 Annual Lectures. The balance of funds has been used to create a fund to provide a postgraduate scholarship in perpetuity in honour of the late Professor Franklin Broeze who was a member of the then Department of History from 1971 to 2001 and served his profession, the Department and the University with distinction during those 30 years.
Review(s) of: Newman college: A history, 1918-2018, by Brenda Niall, Josephine Dunin, and Frances... more Review(s) of: Newman college: A history, 1918-2018, by Brenda Niall, Josephine Dunin, and Frances O'Neill (Parkville, VIC: Newman College, 2018), pp. 270, hardback, $70.00.
Limina: A Journal of Historical and Cultural Studies, 2020
I highly recommend getting a copy of Tom McKendrick and Elliot Langdon’s ‘Built Perth’. This work... more I highly recommend getting a copy of Tom McKendrick and Elliot Langdon’s ‘Built Perth’. This work is beautifully put together and gives great insight into Perth’s built environment.
St Mary's Cathedral: A History in Photographs, 2020
A short history of St Mary's as a place of worship considering its builders, community, artworks,... more A short history of St Mary's as a place of worship considering its builders, community, artworks, architectural features and much more.
Martin Griver’s life provides an intimate glimpse into major events of the nineteenth century – r... more Martin Griver’s life provides an intimate glimpse into major events of the nineteenth century – revolution, faith, emigration and colonial expansion. Born in 1814, Griver grew up in the agricultural region of Granollers in the Spanish province of Catalonia. Throughout his youth in the 1820s and 1830s as political instability and anticlericalism engulfed Spain, Griver remained resolute in his vocation for the priesthood. In Barcelona throughout the early 1840s he studied medicine as the profession was rapidly developing from advances in scientific knowledge.
As a newly-ordained priest, Griver travelled to Western Australia in 1849 to become a missionary. The life of a Catholic minister in the colony included travelling the outback administering spiritual and charitable assistance to scattered and isolated Catholic communities. Father Griver wrote detailed reports of significant events during the expansion of the colony as well as the lives of ordinary settlers and the Aboriginal people.
In 1862 Griver was placed in charge of the Catholic community and developed a collaborative leadership style, endeavouring to engage the Anglican-dominated civil officialdom with the ministry and social welfare of Roman Catholicism. For the majority of the nineteenth century, under Griver’s government of the diocese, there was minimal sectarian tension between Catholics and the Protestant denominations in the west. Having demonstrated competence as a leader, Rome appointed him apostolic administrator and subsequently bishop of the Diocese of Perth.
Largely removed from the Irish clerical machinations of the eastern colonies, under Griver’s leadership the pastoral focus of the diocese remained practical and dedicated to providing the congregation with churches, schools and priests. With Griver’s guidance the clergy and religious also maintained a social welfare outreach to the Aboriginal people and a passion for the needs of the poor and the treatment of convicts. The administration of Perth’s second bishop had a spiritual and secular influence on the social, political and religious landscape of Western Australia.
Odhran O’Brien, drawing on the methods of the eminent biographer Professor Richard Holmes, has travelled across Australia and around the globe, accessing historical archives and visiting significant places in his subject’s life to illuminate the story of Perth’s second Catholic bishop. This work reveals Griver’s deep spiritual faith and marked impact on the landscape of a fledgling colony and mission.
Over his long career Mathew Blagden Hale (1811-1895) participated in key aspects of nineteenth ce... more Over his long career Mathew Blagden Hale (1811-1895) participated in key aspects of nineteenth century Australian colonialism. Hale was ordained as a priest in the Church of England at the age of 26, an exciting time for idealistic young Britons following the abolition of slavery in 1833, and a high point of enthusiasm for missionary work around the empire. But it was not until 1847 that he joined the new Bishop of Adelaide Augustus Short in travelling to the colony of South Australia, where his long-cherished desire to help Aboriginal people prompted him to establish Poonindie Mission, near Port Lincoln. He first visited Western Australia in 1848, where he met his wife Sabina, of the prominent Molloy settler family. He was appointed the first Anglican Bishop of Perth in 1857, and during his tenure made significant contributions to the institutions of church and education, as well as important debates of the day such as transportation. In 1875 he was appointed Bishop of Brisbane. He retired in 1885, and returned to England, where he continued to promote the Church's mission to Aboriginal people to the end of his life.
There was a significant monetary cost associated with establishing Catholicism in colonial Wester... more There was a significant monetary cost associated with establishing Catholicism in colonial Western Australia. The bishops and clergy funded the development of the local Catholic Church through donations from European benefactors, offerings from the congregation, and sponsorship from the Colonial and British Governments. As donations from Europe were variable and the resident Catholic population were largely poor, the government grants were the most reliable income for the Diocese of Perth. The government issued grants to support the establishment of congregations, schools, and social welfare institutions. The development of congregations in new settlements was the Catholic Church’s core ministry and the government issued stipends to Catholic chaplains to administer spiritual care to settlers and convicts in particular districts. Government grants were based on the census results and the Catholic Church was required to establish local church congregations and recruit clergy, and demonstrate an ability to contribute towards the maintenance of both. From 1852 to 1886, Bishops Joseph Serra, Rosendo Salvado and Martin Griver took charge of establishing congregations, managing clergy and lobbying the governors and other civil officials to fund colonial chaplaincies. The government also expected that the chaplains would promote moral and social order among the ex-convicts transported from Britain.
Throughout the mid-colonial period the colonial chaplains developed an important role in the frontier society of Western Australia, and Catholic and civil leaderships partnered to resource the establishment of Catholic congregations. Despite the significance of the chaplaincy to Catholicism and broader society, little attention has been given to these clergy and their work. Among the few who have considered the chaplains are Marian Aveling, who questioned whether civil officials preferred the Church of England over the Catholic claim to state aid, and D.F. Bourke, who stated that officials actively undermined applications by Catholics for funding. Exploring the work of chaplains and the engagement of Catholic leaders with officialdom will further the scholarly understanding of the role that Christianity and Christian leadership played within the social structure of the colony. It will also test the thesis of Renae Barker, that the colonial authorities created a plural Christian establishment, and Rowan Strong, who has argued that the Colonial Government implemented the principle of religious equality in the colony. Finally, it will provide insight into Catholic leadership, particularly in relation to its ability to access government resources and sustain the Catholic mission in providing spiritual care for settlers. The study of these themes in this article is based on an expansive survey of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical correspondence within the Colonial Secretary’s Office records, the colony’s peak administrative apparatus.
The following paper was originally prepared as a blog article for the Australian Research Council... more The following paper was originally prepared as a blog article for the Australian Research Council Discovery Project: ‘A Baroque Archbishop in Colonial Australia’. Hosted by the University of Melbourne and the University of Divinity, the project sets out to: ‘investigate the cultural vision of the first Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, James Alipius Goold OSA (1812 to 1886)’, through an examination of Goold’s collection and patronage in the fields of art and architecture.1
The arrival of convicts left a remarkable impression on the young colony of Western Australia. Hi... more The arrival of convicts left a remarkable impression on the young colony of Western Australia. Historians have noted that the investment from the imperial government provided for much-needed development in the settlement following successive stretches of economic stagnation. The effect was even more far-reaching than the current historical landscape has suggested, particularly in regards to the religious ramifications. Prior to the transportation of convicts, senior Catholic clergyman and governors had long debated the equitable level of state-aid for the Diocese of Perth. The arrival of convicts both accelerated and exacerbated the diocese's impetus for support from the government. The spiritual and physical care given to convicts became a central concern of the Church. Prison riots, the dramatic escape of incarcerated Fenians and other events associated with convicts acted as the catalyst for conflict between the colonial governors and Bishops Joseph Serra, Rosendo Salvado and Martin Griver. Despite intermittent conflict, these clergy were able to gain significant state-aid. Therefore, this paper explores the response of Catholic and civil leadership to convictism in Western Australia and its impact on Catholic Church-state relations.
The years 1862 to 1886 were arguably the 'Golden Age' in the relationship between New Norcia Mona... more The years 1862 to 1886 were arguably the 'Golden Age' in the relationship between New Norcia Monastery and the Diocese of Perth in Western Australia. Under the leadership of Bishop Rosendo Salvado, Superior of New Norcia, and Fr Martin Griver, Apostolic Administrator and ...
Brigadier Richard Holmes, biographer and military historian, has stated that he seeks the ‘charac... more Brigadier Richard Holmes, biographer and military historian, has stated that he seeks the ‘character of the man’ in his biographical studies of such British political figures as Winston Churchill. In undertaking a biography of Bishop Martin Griver, I have been endeavouring to realise that same objective. The ‘search for Griver’ began on a completely physical level with an exhumation of his remains from within St Mary’s Cathedral, the place of worship that he helped design and build. In many ways much of the knowledge about his contribution to Western Australia’s Catholic Church has been laid to rest with him—until now. The object of this thesis is bring new life to Griver’s story and reveal the essence of the man through investigation of a plethora of correspondence, reports, memoranda, diaries and other historical material much of which has never been researched. Due to certain limitations of the historical record this biographical account focuses mainly on Griver’s missionary career in Western Australia. The revision of primary and secondary sources has taken place and considered in conjunction with the cultural remains from Griver’s time namely his home in Perth, the churches he built and institutions he created. These footprints of Griver’s time have made it possible to identify the key issues and themes within the life of the man, his impact on Catholic Church in Western Australia and its interaction with its counterparts in the eastern colonies and Rome. Further, Griver significantly changed the place of the Catholic community within colonial society. In all, this biography reveals the life of a man who had a devotion to missionary work, that led him to become the leader of the Catholic community in Western Australia. Throughout his time as leader, he maintained a close pastoral relationship with his congregation. This enabled him to see the need for more churches, schools, social welfare and a united Catholic hierarchy. He focused the administration of the Perth Diocese on achieving initiatives which directly benefited the people it served. When he died he was the first active bishop of the Diocese to both die in office and be buried within its ecclesiastical territory. His legacy further included a financially stable, spiritually enriched, and cohesive Catholic community. To this end, although an unwilling leader, he achieved the ideal for a bishop by successfully promoting the unity and welfare of his flock.
"The first Fantastic Forebear in Drive's new series was a surgeon and a seminarian who lived thro... more "The first Fantastic Forebear in Drive's new series was a surgeon and a seminarian who lived through the Spanish Civil War.
He was arrested on suspicion of being a spy in the Franco-Prussian War, moved to Perth in the earliest years of the colony and went on to become the city’s second Catholic bishop.
The man we’re talking about is Bishop Martin Griver. Bishop Griver's historian and biographer Odhran O'Brien spoke to Russell Woolf about the life and times of our Fantastic Forebear, including his role in Bishop Griver's exhumation during the restoration of St Mary's Cathedral."
WA History Foundation Grant in 2009 for research at the National Library of Australia on records ... more WA History Foundation Grant in 2009 for research at the National Library of Australia on records from Propaganda Fide Archives in Vatican City made available in Australia by the Australian Joint Copying Project.
The Award, offered by the Australian Catholic Historical Society, comprises a $500 prize and cons... more The Award, offered by the Australian Catholic Historical Society, comprises a $500 prize and consideration for publication in the ACHS Journal. It is offered by the Society for the purpose of encouraging the study of Australian Catholic history and is funded annually by the MacGinley family in honour of their late father.
The Franklin Broeze Memorial Fund was established in 2002 and funded 3 Annual Lectures. The balan... more The Franklin Broeze Memorial Fund was established in 2002 and funded 3 Annual Lectures. The balance of funds has been used to create a fund to provide a postgraduate scholarship in perpetuity in honour of the late Professor Franklin Broeze who was a member of the then Department of History from 1971 to 2001 and served his profession, the Department and the University with distinction during those 30 years.
Review(s) of: Newman college: A history, 1918-2018, by Brenda Niall, Josephine Dunin, and Frances... more Review(s) of: Newman college: A history, 1918-2018, by Brenda Niall, Josephine Dunin, and Frances O'Neill (Parkville, VIC: Newman College, 2018), pp. 270, hardback, $70.00.
Limina: A Journal of Historical and Cultural Studies, 2020
I highly recommend getting a copy of Tom McKendrick and Elliot Langdon’s ‘Built Perth’. This work... more I highly recommend getting a copy of Tom McKendrick and Elliot Langdon’s ‘Built Perth’. This work is beautifully put together and gives great insight into Perth’s built environment.
Alessandra Ludewig has produced an authoritative social history of the internment camp on Rottnes... more Alessandra Ludewig has produced an authoritative social history of the internment camp on Rottnest Island during World War I. It is a timely reminder of Western Australia's approach to internment at times of crisis and, more generally, of the importance of UWA Publishing to the intellectual life of the State.
Victorian Christianity & Emigrant Voyages to British Colonies builds on Rowan Strong's extensive ... more Victorian Christianity & Emigrant Voyages to British Colonies builds on Rowan Strong's extensive scholarship on Anglicanism and settler religion in the British world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Over a decade, Strong meticulously pieced together his latest work which is the first systematic study of the Anglican emigrant chaplaincy. The chaplaincy was distinct from similar ecclesiastical initiatives due to its international structure, longevity, and the breadth of nationalities, classes, and denominations its chaplains engaged with. The specialist ministers recorded in their shipboard diaries extensive encounters with emigrants and their devotional practices. These diaries provide an ideal source for a case study exploring the religiosity of Britain and its imperial sphere, particularly within a period of mass emigration to the colonies (pp. 2–4). The work makes a compelling argument as to the importance of Christianity within the identity of those emigrating from the British Isles to the colonies where religion became central to the social fabric of emerging settler communities. Social historians have often marginalised the role of Christianity in moulding the beliefs, values, and lives of those within imperial and colonial societies. Therefore a defining connection between the metropolitan and its empire has remained largely absent from colonial histories, especially in the context of Australia and New Zealand (p. 10). The author provides an analysis of the full extent of the Anglican emigrant chap-laincy which consisted of British and colonial port chaplains, voyage chaplains, chaplains in the United States of America, and matrons who led parties of unaccompanied females (p. 58). The scheme was funded by both the British government and a number of missionary organisations (pp. 45–46). The examination of the diaries demonstrates there were varied and competing motivations underlying emigration and those who tended to the spiritual care of emigrants. The only question left in the reviewer's mind is whether there is any evidence that government sponsorship was granted with the anticipation of practical outcomes. In particular, did British officials intend that the chaplaincy might assist in promoting social order on board their ships and in their territories abroad? Placing the motivations of the imperial bureaucracy aside, the monograph provides a thorough consideration of the desires and intent of the chaplains and missionary organisations, which were stalwarts of the ministry. The diary of prominent chaplain Reverend Thomas Cave Childs articulates his belief that the chaplaincy should seek to deepen the faith of fellow travellers and cement the ties between the church at
The edition includes the proceedings of the Australian Catholic Historical Society Conference ‘To... more The edition includes the proceedings of the Australian Catholic Historical Society Conference ‘To and from the Antipodes’: Catholic missionaries over two centuries.
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As a newly-ordained priest, Griver travelled to Western Australia in 1849 to become a missionary. The life of a Catholic minister in the colony included travelling the outback administering spiritual and charitable assistance to scattered and isolated Catholic communities. Father Griver wrote detailed reports of significant events during the expansion of the colony as well as the lives of ordinary settlers and the Aboriginal people.
In 1862 Griver was placed in charge of the Catholic community and developed a collaborative leadership style, endeavouring to engage the Anglican-dominated civil officialdom with the ministry and social welfare of Roman Catholicism. For the majority of the nineteenth century, under Griver’s government of the diocese, there was minimal sectarian tension between Catholics and the Protestant denominations in the west. Having demonstrated competence as a leader, Rome appointed him apostolic administrator and subsequently bishop of the Diocese of Perth.
Largely removed from the Irish clerical machinations of the eastern colonies, under Griver’s leadership the pastoral focus of the diocese remained practical and dedicated to providing the congregation with churches, schools and priests. With Griver’s guidance the clergy and religious also maintained a social welfare outreach to the Aboriginal people and a passion for the needs of the poor and the treatment of convicts. The administration of Perth’s second bishop had a spiritual and secular influence on the social, political and religious landscape of Western Australia.
Odhran O’Brien, drawing on the methods of the eminent biographer Professor Richard Holmes, has travelled across Australia and around the globe, accessing historical archives and visiting significant places in his subject’s life to illuminate the story of Perth’s second Catholic bishop. This work reveals Griver’s deep spiritual faith and marked impact on the landscape of a fledgling colony and mission.
Throughout the mid-colonial period the colonial chaplains developed an important role in the frontier society of Western Australia, and Catholic and civil leaderships partnered to resource the establishment of Catholic congregations. Despite the significance of the chaplaincy to Catholicism and broader society, little attention has been given to these clergy and their work. Among the few who have considered the chaplains are Marian Aveling, who questioned whether civil officials preferred the Church of England over the Catholic claim to state aid, and D.F. Bourke, who stated that officials actively undermined applications by Catholics for funding. Exploring the work of chaplains and the engagement of Catholic leaders with officialdom will further the scholarly understanding of the role that Christianity and Christian leadership played within the social structure of the colony. It will also test the thesis of Renae Barker, that the colonial authorities created a plural Christian establishment, and Rowan Strong, who has argued that the Colonial Government implemented the principle of religious equality in the colony. Finally, it will provide insight into Catholic leadership, particularly in relation to its ability to access government resources and sustain the Catholic mission in providing spiritual care for settlers. The study of these themes in this article is based on an expansive survey of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical correspondence within the Colonial Secretary’s Office records, the colony’s peak administrative apparatus.
He was arrested on suspicion of being a spy in the Franco-Prussian War, moved to Perth in the earliest years of the colony and went on to become the city’s second Catholic bishop.
The man we’re talking about is Bishop Martin Griver. Bishop Griver's historian and biographer Odhran O'Brien spoke to Russell Woolf about the life and times of our Fantastic Forebear, including his role in Bishop Griver's exhumation during the restoration of St Mary's Cathedral."
As a newly-ordained priest, Griver travelled to Western Australia in 1849 to become a missionary. The life of a Catholic minister in the colony included travelling the outback administering spiritual and charitable assistance to scattered and isolated Catholic communities. Father Griver wrote detailed reports of significant events during the expansion of the colony as well as the lives of ordinary settlers and the Aboriginal people.
In 1862 Griver was placed in charge of the Catholic community and developed a collaborative leadership style, endeavouring to engage the Anglican-dominated civil officialdom with the ministry and social welfare of Roman Catholicism. For the majority of the nineteenth century, under Griver’s government of the diocese, there was minimal sectarian tension between Catholics and the Protestant denominations in the west. Having demonstrated competence as a leader, Rome appointed him apostolic administrator and subsequently bishop of the Diocese of Perth.
Largely removed from the Irish clerical machinations of the eastern colonies, under Griver’s leadership the pastoral focus of the diocese remained practical and dedicated to providing the congregation with churches, schools and priests. With Griver’s guidance the clergy and religious also maintained a social welfare outreach to the Aboriginal people and a passion for the needs of the poor and the treatment of convicts. The administration of Perth’s second bishop had a spiritual and secular influence on the social, political and religious landscape of Western Australia.
Odhran O’Brien, drawing on the methods of the eminent biographer Professor Richard Holmes, has travelled across Australia and around the globe, accessing historical archives and visiting significant places in his subject’s life to illuminate the story of Perth’s second Catholic bishop. This work reveals Griver’s deep spiritual faith and marked impact on the landscape of a fledgling colony and mission.
Throughout the mid-colonial period the colonial chaplains developed an important role in the frontier society of Western Australia, and Catholic and civil leaderships partnered to resource the establishment of Catholic congregations. Despite the significance of the chaplaincy to Catholicism and broader society, little attention has been given to these clergy and their work. Among the few who have considered the chaplains are Marian Aveling, who questioned whether civil officials preferred the Church of England over the Catholic claim to state aid, and D.F. Bourke, who stated that officials actively undermined applications by Catholics for funding. Exploring the work of chaplains and the engagement of Catholic leaders with officialdom will further the scholarly understanding of the role that Christianity and Christian leadership played within the social structure of the colony. It will also test the thesis of Renae Barker, that the colonial authorities created a plural Christian establishment, and Rowan Strong, who has argued that the Colonial Government implemented the principle of religious equality in the colony. Finally, it will provide insight into Catholic leadership, particularly in relation to its ability to access government resources and sustain the Catholic mission in providing spiritual care for settlers. The study of these themes in this article is based on an expansive survey of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical correspondence within the Colonial Secretary’s Office records, the colony’s peak administrative apparatus.
He was arrested on suspicion of being a spy in the Franco-Prussian War, moved to Perth in the earliest years of the colony and went on to become the city’s second Catholic bishop.
The man we’re talking about is Bishop Martin Griver. Bishop Griver's historian and biographer Odhran O'Brien spoke to Russell Woolf about the life and times of our Fantastic Forebear, including his role in Bishop Griver's exhumation during the restoration of St Mary's Cathedral."