Brian Condon: Letters and Documents in 19th Century Australian Catholic History

[Source: Adelaide Archdiocesan Archives copy]

Sydney

26 July 1821

Mr Therry the Priest having convened a meeting of the Committee of that Society for the purpose of fixing on a spot or situation for the purpose of erecting a Roman Catholic chapel on in this town, my opinion [is] that the Committee should choose a piece of land for its erection and that the Priest shall make choice of a situation.

I am instructed by His Excellency the Governor that any unappropriated part of the town shall be given for that purpose, as he wishes to render every accommodation on the part of the Government he can.

Such communication I have made to the Rev Mr Conolly and the Rev Mr Therry. I have made the same to Mr T. in consequence of his being about to make a new application to His Excellency through the medium of the late Secretary Mr Campbell. I hereby disavow my approbation of the said application as being superfluous and unnecessary.

Signed

James Meehan

[Certified as] A true copy

James Meehan

[Note: The most extensive collection of transcriptions of Fr Therry's correspondence remains Eris O'Brien's The Foundation of Catholicism in Australia; life and letters of Archpriest John Joseph Therry, Sydney, Angus & Robertson, 1922]