Brian Condon: Diary of James Alipius Goold, 1848-1886
Consecrated to B[lessed] V[irgin], Angel Guardian and * P. St.* [Patron Saint ?]
*****
Resolutions made during the retreat
[i.e. on the eve of his consecration as Bishop of Melbourne. Ed.]
August 1st 1848
1st.: I intend with the assistance of God to make a good retreat.
2nd.: I will in future after my present Spiritual exercises are finished rise every morning at 5.30 or six - provided my health allow of it.
3.: This resolve shall become the rule of my house.
4.: Meditation - O God! in thy goodness enable me to make it on all occasions with the proper disposition
5.: I will read with pious attention Prima - 3[Tertia] - Sext - None
6.: At 7.30 I will celebrate the most holy mysteries
7.: A quarter of an hour to thanksgiving
8.: From nine to ten study - from ten to twelve business
9.: I shall during the remainder of my life apply myself to the duties of my sacred calling with due attention to thy honor and glory, O my God - my own and my neighbours spiritual advantage
10.: I will pass under a strict examination every night the thoughts, words and actions of the preceding day
11.: Every morning I will make an offering to God of my heart. I will consecrate to him the several actions, thoughts and conversations of the day
12.: I will commend the same pious and wholesome practice to all under my care
13.: It shall be my particular care to watch my temper and bend it to the practice of patience and mildness
14.: I will be careful not to give offence by word or action - but to demean myself towards all persons mildly and forbearingly
.: Give me grace - O my good God - to bear in patience insults and injuries
15.: I will make a retreat every year at this particular time. My God - give me grace to keep this resolution
16.: I will see that every thing belonging to the altar where the Most Blessed Sacrament is kept is clean and in every respect befitting its sanctity - a lamp shall constantly burn before it
17.: I will be watchful over my actions and words - that scandal may not thence emanate
18.: I shall after the example of my B[lessed] Saviour give reproof in all mildness and charity
19.: It shall be my particular care to study the dispositions of those whose conduct deserves to be reproved that the reproof may be given in a manner calculated to produce their amendment
20.: I will never rebuke in public - * unless* where I perceive it would be injurious to religion not to do so. I have made a compact with my tongue never to speak, and with myself never to act, as long as my heart is disturbed - St Francis de Sales
21.: I will read a portion of the rubrics every week
22.: I will read a little theology every day
23.: I will pay a visit to the Blessed Sacrament every day.
* * *
Received consecration in St. Mary's Sydney on the feast of the Transfiguration August 6th 1848. Consecrating bishop the Most Revd. Dr. Polding - assistant bishop Right Revd. Dr. Murphy - bishop of Adelaide.
[Inside back cover of large 1867 Diary. Probably written in 1869. Ed.]
Dedication of Churches
Melbourne 18[..]
The church at the corner of Elizabeth and Lonsdale Streets was dedicated to St. Francis of Assisium by Bishop Geoghegan, then a missionary priest in Victoria.
The Cathedral was dedicated to St. Patrick in 1850.
The School Chapel Hotham N. Melbourne was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary Stella Maris [Star of the Sea]
The School Chapel in Bourke St. W dedicated to St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church. The foundation of new church will be laid on the 24th. October 1869.
The School Chapel Carlton.: dedicated to St. George
Church in Nicholson St. N..: dedicated to St. Bridget
Church Collingwood.: dedicated to St. Joseph
Church East Melbourne.: dedicated to St. John Evangelist
School in Hotham.: dedicated to St. Michael
Church Emerald Hill.: dedicated to St. Peter and Paul
Church Prahran.: dedicated to the Blessed Virgin
Church Pentridge.: dedicated to St. Paul
School Chapel Richmond.: dedicated to St. James Apostle
Kilmore.:
Lallarook Church 53 ft by 26 ft. Commenced 2 March Wednesday 1864. Finished March 1865. Solemnly blessed and dedicated 10th. May 1866.
I was consecrated Bishop of Melbourne on the Feast of the Transfiguration August 6th 1848. Consecrating Bishop, the Most Rev Dr John Bede Polding, Archbishop of Sydney. Assisting Bishop, the Right Rev Dr Francis Murphy, Bishop of Adelaide.
I left Sydney on the 3rd Sept to proceed overland to my diocese, the extreme boundary of which, at the River Murray near Albury, was crossed by me on the morning of 28th September at 25 minutes to 10 o'clock. I arrived in Melbourne on the 4th of October, the feast of the Anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of St Francis Church, the only one then in Melbourne, and a magnificent proof of the zeal of the clergyman in charge of the Mission, and of the charity of the Catholics belonging to it.
It was three o'clock in the evening of this day when I arrived at the church of St Francis. The journey from Sydney to Melbourne was performed without accident or inconvenience during most favourable weather, in less than a month. It was the first time that this journey of 600 miles was performed in a carriage and four. The horses, which were not changed during the journey, did not seem to have suffered much from it.
The country between Sydney and the River Murray varied very much. Owing to the badness of the roads, agriculture a hundred miles from the market appeared to be neglected for the more lucrative occupation of grazing. At Goulburn in the Sydney district I remained a few days. The journey from Campbelltown to that place was performed in two days, the distance being a hundred miles. On leaving Campbelltown Tuesday 5th of Sept. I was accompanied by the Catholics of that Mission a distance of 10 miles, when I took an affectionate farewell of them. A long period of missionary service amongst that good people had attached me to them, and created a mutual affection not easily expressed. The Sunday previous to my final departure from amongst them I celebrated the Holy Sacrifice in their Church, which is dedicated to St John. This Church had been commenced by the Very Rev Mr Therry, the Apostle of the Middle district, and finished during my Mission in Campbelltown. On the following Sunday I offered up the Holy Sacrifice at Goulburn in a temporary chapel. A large and handsome brick Church was on the point of being completed, the walls were finished and covered in. This town is large and well built.
Berrima is situated between Goulburn and Campbelltown. This small town is 49 miles from the former place. The land in the town and its immediate neighbourhood is a useless waste, it is well supplied with excellent water. A Catholic Clergyman lives here; as yet he has no church. A temporary school is used by him on Sundays for the celebration of the Divine Mysteries. A sum of three hundred pounds have been subscribed for the erection of a suitable place of worship. The incumbent of this place, as well as the other Clergymen in the Province, receives a salary from the Government.
I left Goulburn on Monday morning, and arrived in Yass early on Tuesday. This town has a resident clergyman, a small but handsome church, presbytery and school house. Here I remained but two days. After I left Yass I proceeded by rapid journeys to my destination. The Vicar General Dr Geoghegan met me at the Seymour, which is distant from Melbourne 69 miles. I arrived at this place on Sunday whilst Fr Geoghegan was engaged in celebrating Mass for a numerous congregation. I had celebrated the Holy Mystery at the place I started from that morning, when a few pious persons of the scattered flock of this diocese assisted, having previously gone to their confessions. I said Mass every Sunday during the journey, and a congregation on each occasion assembled and made their confessions, expressing in a fervent prayer their gratitude to our good God for allowing them the opportunity. On week days, whenever a congregation was to be found, I offered up the Holy Sacrifice, heard confessions, and administered the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Eucharist.
I was the first Bishop who visited that part of the Archdiocese of Sydney that is situated between Albury and the Murrimbigee [sic], [and] the part of the Melbourne diocese which lies between the Murray and that city.
When I arrived in Melbourne, the diocese had only three Clergymen, two churches - one in Melbourne, and the other at Geelong - and a commodious little chapel at Portland; in Melbourne, close to the church a small presbytery (since considerably enlarged), a spacious Hall, which is used for a boys' and girls' school (a temporary partition being erected to separate the boys from the girls) [and] a small school house which I have converted for the present into a Seminary for Ecclesiastical students.