Brian Condon: Diary of James Alipius Goold, 1848-1886

On the 6th of this month two Clergymen arrived from Ireland. They were sent out by Dr Geoghegan at the expense of the Catholic Association. Their names are the Rev Gerald Ward and Patrick Dunne; they seem to be pious and zealous priests. I received their promise of obedience, made to myself and successors, on Sunday the Feast of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God. They are affiliated to the Diocese. The Vicar General has forwarded by them six chalices and two pixes for the use of the Mission, together with a Missal, and six Pontificals. The Chalices - with the exception of a small one, which is silver - are plated. The gentlemen are provided with vestments, oilstocks and pixes for their own use.

Today, the 11th of the month, Father Dunne proceeded with Dean Fitzpatrick to Geelong, the scene of his future labours. His appointment to this Mission, to which also Father Ward will be sent during the absence of Dr Geoghegan, is only provisional.

I visited today the schools situated in Melbourne. Fr Powell - to whose inspection I have committed them - accompanied me. In Melbourne the Church has six schools receiving aid from Government. They have been provided from the same source with books.

Sunday the 15th the Catholic Association met, agreeably to its rules, immediately after Benediction. No less than six hundred persons were present - as many more were obliged to return to their homes, being unable to obtain an entrance into the Hall in consequence of its crowded state.

A lecture delivered by Mr Stawell, Barrister-at-Law, in the Protestant Hall on the Reformation, was reviewed and well by one of our schoolmasters. The amount of contributions towards the funds of the Association was twenty-two pounds.

Wednesday the 18th. An Ordination was held this morning at eight o'clock in the church of St Francis. The order of subdeaconship was conferred on Mr James Madden. This was the first of the Sacred orders bestowed by me since my appointment, and the first conferred in this Province. Though a week day, the attendance of the faithful was large. The ceremony was suited to the time, it being Ember-time. Four priests assisted at the Service.

This month I committed the Geelong Mission to the care of two clergymen, the Revd Messrs Powell and Dunne. In Melbourne I have retained the services of the Rev Dean Fitzpatrick, whom I have charged with the care of the correspondence of the Mission and other matters of importance. The Rev Messrs Ward and Bourgeois are attached to the Melbourne Mission. To the former I have confided the temporal concerns of the churches of St Francis and St Patrick, and of the house and seminary. The number of pupils in the seminary has considerably increased within this month.