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History of the Discalced Carmelites in Australia

The Foundation in Brisbane

The Australian background

The first Catholics to live permanently in Australia arrived with the First Fleet in 1788. They were mostly Irish convicts, with a few marines. The first priests, also convicts, arrived in Australia in 1800. One of these, James Dixon, was given conditional emancipation and allowed to minister from 1803 to 1804. The Castle Hill rebellion in 1804 put an end to his privileges. The first official chaplains, John Therry and Philip Connolly, arrived in 1820. The first 32 years of the Catholic Church in Australia were then the story of a church without priests. John Bede Polding, the first bishop, arrived in 1835. With his arrival the normal structure of the church was in place after 47 years.

However, Polding was an English Benedictine who had a vision of the Australian church as an Abbey-diocese staffed by priest-missionary-monks. This dream was resented by the Irish priests who, lead by Archdeacon John McEncroe, wanted "an Irish clergy for an Irish people". While Polding remained as Archbishop of Sydney until his death in 1877, and his successor Roger Bede Vaughan was also an English Benedictine, the dream had long been overtaken by the reality of an Irish clergy. The appointment of Patrick Francis Moran in 1884 to Sydney was a sign of the new order.

The question of whether the church was to be either Irish or English may have been decisively settled but another identity issue took longer to resolve. Polding took the view that the Australian church had to develop its own identity. When he urged his fellow bishops to think of themselves only as Australians all but one of the Irish born bishops affirmed the primacy of the Irish tradition. The Manly Union was founded in 1914 to promote an Australian clergy and hierarchy for an Australian Church and people. The Australianisation of the Church which was promoted by the Apostolic Delegates was resented by many of the Irish clergy. It was not until the 1930's that Australian priests outnumbered Irish priests in Australia. This struggle within the Church helps explain why when the friars arrived in Brisbane in 1948 they were surprised to discover they did not receive an unqualified welcome in some quarters.

However, the general pattern for the church had been set in the Irish model. Even today, after 50 years of significant immigration from non-English speaking countries, immigrants and their chaplains often find they are considered an addition to the Church rather than part of it. The Church in Australia was shaped by the educational crisis which began in the 1870's. One after the other the different colonies introduced legislation for compulsory schooling while the government only funded the secular state schools . The Church's response was the set up an independent school system virtually completely staffed by religious.

The Church of Brisbane which the friars encountered in 1948 was one that was caught up in rapid expansion as a result of immigration and the post war baby boom. In spite of shortages of funds new schools and parishes were being opened at an amazing rate. It was a time of great expansion but also of great stress. This expansionary climate, however, was meat and drink to the Archbishop of Brisbane, who loved nothing better than buying property and building. James Duhig (pictured left, in 1951), was born in Ireland in 1871 and migrated to Queensland with his family in 1885. He became the Bishop of Rockhampton in 1905 and Archbishop of Brisbane from 1917. His attitude to Australian society was irenic and integrationist, in contrast to Mannix in Melbourne. He received his reward in 1955 when he was knighted by the Queen. His Grace was not embarrassed to be known as Sir James.

His advice to new Orders coming into his diocese, such as the Carmelites or Augustinians, was to bring popular preachers who could attract a following through parish missions and retreats. This was his advice to the Carmelites in Dublin. He told the Provincial he wanted "really good and competent men" in the ministry of preaching. He was to be disappointed, at least in this regard, in the band who came. None of whom had any considerable experience in this sort of work. Fr Matthew McGettrick had three years work in the public church at Kensington after six years teaching theology in Dublin, Fr Jarlath Flynn had spent the ten years of his ministry teaching Greek at Castlemartyr, Fr Cormac Fenton, probably had the most potential, but he was without any experience at all as he was newly ordained.

The Australian Pioneers, at Goodna, QLD, in 1950: (L-R) Br. Kieran, Fr. Jarlath, Fr. Matthew & Fr. Cormac

Duhig gave permission to the Order for a house and was open, at least in the beginning, to them having a parish. Not that it was his desire that the Carmelites take on a parish. He stated his intentions as follows, "I believe it would be wise to commence just with a retreat house or mission house, and thus be entirely free from any parish care or duties. What we really want is a little band of zealous, saintly, capable priests to give retreats to religious communities and lay organisations, and to preach occasionally in the Cathedral or to give a course of lectures." What he did on their arrival is another story.

The Invitation

Mother Mary Raphael was a nun from Autun Carmel. She had been at Jaro Carmel in the Philippines since 1929 and was one of the pioneers at Kubuna in Papua in 1934. For medical reasons she came to Australia in 1937. During her time in Brisbane Mother Raphael was elected prioress at Auchenflower. In 1941 she was visited by Fr Louis of the Trinity, Admiral d'Argenlieu, when his ship was in Brisbane on his way to claim the Pacific colonies for the Free French. She was always so proud of him. (Sr Margaret Mary, Ormiston) Perhaps this visit was important in stimulating her to seek a foundation of the friars for Australia. It was she who wrote in 1944 to the General and the Irish Provincial asking for a foundation. She was obviously a remarkable woman. She returned to Papua, with the sisters who were evacuated during World War II, and died in the temporary Carmel on Yule Island on 15 July, 1953. We can only be grateful for her initiative. She obtained the backing of Duhig for the foundation of the friars. Her last act at the end of her third term as prioress was to write in April 1947 to the Irish Provincial, Fr Kevin Neary. Fr Kevin's reply stated that Fr Kieran Dolan, a Definitor General, had told him that the General "was very pleased with the prospect".

The Foundation is made

1947 was a year of change. In Rome a General Chapter was held, the first since 1937. Fr Silverio, who had been Vicar General since 1946 when Fr Peter Thomas was killed in a car accident in Texas, was elected General. At the Chapter, Fr Michael Moylan replaced Fr Kieran as Definitor General. In Brisbane, Mother Veronica was elected Prioress. Mother Veronica wrote to Fr Kevin, who in response wrote to Duhig who was in Rome at the time, requesting a foundation in Brisbane.

Fr Michael Moylan interviewed Duhig three times in Rome. His shrewd comments are instructive: "I have just returned from a visit to Archbishop Duhig, who was exceedingly kind. He says that near where the nuns are at present there is a small parish, which he is prepared to let you have. The nuns, however, have been considering moving to the other side of the city… if they decide to go here he will give the Fathers a place near them. However he proposes to wait until his return before deciding the location… He was very glad to hear our Fathers give priests' retreats, and so is prepared to let them have a retreat house.. However, as he is very old, and as the Apostolic Delegate is very anti-Irish, I thought I might ask him for a letter before leaving Rome, giving his formal consent. I asked him if we might go ahead with obtaining the rescript from the Congregation. And when he said "yes" I said we should require his formal consent in writing. He promised me to prepare one, and I am to call for it before he leaves.. The Archbishop wants good men for retreat work - priests retreats. So search your pockets for them."

Fr Michael found Duhig vague and forgetful. It was no easy matter to get the formal letter out of him. Mother Veronica assisted from afar, following Duhig's movements and cabling Fr Kevin where he might find the elusive Archbishop so as to make the request in person.

The Foundation is approved

On 28 October Fr Michael sent a cable from Rome to Dublin. He had obtained from Archbishop Duhig the formal permission for the foundation. The Irish Provincial Council on 25 November 1947 formally petitioned for the foundation in Brisbane. The rescripts from the Congregation for Religious of 3 January 1948 were executed by Fr Silverio on 8 January. They were sent to Fr Kevin by Fr Michael on 9 January 1948. At this point the Brisbane foundation existed, at least on paper.

In April 1948 the Irish Provincial Chapter was held in Clarendon Street. The debate about the new foundation is instructive. The capitulars were hesitant about making a decision for or against. They were not aware that the rescripts from the Congregation for Religious had already been granted on 3 January 1948. What they knew about Australia came from such sources as friends among the Augustinians, who advised it was a futile endeavour. No one at the Chapter had even seen an Australian Catholic Directory to know anything of the Church there. The debate centred around whether the proposed foundation was to be a parish or not. "Not withstanding the confusion and the rhetoric, the Chapter "were agreeing" that the Provincial Definitory could send out three religious to investigate the possibilities and if a foundation seemed not to be for the good of the Order to return home. Some further discussion took place before the Chapter finished, and the act was amended to read, 'finally, they agreed that the Definitory Provincial should await information from the Bishop of Brisbane, and left the matter to the discretion of the Definitory'." (Fr Hilary Doran)

Fr Jarlath Flynn, Br Kieran Deeley & Fr Matthew McGettrick with Presentation sisters at Goodna, QLD, 1949

Fr Pius Dolan was elected Provincial at the 1948 Chapter. The Definitory met immediately afterwards and decided to act promptly. Fr Matthew recalled, "Shortly after the Chapter I received a telegram from him (Fr Pius): 'Come Dublin immediately'. As soon as I arrived, he took me into his room and continued as though we had been discussing the matter, 'Now who are you going to have on the team? We have settled on Fr Jarlath and Br Kieran but who will be the fourth man?' I asked him, 'Who is the superior?' and he said, 'You are'. We went through the whole catalogue of names … eventually he decided on Fr Cormac Fenton, who was still a student priest and had not yet done his faculties exam for the Archdiocese of Dublin."

Fr Pius advised Archbishop Duhig, on 2 May, that the foundation would go ahead. On 26 May, he cabled informing him that four men would be sailing on the 'Maloja'. Duhig replied on 28 May, "I duly received you air-mail letter advising the forthcoming departure of the little band of Fathers of your Order who are to be its pioneers in Brisbane… I am planning to give them a suitable place, but if by the time of their arrival my plans have not matured, they will get suitable accommodation. I propose asking them first to conduct a mission at the Cathedral. That will serve to introduce them to the people…. I am relying on you to send us good men, capable preachers with reserve and dignity that will make an impression on my people".

Fr Kevin had already booked four places on a ship for Australia before the Chapter. This was because of the shortage of berths on passenger ships after the war. The four pioneers had about 4 or 5 weeks to prepare themselves for their new life in Australia. They boarded the 'Maloja' at Tilbury docks and departed on 10 June. It was the first passenger ship to go all the way from London to Brisbane. The founding fathers of the Order in Australia were Fr Matthew McGettrick, 34; Fr Jarlath Flynn, 37; Fr Cormac Fenton, 26; and Brother Kieran Deeley, 35.

On Friday 9 July they reached Fremantle. Fr Matthew later recalled, "Australia seemed like being home again, especially on a mild winter evening, and the people too seemed much the same. We enquired for the nearest Catholic church and the priest there directed us to the Carmelite Convent at Nedlands. Here we were received with great welcome. They felt it was an historic occasion and they were privileged to be the first to greet us. We had visited a Carmel at Colombo, in a beautiful tropical setting, where we were treated with politeness and the friendliness that one offers to respected strangers. But in Australia it was different. Here we were received as the answer to prolonged desires and prayers. The coming of "our Fathers" to Australia was a very big thing. We had a chat with the sisters in the parlour, and they gave us a magnificent meal, and they did not consider we were bound to abstinence." When they returned to the ship there was a welcoming telegram from the Carmel of Kew.

The 'Maloja' reached Adelaide on 13 July. The travellers received a truly "Irish welcome" from the nuns at whose Carmel they celebrated Mass, the first on dry land since they had left London. They also happily visited the O.Carm. Carmelites in Port Adelaide parish.

They arrived in Melbourne on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 16 July. At the Carmel in Kew they met Archbishop Mannix and Bishop Wade of the Solomons. Frs Matthew and Cormac each celebrated mass after the bishops. Matthew recalled, "At that time I had a certain awe of bishops which had a rather paralysing effect on me. I was to get more used to them before long. In the presence of the great Dr Mannix I found myself quite ill at ease, and there were a few dreadful moments when I was all alone with him in the convent parlour. He wasn't saying anything and I was anxiously searching my mind for something to say. Then I made the faux pas of the century. It must have been especially arranged by Providence to mortify the Archbishop on his most sensitive spot. I said to him, 'Are you an Irishman?'. We were going out the door at the time and he made no reply, but I heard afterwards that when he was walking home with his secretary he was silent and depressed. Eventually he said to his secretary, 'Do you know what that man said to me? He asked me if I were an Irishman!' However when I met Mannix on later occasions he was very nice to me and made no reference to this." Matthew's impressions of the Carmel are interesting, "Our reception at the Carmel was enthusiastic and high powered. There had been some talk before we left home about a possible foundation at Melbourne and the nuns were very keen on the idea. There was a dynamic Prioress, Mother Teresa, and the whole community tingled with dynamism." The sisters gave the friars an illuminated address or blessing which for some years hung in the library at Gregory Terrace.

They reached Sydney on 21 July. Fr Matthew stayed with the nuns at Dulwich Hill while the others remained on board. They were received by Cardinal Gilroy and saw over Manly Seminary. They stayed in Sydney until 26 July. A welcoming letter awaited them from Mother Veronica. It contained motherly advice, presumably, on how to deal with the Archbishop of Brisbane.

On 28 July the 'Maloja' arrived in Brisbane. The travellers were met by the Archbishop with some of the clergy. As no accommodation had been made ready they were separated. Matthew recalled, "The Archbishop took me off with him before all the luggage was ready, while the others waited. Thus we were separated, and it would be a long time before we were all to live together again. Fr Jarlath was with Mgr English at Clayfield parish, Fr Cormac with the Augustinians at Villanova College (they had just recently arrived in Brisbane), Br Kieran stayed with Fr Bree (at Windsor). I spent two weeks at Archbishop's House, Wynberg, New Farm."

"On the way from the boat the Archbishop said to me (he was universally known as 'the Arch'), he said in his deep, slow sonorous voice, 'I don't want you men to have a parish. I want you to be a select community where educated men can go for advice'. This was exactly what I wanted too, but I was yet to learn that what the Arch desired as an ideal and what he was prepared to give us as a practical solution, were very different."

"That very evening the Arch took me to a debutante ball at the Franciscan parish, in which he received the debutantes and made a short speech. I was impressed by the seriousness and solemnity of the ritual and thought it very old world. The next evening he took me to another ball for the united Catholic schools of Brisbane, at Cloudlands Ballroom, which was a large place perched on top of a steep hill. He impressed on me what a busy bishop he was and how he had to go to all these parochial events."

"During these first two weeks the Arch seemed to take me everywhere he went and kept showing me the sights of Brisbane, especially the many churches he had built. On Sunday I said mass at the cathedral and preached. The Arch said to someone, 'You see, these men are not preachers'. A young curate at Wynberg said to me, 'But you didn't preach, you only talked'. These remarks did not register with me, I had too much else on my mind." However these remarks show Duhig's disappointment. These friars were not the rousing preachers, the likes of Fr Simon Hayes or Fr Hugh Byrne of Clarendon Street, that he had wanted, even if only for a limited time, at the beginning of the foundation.

Providence will provide

The little community had been split up on their arrival. Duhig promised help in finding a place for the friars to live. But nothing eventuated beyond his constantly repeated "Providence will provide". Fr Matthew recalls a typical excursion with the Arch shortly after their arrival, "A meeting of the Diocesan Council was about to take place and I was asked to state in writing what kind of foundation I wanted. I said I wanted a central city church without a parish, school or hospital. After the meeting the Archbishop spoke of taking me to visit Mgr Baldwin, who lived at Ipswich about 25 miles south of Brisbane, to consult him about letting us purchase Toorak House, which was on top of a hill overlooking the Brisbane River. As soon as we arrived he had a private chat with the Mons (as these people are always called) and then we had lunch. I heard no more about Toorak House. All the Arch said to me was, 'Providence will provide'."

(L-R) Fr Hubert Doyle, Fr Jarlath Flynn (heading off to Provincial Chapter, Dublin, 1957) & Br James Groth

Fr Jarlath was staying at Clayfield parish. When Mgr English, the parish priest, had to go to hospital in August, Fr Matthew moved into Clayfield as well. The regular observance, with rising at 4:45 and all the rest was begun. Fr Cormac became resident chaplain at Marist Brothers College, Ashgrove. About the time Mgr English came out from hospital Fr Jarlath was made chaplain at the Marist Brothers, Eagle Heights, Mount Tamborine and Matthew took off on a tour of the various Carmels. The nuns had been clamouring for more contact with "our Fathers".

Matthew returned to Brisbane in January 1949 when the Archbishop told him he was going to give them the parish of Cannon Hill. But until he was able to make other arrangements for the parish priest of Cannon Hill they were to go temporarily to Goodna. Goodna was a country parish 15 miles from Brisbane and mostly famous for its lunatic asylum. The names of the Carmelites were down in the Directory for Cannon Hill but they never went near the place as the parish priest refused to move. However Br Kieran and Fr Matthew did go to Goodna in January 1949, the other two were engaged as chaplains. Fr Matthew tells us, "Then I did a dangerous thing, I told them all to arrive at Goodna at a certain date.. Eagle Heights managed to get another chaplain, Ashgrove rang up the Archbishop's House to say their chaplain had been taken from them. On the very evening that the four of us had arrived at the presbytery, Goodna, I had a telephone call from the Arch. He was furious and demanded I send the men back to their respective chaplaincies. I managed to hold on to Fr Jarlath as they had got a chaplain at Eagle Heights.. But Fr Cormac had to return to Ashgrove that very night and none of us were feeling happy."

"During this year at Goodna I kept an eye out for possible sites for a monastery in Brisbane, but when I would consult the Arch about one it would always be too close to an existing parish and he would end up by saying 'Providence will provide'. I had no doubt about that and knew for certain that we would get what we wanted."

"The time of our stay at Goodna was drawing to a close. The parish priest was soon to arrive back, and as yet we had nowhere to go. Frs Jarlath, Cormac and I decided that we would be willing to stay on in Australia regardless of where we might be sent by the Archbishop. Br Kieran said if we were to be dispersed again he would ask to come home. He had had the hardest time of all before coming to Goodna. Whereas we had had our priestly work to occupy us he had to be at the beck and call of some housekeeper in a presbytery. On the whole our spirits were at a low ebb."

In January 1950 things came to a head and Fr Matthew approached the Archbishop. He said to him, "'Please do something for us.' I said this with kind of a sob in my voice that went straight to his heart. He was deeply moved, 'Yes, yes, now you come with me'. So there and then he took me out in his car to Gregory Terrace and showed me this private hotel on an acre of ground. Parochially speaking it was a kind of no mans land between two important city parishes on one side and three suburban parishes on the other, Red Hill, Herston and Bowen Hills. The house had been up for sale for a couple of years, but the Archbishop had never mentioned it."

St Teresa's, Grangehill

Fr Matthew managed to get out from under the Archbishop's control and went to see the agent himself. He engaged the help of Mr Eric Whitehouse, a solicitor who had a sister in Dulwich Hill Carmel. There was a catch, in that the tenancy had just changed hands. Matthew took the advice of the agent to 'go and have a nice friendly chat with her'. He found she would be willing to hand over for a sum of 300 pounds. The next thing was to get the Archbishop's formal approval to buy the property. Needless to say this was not plain sailing either. The consent of the Irish Provincial was also obtained. By 28 February 1950, the Carmelites had purchased Grangehill for 15,000 pounds plus 2,500 pounds for the furniture and lease. They received 10,000 sterling from the Irish Province which converted to 12,000 Australian pounds. The friars in Brisbane were able to make up the balance themselves.

Gregory Terrace Priory, 1959

Fr Matthew wrote, "On St Patrick's Day, 17 March, 1950 I said the first mass in our new house, Grangehill, soon to be know as St Teresa's. I said it in the guests' dining room in the midst of small dining room tables."

Fr Matthew had a valued apostolate among the Legion of Mary. He had the gift of making disciples. Enthusiastic members of the Legion supported the friars and helped ready St Teresa's for use as a monastery and for retreats. The first retreat took place in June 1950 and thereafter each month. Young men were also applying to join the community. A rescript, dated 23 June 1950, gave permission for a novitiate for non-clerical brothers. Provision was also made to accept clerical aspirants for three months before sending them to Ireland for the novitiate. Most of those Australians who did their novitiate in Loughrea had previously spent time living at St Teresa's. A number of young men began their novitiate in Brisbane as non-clerical brothers. Some were of these were professed. However, all but Br James Groth left the Order, sooner or later.

Above: St Teresa's Church, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane, in 1995.

In 1951 provision was made for a public chapel at St Teresa's. On the tennis court below the house two wooden class rooms were transported from Kangaroo Point across Story Bridge to Gregory Terrace. Here they were joined together as St Teresa's Chapel which Archbishop Duhig blessed on Palm Sunday 1951. Many people over the years remarked on the simplicity and prayerful atmosphere of the chapel, but it was always a very modest building. In this chapel the brethren heard confessions and gave spiritual direction for many years. In those days, the Valley was the main shopping area of Brisbane and trams passed along Brunswick Street consequently the friars were kept busy. As well, the boys from Gregory Terrace Christian Brothers College had a custom of paying a visit to the chapel on the way to and from school.

In 1952 Fr Matthew McGettrick resigned as superior of Brisbane left Australia. He was replaced as superior by Fr Jarlath Flynn. Fr Matthew twice returned to Brisbane at the invitation of a former novice, Brian Smith, the coordinator of the Emmanuel Covenant Community. He was then well known as a spiritual guide and teacher of contemplative meditation for the laity throughout Britain. In 1955 Br Kieran Deeley left Australia and became a founder of the Order in the Philippines. After raising considerable sums of money for the Carmelite Church in Manila he had a heart attack in 1964. He then came to Varroville to recuperate. He was to spend the rest of his life as a member of that community. During this time he worked on the farm and was valued as a wise elder brother in community. Fr Cormac Fenton, the youngest of the group, left Australia in 1954. He returned to Ireland but has spent the greater part of his ministry in California. In 1957 Fr Jarlath Flynn returned to Ireland and then spent the greater part of his ministry in St Teresa's, Clarendon Street. Both Fr Jarlath and Fr Cormac are still living at the time of writing.

In time, the people moved out of the area near St Teresa's, the trams stopped running and intrusive heavy road traffic roared past St Teresa's on Gregory Terrace and Brunswick Street. The Valley ceased to be the most vibrant shopping area of Brisbane and became instead a depressed and notoriously sleazy area. The friars consolidated the buildings and in 1967 built a retreat house. This was used for a time for priests retreats. However the disadvantages of the site began to tell and the retreats fell off. As well, Catholic patterns of celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation began to change dramatically after the Second Vatican Council. This affected this ministry of the friars in the confessional as numbers steadily declined. How the brethren responded to these changes is another story. Another story that could profitably be explored at another time.

The foundation was suppressed by the General Definitory, as requested by the Council of the Australian Regional Vicariate, on 15 February 1996.

Sources: Australian Discalced Carmelite Archives. Notes of Fr Hilary Doran, the chronicle of Fr Jarlath Flynn and the memoirs of Fr Matthew McGettrick. The reference to Fr Louis d'Argenlieu is provided by Sr Margaret Mary of Ormiston Carmel.

50 YEARS OF THE DISCALCED CARMELITE FRIARS
IN AUSTRALIA (1948-1998)

Contents::

Introduction
1. Daniel MacEvey - the first Discalced Carmelite in Australia
2. Other Discalced Carmelites in Australia before 1948
3. The First Foundation
4. Chronology of the Friars in Australia (1948-2002)
5. A Who's Who

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