Helping Build a Nation
Religion Assignment
Hannah Barrett
6A
Biography of Patrick Francis Moran
Notes
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1830 – 1911
Born 16 September at Leighlinbridge, Carlow, Ireland
Youngest of 5 children
Father – Patrick Moran, businessman
Mother – Alicia nee Cullen
Mother died when he was 14 months old
Father died when 11 years old
3 siblings died young
Cullens of Craan provided home until 1843 and his mother’s half-brother Paul Cullen took care
Paul Cullen was rector of the Irish College at Rome
In Rome Patrick was model student and was diligent and industrious
At 15 he spoke Italian and Latin
Ten years later he could speak French, German, Spanish, Irish, Hebrew and Biblical Greek
Studied theology at the Roman Seminary at the Urban College of Propaganda Fide
1852 awarded doctorate
Ordained priest on 19 March 1853
1856 – appointed vice-rector but preferred missionary work in Ireland and wanted to continue
in Australia in 1884
Acted as translator, interpreter and guide for Metropolitan and overseas Irish
First Australian cardinal
Chosen and promoted Pope Leo XIII to head the Archdiocese of Sydney
Over his lifetime consecrated 14 bishops, ordained 500 priests, dedicated to 5000 churches and
professed 500 nuns.
Died Manly, Sydney in August 1911 aged 80. He is buried at St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney
Biography of Patrick Francis Moran
Patrick Francis Moran was the Archbishop of Sydney and was the first Australian
cardinal. He was born in 1830 on the 16 of September in Leighlinbridge, Carlow,
Ireland. He is the youngest of 5 children and his father was also called Patrick
Moran who was a businessman and his mother was Alicia nee Cullen. Patrick’s
mother died when he was 14 months old and his father died when he was 11
years old, and his siblings all died young.
The Cullens of Craan provided Patrick a home until 1842 (one year), when his
mother’s half-brother Paul Cullen, took care of him. Paul Cullen was the rector of
the Irish College in Rome. At Rome, Patrick was a model student, diligent and
industrious. When he was 15 he could speak Italian and Latin and 10 years later
he could speak French, German, Spanish, Irish, Hebrew and Biblical Greek.
Patrick studied theology at the Roman Seminary at the Urban College of
Propaganda Fide. In 1852 he was awarded the doctorate. On the 19 March 1853
he was ordained a priest. In 1856 he was appointed vice-rector but preferred to
do missionary work in Ireland and wanted to continue his work in Australia in
1884.
In Australia, Patrick acted as a translator, interpreter, and guide for Metropolitan
and overseas Irish. Moran did lots of work for poor people and fought for
welcoming migrants in Australia. He was chosen and promoted by Pope Le XIII to
the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Over his lifetime Patrick Francis Moran consecrated 14 bishops, ordained over
500 priests, dedicated to more than 5000 churches and professed more than 500
nuns. He died in Manly at Sydney in August 1911 aged 80. He is buried at St
Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney.
Patrick Francis Moran helped shape Australia by being an enthusiastic advocate of
federation. He encouraged Chinese immigration and defined Catholicism as a
subculture and a constant presence, and gave money to hospitals.
Helping build a Nation
In 2011 there were 5.4 million Australian Catholics. (25.35% of the population).
The Catholic Church is a major provider of health, education and charitable
services. Catholic social services Australia help more than 1 million Australians
each year and Catholic education educates approximately 7650000 students.
Australia has 23 dioceses and 7 archdioceses and has 1363 parishes. After World
War II 76.5 million migrants arrived in Australia including 7 million Catholics from
Italy, Malta, Lebanon, Germany, Poland, Croatia and Hungary.
The first Catholics in Australia arrived on the first fleet in 1788 as prisoners. Most
of the first Catholics were Irish and Spanish. The first Catholic priests were
originally prisoners and they were James Dixon and Peter O’Neill. In 1803 on 15
May Father Dixon got some curtains and with a chalice made of tin he conducted
the first mass in NSW.
In 1804 other priests came out from Brittan and secretly prayed and held mass
before they were hung. The foundation stone for St Mary’s Cathedral was laid on
29 October 1821 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Caroline Chisholm tried to
establish a migrant women’s shelter and worked for women welfare. The
Churches early leaders like John Bede Polding built schools, worked for charity
and visited prisoners.
In 1843 the Christian Brothers assisted in schools and in 1851, 9000 Catholics in
Victoria and increased to 100,000 by 1865.
Bibliography
Author(unknown)Title: Patrick Francis Moran Web Address: http://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/page.
Date visited(unknown)
Author: Phillip Ayres. Title: Prince of the church, Patrick Francis Moran. Web address:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/bookreveiw/ Patrick Francis Moran. Date visited: 4/6/14
Author: A.E Cahill. Title: Moran, Patrick Francis (1830-1911) Web address:
http://abd.anu.edu.au/biography/moran-patrick-francis. Date visited: 4/6/14