john born november july australian roman catholic clergyman second archbishop adelaide born ireland studied dublin migrated western_australia serving parish priest founding catholic newspaper diocese port established pope named bishop concerned financial position diocese inherited significant debt diocese adelaide accepted posting reluctantly bishop greatly improved financial position new diocese reducing debt half earning reputation competent administrator appointed replace deceased inherited substantial debt left old diocese adelaide sale church assets fundraising campaign able eliminate investing church infrastructure actively participated public discussions relating education policy time role state supporting religious education publicly advocated government assistance religious schools stating unfair catholics paid taxes support state schools received funding later years life poor health forced spend time attending episcopal duties largely retreated public life request appointed successor july died house adelaide highly regarded south australian society adelaide daily newspapers praising character administrative ability positive relations non catholics early life born november ireland son michael military officer anne née completed primary education school parish spent half years poor health decided pursuing military career entered college dublin study learnt irish studied mental philosophy mathematics ecclesiastical studies achieving prize classes ordained june left ireland western australia october arriving january having served briefly newcastle present day parish priest establishing serving publisher editor printer following recommendation council australia new_zealand pope elevated diocese adelaide metropolitan diocese adelaide pope established rural diocese naming reilly inaugural bishop appointment reilly travelled adelaide met cardinal discuss formation new diocese poor financial state discussions contentious reilly concerned debt port inherit adelaide ensure sufficiently large population new diocese suggested boundaries altered drawn pope opposed plan dissatisfied outcome discussions reilly decided travel sydney deliberate cardinal prompting write holy think giving entire colony south_australia care sic offer opposition enter monastery spend remaining years preparation end october reilly wrote pope requesting permission reverse decision accept appointment believing unable administer diocese significant debt small impoverished population addition wrote personal wealth contribute finances diocese concerns reilly raised prompted cardinal congregation propagation faith official church inquiry financial situation south australian report found total debt new port diocese bearing following report reilly request refused consecrated mary cathedral sydney later year effort save time signing documents reilly removed surname sisters joseph operated primary schools diocese port catholic high school boarding accordingly staying sydney sought establish convent sydney based sisters good port bishop expense order mother general spent months port found appropriate living quarters school established teaching students convent sisters completed block school return south_australia immediately set improving financial situation diocese port requested financial assistance divided diocese fund raising districts campaigning contributions permission archbishop melbourne toured parishes victoria asking funds new diocese reduced debt half peers describing practical clear headed man business administrative ability showed interest education policy authored pastoral letter matter march year gave speech criticising lack government funding catholic schools according unfair catholics paid taxes support state schools received government support views education frequently cited free education bill aimed state schools free came cost scheme meant bill passed discussion funding religious schools bill reintroduced year proposals failed gain significant parliamentary support bill passed assistance religious schools suffered long illness early continued suffer year forcing delegate duties vicar general official later respectively second bishops suffering year illness died june january rumours appointed successor published papers dismissed speculation letter appointment arrived rome march naming finances fought debt inherited old diocese adelaide having reduced new diocese debts half years bishop found rest old awaiting size having actually increased presented report state finances sunday congregation cathedral revealing total paid selling land owned weeks address meeting supported moves debts pledged meeting including years significant portion income sale church land required act parliament unanimously approved lands bill allowed archbishop good intention sell land church purposes years land surplus works art owned sold sales combined efforts archbishop priests secure donations meant able report debt reduced quarters achieved time expenditure new schools churches buildings fact noted report year remainder debt removed expenditure cut writing willing check expansion checking check expenditure debts disappeared living things grow churches schools charitable institutions expand future needs provide present education policy archbishop continued participation public discussions education colony wide referendum sought gauge public opinion state education scripture reading state schools provision grants fixed grants student non state schools weighed debate register giving support instruction state schools long teachers religious catholic students received instruction catholic teachers subject grant strongly supportive arguing moral prevented catholics secular education religious schools provided elements secular education religious instruction receive government assistance referendum south australians affirmed system free secular education rejected readings schools grant blamed loss grant according serving premier convinced support grant objections labor kingston formed coalition government lead year general election gave speech criticising accusing labor leaders having evident disposition crush catholic labourers successive later life legacy travelled europe visit rome visit native ireland freeman poor health kept house leading local press referring increasingly episcopal duties fulfilled visit remote parts behalf ask certain priests accompany travelled dominican prior requested chose preference role despite reluctance clergy appointment religious consecrated right succession august died july house buried large celtic cross west terrace cemetery time archbishop formed positive relationships senior members south australian society including chief justice considered friend editorial praised administrative abilities good relations catholics south australia mind quiet determination avoid unnecessary controversy death register gave glowing editorial describing highly hard hitter asserting religious leader leading imperial legislator eminent military commander
John O'Reily