Today we mark the 141st anniversary of the arrival in Australia of Ambrose Treacy and his three companions, Fursey Bodkin, Barnabas Lynch and Joseph Nolan. Even after so many years, we who are Christian Brothers can still feel something of the excitement of the occasion.
Can I take you back to 20 July of 1868? Ambrose was on holidays in Waterford when he received a letter from the Superior General, Br Louis Hoare, saying that he had been selected to lead a community of Brothers to the mission in Melbourne. A little over three weeks later, on 15th August, he and three other Brothers crossed from Dublin to Liverpool to board the Donald MacKay for Melbourne. Picture the four of them, in frock coats and wearing top hats, waving goodbye as their ship pulled out. As far as they knew, they would never see Ireland again. Ambrose was 33. In the course of his work as Provincial Visitor he would return to Ireland on several occasions and would live there for 10 years as an Assistant in the latter part of his life. Fursey Bodkin, a Galway man, was the youngest in the group, being 25 years of age, finally professed and a member of the Congregation for 10 years. A quiet, retiring man, he would do sterling work in Australia and New Zealand until his death in Perth at the age of 86. He would return to Ireland only once, and that in his old age. Then there was Br Barnabas Lynch. He was older than Fursey - he was 29 - but he had been a member of the Congregation for only a few years, having worked as a draper in Carlow until he was 26. He was not yet finally professed. Most of his life in Australia would be spent in Melbourne, where he would die at the age of 82. He never saw Ireland again. The fourth member of the community was Br Joseph Nolan. He was the oldest of the group at 45. A Kerryman, he was 36 when he joined the Brothers and was a skilled carpenter, a talent he put to good use in the early days in Melbourne. As a lay brother he did not teach but attended to the material needs of the community. He did not settle into life in Melbourne and returned to Ireland after three years.
As saloon passengers (there were 22 of them) the Brothers were each allowed 1 ton of luggage. They hardly used their allocation though they did bring with them supplies of text books and other teaching materials. There were over 600 passengers in steerage and a crew of 45. The Donald MacKay was among the last of the clippers, sailing ships renowned for their speed. The voyage to Melbourne took 95 days. Their route was from Liverpool down the Irish Sea and then down between Africa and South America until they reached the 40s in the Southern Ocean when they turned left and came across the Great Australian Bight to Melbourne. This route was the one taken before the Suez Canal was opened. During the voyage Ambrose and the brothers sometimes helped the crew with the handling of the sails. Land was sighted only twice before reaching Australia, once in the Irish Sea and once in the Caribbean. No landings were made during their 95 days at sea.
The Brothers initially resided in the Belvedere Hotel in East Melbourne and dined with the priests at the Cathedral. Then they rented accommodation for three years until Victoria Parade was built. The story of the Bishop having nothing to give them but telling them to throw themselves on the people is well known. That news must have alarmed the brothers but they rose to the challenge. Initially Ambrose was the only one brave enough to do collecting. He did not force the others to join in though eventually they did. The stories of their collecting tours are the stuff of legend.
Here are two stories from the early days that might not be known to you. The first, a very human one: When the Brothers attended Sunday Mass at St Francis' church for the first time, they were mobbed afterwards, such was the enthusiasm for their coming. There was a touching moment when Ambrose saw and greeted Mrs Bloxom, a woman who, like him, had been born in Thurles. They had known each other there. It was a joyful reunion. One of her sons would be a first-day pupil at St Francis'.
And the second story, good news out of bad: It was agreed that a public meeting would be held to begin the work of the Brothers and Dr Bleasdale, the Bishop's secretary and the director of Catholic education was deputed to arrange it. A few days before the meeting was due to take place, Ambrose called on Dr Bleasdale to ask how preparations were going. The Doctor said he had been too busy to do anything. In reality he had been influenced by forces that were not favourable to the Brothers. Ambrose had to take over the arrangements, a major task, especially for someone new to the Colony. And at such short notice. He and the community must have worked particularly hard, distributing printed notices and making other arrangements, these in the days before photocopiers and telephones, because when the time for the meeting in St Francis' Church arrived, over 1,700 men were in attendance.
The Brothers began teaching at St Francis' on Monday, 25 January, 1869. The rest is history, which is our inheritance.
