The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-09
Catholic Church in Australia.

Few OF our readers are aware CuoV
Benedictine Mission exists at New Murcia,
about eighty miles to the north of Perth,
Western Australia, which 10 dedicated to
the civilization and religious instruction
Of the aborigines. 1t was founded and is
still conducted by tho Right Rev. DR.. SAL
Prefect. Apostolic and Abbot of New Muir
cia, mullins jurisdictions. The following
account of the monks and their labors is
from private letter: Ellis Excellency
and started off on an expedition to
monastery situated about eighty miles
made the journey in truly bush like fash
ion. The governor rode police horse,
and rode small horse, three years old,
which purchased in Perth. Our after
moons journey was only thirty miles,
which we easily got over. On the follow
Eve miles, and be in before dark. To do
this we started at four In the morning, and
rode fourteen miles by the light of the
moon. To cut the matter short, at four IN
the afternoon we came to the brow OF the
hill looking down upon the monastery. 1t
oasis in the wilderness After travelling
for eighty five miles through wild, uncul-
tivated forests, without q blade of grass or
anything that could give sustenance to the
most sagacious kangaroo, it was very
pleasant to look down into the pretty little
running through the midst, in the centre OF
large corn.fields aud grassy meadows, the
whole the result of the energy of the Span :
| ish monks who have founded the settle
ment. There are between eighty and ninety
| MONKS and novices there at the present mo-
ment, the priests instructing and attending
| to the souls of the surrounding settlers and
natives, the novices and brothers working
in the fields, and conducting tue bust na
| ness of the monastery and farms al
Joining. On our arrival the Fathers
came out and, with the s.t iSs1't AM;
pleasure at our visiting them, and i'm
mediately offered US all they had In the
way of refresbment. Their hospitality was
unbounded, and the appearance OF all these
swarthy Spaniards in their cowis was ex-
ceedingly unlike what one should expect
to meet in an English Protestant colony.
The monks, notwithstanding their laoorl-
GUS duties ON the farm, get up at IN the
morning and chant mathis, and in every
way conform to the rules of Benedictines.
Their object in coming out here and start
ing settlement is to teach religion 70 the
natives, and civilize them if possible. They
have been in many ways very successful,
but the race they have to deal with Is 30
wild, and SO much attached to savage
life, that for many years, believe, these
attempts to instruct them were fruitless
They give food and clothing to any native
who will come for them, and there are
consequently, but few natives who have
not received some act of kindness from
, them. They found for long time that the
mere confinement, living in houses, killed
or produced illness among the blacks. The
Fathers have at length overcome many
: difficulties and have succeeded in bringing
up many of the young natives to trades
Although it has been believed that the ma
tives are incapable of being taught any
, thing not merely mechanical, there ar
l write well, and work as bootmakers
8 greatly respected by the Protestants, VIII
f admit that, however unsuccessful their eft
forts may have been in instructing the Ia
tives, the monks of New Murcla have don
wonders.