The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-02
Port Elizabeth is a Good Place
for Consumptives.
IS SAID TO Be A VERY IRISH CITY
The Celt is Happily Settled in
the Dark Continent.

Port Elizabeth is very Irish ciry,
with a Catholic population, mostly sons
OF St. Patrick, numbering 5000. In
184o tie Catholics of the town num-
bered about 40, in the sixties they had
reached 1900; in 1874 they were 1900;
the government census in 1892 declares
them numbering 2,456, and at the pres
ent day 5000, writes correspondent Of
the Dublin Freeman's Journal
Father Corcoran was the first priest
and Right Rev. Dr. Devereux the first
bishop. His name recalls that other
great Wexford man, Father Murphy,
who built the grand Church OF ST.
Augustine, one of the finest OF any de-
nomination in South Africa. In 1853
the Catholic congregations in Port Eli
zabeth were luddled together in very
inadequate building, OH the site which
is now occupied by the fine schools Of
the Marist brothers. Father Corcoran
was in charge from 1870 to 1850; Father
Hartigan from 1850 to 1852, and Father
Murpl1y's ministrations lasted twenty
years-from 1852 to 1872. There is a
splendid convent Of the Dominican nuns
in Port Elizabeth. A little band arrived
from Ireland in 1867. They took up
their quarters in cottage kindly given
them by Monsignor Murphy. A school
was formally opened with three pupils,
but within a year this nunnbes had in
creased to twenty-tfree in the higher
school and no less than 2o5 in the mis-
sion school Of St. Joseph. In 1870 the
boarding school was opened, and three
sisters arrived from Sion Hill, Dublin
No one would now recognize in the fine
buildings and the beautiful convent
church, a gem, reckoned one OF the
most beautiful specimens of architec-
ture in South Africa, and the ever-in-
creasing grounds of the convent, an in
stitution which had such humble begin
nings.
In 1887 the sisters established a
branch at Uitenhage. The convent now
confers the great boon of higher educa-
ton upon the Catholic community, and
their schools, with those of the Marist
brothers, are training up race of young
Irish colonists who will be a credit to
their race and their religion. 1 should
mention that the better class boys go
on to the Jesuit College, St. Aiden's,
at Grallamstown, where they are pre-
pared to meet life's battles as cultured
Catholic gentlemen, able to hold their
own with the best among European
communities. This is what the Catholic
Church is doing for South Africa.
From return of the university ex-
animation result in the Catholic Maya
zine for July Of this year, find that
the number of students from Catholic
schools who passed the matriculation
has increased from six in 1891 to thirty
two in 1899; in the higher school from
thirteen to sixty-nine, and in the ele-
mentary from sixty to 1913 in the same
period. The Marist brothers, the Do
minican nuns, Convent of the Sacred
Heart and other communities of nuns
St. Aiden's College and the Christian
Brothers schools carry off most of these
honors. There have been five bishops
in charge of the diocese of Port Eliza
beth, viz: Right Revs. DR.. Devereaux,
DR.. Rcards, DR.. Moran, DR.. Strobino
and the present lord bishop, Right Rev.
Hugh MacSherry, D. D., vicar apostolic
of the eastern province, and formerly Of
Dundalk, County Louth. When it is
remembered that the diocese over which
DR.. MacSherry now rules is about as
large as the whole British Isles in ex-
tent, it will be apparent how many are
the responsibilities and how great the
field for progress in the future Should
the rate of progress continue in the
present proportion-and the probability
is that it will be even grcater-som idea
may be had of the future which is in
store for the Catholic Church in this
great continent. DR.. MacSherry, though
only in charge of the diocese for three
years, has already won golden opinions
from. all sections OF the people in Port
Elizabeth. He is an ideal bishop for
the South African mission, tall and
stately, of fine physique and robust
health, active and energetic, and it is
universally recognized that no better
choice could have been made. His lord
ship has two residences, one at Port
Elizabeth and the other at Grahams-