Thomas Joseph Carr (10 May 1839 – 6 May 1917) was the second
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.
Early life
Carr was born near
Moylough
Moylough ( ; ) is a rural village located in County Galway, Ireland. As of the 2016 census, it had a population of 518. The village is in a civil parish of the same name.
Moylough is northwest of Mountbellew and from Galway. It is located on ...
,
Galway
Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, and educated at
St Jarlath's College
St Jarlath's College () is a Catholic co-educational secondary school in Tuam, County Galway. The college was founded in 1800 and in 2009 absorbed St. Patrick's College, Tuam. The College, which operates under patronage of the Archbishop of Tua ...
,
Tuam
Tuam (; , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midland Region, Ireland, midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. The town is in a civil parishe ...
, and at
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth (), is a pontifical Catholic university in the town of Maynooth near Dublin, Ireland
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mou ...
. He was ordained on 19 May 1866, was a curate for six years, and was then appointed dean of the
Dunboyne
Dunboyne () is a town in County Meath, Ireland, north-west of Dublin city centre. It is a commuter town for Dublin. In the 20 years between the 1996 and 2016 censuses, the population of Dunboyne more than doubled from 3,080 to 7,272 inhabitan ...
establishment of Maynooth. In 1874 he was elected to the vacant chair of
theology
Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
and in 1880 he became vice-president of Maynooth and editor of the ''
Irish Ecclesiastical Record
''Irish Ecclesiastical Record'' was an Irish Roman Catholic monthly journal founded by Archbishop later Cardinal Paul Cullen in 1864. ''The Record'' contained articles on theology, liturgy, domestic and international church affairs, catholic so ...
'', which he conducted with success. In 1883 he was made
bishop of Galway
Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
, was consecrated on 26 August of that year, and three years later, almost to the day, was appointed Archbishop of Melbourne.
[ He arrived in Melbourne on 11 June 1887.]
Archbishop of Melbourne
One of the first problems brought before Carr was the question of education. The education act of the period had been framed for the purpose of training children in State schools without regard to sectarian differences. The new archbishop lost no time in urging that there could be no true education without a religious basis, and that it was not just that his co-religionists should be taxed to support a system of education that their conscience would not permit them to use. During his episcopacy of almost 30 years there was no wavering from this position, but no government could be prevailed on to take up this cause. In the circumstances it was felt that every effort would have to be made to extend the Catholic schools, and in the first 20 years considerable progress was made. Between 1887 and 1907 the number of primary schools increased from 75 to 108, and the pupils from 12,000 to 24,000. Even greater progress followed, as by 1916 the number of students was nearing 30,000 and in addition there were 37 colleges and high schools with 4751 pupils. The founding of an affiliated college at the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
was another project very near to Carr's heart. He saw the foundation stone of Newman College laid, but did not live to see its completion.[
Another important work was the completion of ]St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne
The Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of Saint Patrick (colloquially St Patrick's Cathedral) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, and seat of its archbishop, currently Peter Comensol ...
. When Carr came work had been in progress for some 30 years but much remained to be done. In March 1890 he brought the question before a small gathering and almost at once £10,000 was promised. At a general meeting held on 20 April 1890 this amount was doubled. Soon after a contract for £42,000 was signed, but the bursting of the land boom and the failure of many financial institutions made it impossible for any of the subscribers to carry out their promises. The archbishop travelled the country and met with a ready response, a cathedral fair was held at the Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage-listed building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between ...
, Melbourne, which in four weeks yielded £11,000, and by one way and another the crisis was surmounted. The building, save one tower and the spires, was completed free from debt, and on 31 October 1897 was solemnly and impressively consecrated.[
Between 1893 and 1897 Carr on more than one occasion was drawn into controversy with representatives of the ]Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
and the Reverend John Laurence Rentoul of the Presbyterian Church
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...
. He conducted his case with courtesy, dignity and ability. When he allowed himself to be nominated for a seat on the council of the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
, sufficient prejudice was left from old unhappy far off things to prevent his election. In April 1898 Carr visited Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and returned in July 1899. In that year he took over the publication of the monthly journal ''Austral Light'', and in 1907 was begun the long series of tracts published by the Australian Catholic Truth Society. To this society was entrusted the collection and publication of Carr's writings on controversial subjects, which appeared in 1907 in a volume of about 800 pages, under the title ''Lectures and Replies''. In August 1908 he visited Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
and not long after his return he asked that a coadjutor might be appointed.[ In 1913, ]Daniel Mannix
Daniel Patrick Mannix (4 March 1864 – 6 November 1963) was an Irish-born Australian Catholic bishop. Mannix was the Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years and one of the most influential public figures in 20th-century Australia.
Early lif ...
was given this position and thenceforth Carr took less part in the direction of the affairs of the diocese.[
Carr died at Melbourne on 6 May 1917 and was buried in St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne.
]
Legacy
Carr was slightly over medium height and in his later years was heavily built. Tom Roberts
Thomas William Roberts (8 March 185614 September 1931) was an English-born Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism.
After studying in Melbourne, he travelled to Europe i ...
, the artist, said he had the "typical head of a prelate". Roberts, who was not of his church, records that "speaking of the frailties and sins of people, he said he had never met a thoroughly bad man or woman... He's a man you could tell anything to-except something trumpery."[
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne was his largest accomplishment, but there are many other markers to Carr's lasting contributions, including the parish of ]Werribee, Victoria
Werribee is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the local government area of the City of Wyndham. Werribee recorded a population of 50,027 at the 2021 census.
Werribe ...
, which he established in 1906. In the south-western Melbourne suburb of Tarneit
Tarneit () is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Wyndham local government area. Tarneit recorded a population of 56,370 at the 2021 census.
Located near anothe ...
, Thomas Carr College
Thomas Carr College is a Roman Catholic co-educational day school in Tarneit, Victoria, Australia. It is named after Thomas Joseph Carr, the second Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne.
School principals
In 2006, the principal since th ...
is named in his honour.
References
Further reading
*
External links
*Image o
Thomas Joseph Carr
at the State Library of Victoria.
*History o
1901 to 1945
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20071010062855/http://www.thomascarr.melb.catholic.edu.au/ Thomas Carr College, Werribeebr>Thomas Carr Centre, Archbishopric of Melbourne
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carr, Thomas Joseph
1839 births
1917 deaths
Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth
Academics of St Patrick's College, Maynooth
Burials at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne
19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland
People educated at St Jarlath's College
People from Moylough
Religious leaders from Melbourne
Roman Catholic bishops of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora
Roman Catholic archbishops of Melbourne
19th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Australia
20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Australia
Irish expatriate Roman Catholic archbishops
Irish emigrants to colonial Australia
Roman Catholic bishops of the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia
Christian clergy from County Galway