James Duhig
Encyclopedia
Sir James Duhig, KCMG
(2 September 1873 – 10 April 1965) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane
from 1917 until his death. At the time of his death he was the longest-serving bishop in the Catholic Church (1905-1965).
but immigrated with his family to Australia as a young boy. He completed his education at St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
, Queensland. After that, he worked for the Cooperative Butchering Company.
, Duhig was ordained a priest in 1896 and his profile grew rapidly. On 10 December 1905, he became the youngest bishop in the Catholic Church when he was ordained Bishop of Rockhampton. On 26 February 1912, he was transferred to Brisbane where he became the Co-Adjutor Archbishop to the elderly Archbishop Robert Dunne
. On 13 January 1917 he succeeded as Archbishop of Brisbane, a position he held for 48 years.
In the early years of Duhig's ecclesiastical provinciate, his archdiocese took on an extensive building program, including churches, hospitals and schools, erecting more than 400 buildings, earning him the nickname of "Duhig the Builder".
These buildings are a prominent feature of the Brisbane landscape to this day. His most ambitious project, the Cathedral of the Holy Name
in Fortitude Valley, was a casualty of the Great Depression
which destroyed the value of the investments that were to finance the project. In addition to the construction of buildings, Duhig created over fifty new parishes and encouraged the establishment of twenty communities of Religious men and women in an Ecclesiastical Province that had previously been dominated by the Irish Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy
.
of Melbourne, who seemed to thrive on public attention and controversy, and in inflaming public passions, Duhig favoured accommodation with the (largely Protestant) established order. This was reflected not only in his being knighted (KCMG) in 1959, but also in the positive ecumenical legacy that he left to the Christian community in Brisbane and indeed throughout the State of Queensland.
In 1937 Duhig successfully proposed that the River Road (from Brisbane city to Toowong) should be renamed Coronation Drive, to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.
Politically conservative, Duhig played a fairly neutral role during the split
in the Australian Labor Party
that led to the formation of the Democratic Labor Party
. He was adamant, however, that Catholics should make a positive contribution to the development of the State. He was acknowledged as an upstanding citizen and a magnanimous churchman.
, being a member of the University Senate from 1916 until his death in 1965. He established St Leo's College, where an annual lecture is given in his honour. The University recognised Duhig's contribution by naming the Duhig Library after him and awarding him an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(2 September 1873 – 10 April 1965) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Australia located in Brisbane and covering the South East region of Queensland, Australia....
from 1917 until his death. At the time of his death he was the longest-serving bishop in the Catholic Church (1905-1965).
Early life
Duhig was born in Broadford, County LimerickBroadford, County Limerick
Broadford is located in the west of County Limerick in Ireland. It is part of the Roman Catholic parish of Dromcollogher-Broadford. In the 2006 Irish census, the resident population of the Broadford electoral district was 891....
but immigrated with his family to Australia as a young boy. He completed his education at St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace is a Greater Public Schools private, Roman Catholic, day school for boys only, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, Queensland. After that, he worked for the Cooperative Butchering Company.
Service in the Church
After undertaking his studies for the priesthood at the Irish College in RomePontifical Irish College
The Pontifical Irish College is a Roman Catholic seminary for the training and education of priests, in Rome.-Foundation and early history:Towards the close of the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII had sanctioned the foundation of an Irish college in Rome, and had assigned a large sum of money...
, Duhig was ordained a priest in 1896 and his profile grew rapidly. On 10 December 1905, he became the youngest bishop in the Catholic Church when he was ordained Bishop of Rockhampton. On 26 February 1912, he was transferred to Brisbane where he became the Co-Adjutor Archbishop to the elderly Archbishop Robert Dunne
Robert Dunne
Robert Dunne was the second Roman Catholic bishop of Brisbane and later he became its first archbishop....
. On 13 January 1917 he succeeded as Archbishop of Brisbane, a position he held for 48 years.
In the early years of Duhig's ecclesiastical provinciate, his archdiocese took on an extensive building program, including churches, hospitals and schools, erecting more than 400 buildings, earning him the nickname of "Duhig the Builder".
These buildings are a prominent feature of the Brisbane landscape to this day. His most ambitious project, the Cathedral of the Holy Name
Holy Name Cathedral, Brisbane
Holy Name Cathedral was a planned, then partially built, then discontinued project to build a Catholic cathedral in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia. It was to have been the seat of the Archbishopric of Queensland and was intended to have been the largest church building of any Christian...
in Fortitude Valley, was a casualty of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
which destroyed the value of the investments that were to finance the project. In addition to the construction of buildings, Duhig created over fifty new parishes and encouraged the establishment of twenty communities of Religious men and women in an Ecclesiastical Province that had previously been dominated by the Irish Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
.
Public Life
Duhig played an active role in public life. However, unlike his contemporary, Archbishop Daniel MannixDaniel Mannix
Daniel Mannix 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....
of Melbourne, who seemed to thrive on public attention and controversy, and in inflaming public passions, Duhig favoured accommodation with the (largely Protestant) established order. This was reflected not only in his being knighted (KCMG) in 1959, but also in the positive ecumenical legacy that he left to the Christian community in Brisbane and indeed throughout the State of Queensland.
In 1937 Duhig successfully proposed that the River Road (from Brisbane city to Toowong) should be renamed Coronation Drive, to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.
Politically conservative, Duhig played a fairly neutral role during the split
Australian Labor Party split of 1955
The Australian Labor Party split of 1955 was a splintering of the Australian Labor Party along sectarian and ideological lines in the mid 1950s...
in the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
that led to the formation of the Democratic Labor Party
Democratic Labor Party (historical)
The Democratic Labor Party was an Australian political party that existed from 1955 until 1978.-History:The DLP was formed as a result of a split in the Australian Labor Party that began in 1954. The split was between the party's national leadership, under the then party leader Dr H.V...
. He was adamant, however, that Catholics should make a positive contribution to the development of the State. He was acknowledged as an upstanding citizen and a magnanimous churchman.
University of Queensland
Duhig played a major role in the development of the University of QueenslandUniversity of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, being a member of the University Senate from 1916 until his death in 1965. He established St Leo's College, where an annual lecture is given in his honour. The University recognised Duhig's contribution by naming the Duhig Library after him and awarding him an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.