Matthew Gibney
| The Most Reverend Matthew Gibney | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Roman Catholic Bishop | |
 Bishop Matthew Gibney | |
| Province | Sydney |
| Diocese | Perth |
| Installed | 1 November 1886[1] |
| Term ended | 14 May 1910 |
| Predecessor | Martin Griver |
| Successor | Patrick Clune |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 14 June 1925 (Priest)[2] |
| Consecration | 23 January 1887 (Bishop)[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1 November 1837 Killeshandra, Cavan, Ireland [2] |
| Died |
22 June 1925 (aged 87) Perth, Western Australia |
| Buried | St Mary's Cathedral, Perth |
| Nationality | Irish/Australian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Occupation | Roman Catholic bishop |
| Profession | Cleric |
| Alma mater | Catholic Missionary College of All Hallows, Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland |
Matthew Gibney (1 November 1835 in Killeshandra, Cavan, Ireland – 22 June 1925 in Perth, Western Australia), an Australian metropolitan bishop, was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Perth, serving from 1886 until 1910.
Gibney gave Australian bushranger Ned Kelly his last rites following a shoot out at Glenrowan, Victoria in 1880.[2]
Early years
Gibney studied for the priesthood at the preparatory seminary at Stillorgan and from 1857 at the Catholic Missionary College of All Hallows, Drumcondra, Dublin. He was ordained priest in 1863 and arrived in Perth, Western Australia later that year.
On a trip to the colonies on the east coast of Australia, Gibney was travelling by train between Benalla and Albury when at Glenrowan, he heard of the Siege of Glenrowan and left the train. Gibney tended to the injured Kelly, heard his confession and gave him the last rites.[2][3]
Bishop of Perth
In January 1887, Gibney was consecrated as the Bishop of Perth. His episcopate was marked by a number of poor investment decisions as the diocese purchased shops, offices, houses and a hotel in Perth as well as a newspaper, exerting editorial influence by banning the publication of horse racing information; leading to the paper's eventual demise.[2] As the diocese's debts mounted, Gibney was forced to resign in May 1910.[2]
Gibney died of cancer on 22 June 1925 and was buried in St Mary's Cathedral.
Exhumation
During restoration work in the cathedral from 2003 to 2006, the brick and plaster crypt containing the coffins of Gibney and Bishop Martin Griver were discovered by archaeologists under the floorboards of the cathedral.[4][5]
References
- 1 2 "Bishop Matthew Gibney". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Callaghan, V. E. "Gibney, Matthew (1835–1925)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ↑ "Father Gibney at Glenrowan". The Argus (Melbourne). 19 July 1880. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
- ↑ "Ned Kelly's bishop's tomb found under Cathedral pews". Catholic News. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ↑ Laurie, Tiffany (14 October 2006). "Cathedral reveals the secret of its lost bishops". The West Australian. p. 3.
- Appointment of the Very Rev. Matthew Gibney, Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Perth, Western Mail, 25 Sept. 1886, p. 11
- Kimberly, W.B. (compiler) (1897). History of West Australia. A Narrative of her Past. Together With Biographies of Her Leading Men. Melbourne: F.W. Niven.
Further reading
- Winship, John A (2010). Our cathedral : a history of St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia (paperback). Perth, Western Australia: Archdiocese of Perth. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-453-75519-8.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Martin Griver |
3rd Catholic Bishop of Perth 1886 – 1910 |
Succeeded by Patrick Clune |
| ||||||