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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

The Right Rev. George Michael Lenihan

The Right Rev. George Michael Lenihan, D.D., Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, was born in London in 1858, and educated at the Benedictine Monastery, Ramsgate, England, and at the English College, at Valladolid, Spain. Happening to complete his theological course about the time the late Bishop Luck was appointed to the bishopric of Auckland, he offered his services for that diocese. The offer was accepted. and the new prelate ordained his young priest in August, 1882, and took him with him to New Zealand. Father Lenihan's first appointment was to the curacy of St. Patrick's Cathedral, under the late Monsignor McDonald. He was afterwards appointed to the new parish of the Sacred Heart in Ponsonby. where he built the church of that name. At the death of Monsignor Fynes. Father Lenihan was appointed irremovable Rector of St. John's, Parnell, and also succeeded that page 226 venerable priest as manager of St. Mary's Orphanage, Ponsonby—an office whose difficult duties he fulfilled to the satisfaction of all concerned. Bishop Luck died on the 23rd
Bishop Lenihan.

Bishop Lenihan.

of January, 1896, and in accordance with the decrees of the Plenary Council, held at Sydney in 1885, the priests of the diocese met shortly afterwards, in St. Patrick's Cathedral to elect his successor. Archbishop Redwood, of Wellington, presided, and three priests were duly proposed—namely, the Rev. G. M. Lenihan, dignissimus, the Very Rev. P. O'Reilly, dignior, and the Rev. J. J. Hackett, dignus. After being submitted to the Bishops of the Province of New Zealand, the names of the candidates were forwarded by the Archbishop to the Holy See, and the Pope chose Father Lenihan to succeed Bishop Luck. Accordingly, on the 15th of November, 1897, the new Bishop was consecrated by Bishop Grimes, of Christchurch, who was assisted on the occasion by Bishop Verdon, of Dunedin, and Dr. Gallagher, Coadjutor-Bishop of Goulburn, New South Wales, the last-named of whom preached the sermon of the occasion. The event was subsequently signalised by a conversazione in the Choral Hall, where the clergy, laity, and non-Catholics of the diocese welcomed the new Bishop and the visiting prelates with congratulatory addresses and presentations. In March, 1899, Bishop Lenihan left for Rome to make his visit ad limina, and he subsequently visited Ireland to secure more priests for the diocese, and to arrange for a continuous supply of clergy by placing students in various colleges to prepare for missionary work in New Zealand. On his departure for Rome, he appointed the Very Rev. Dean O'Reilly, Administrator of the Cathedral and Chancellor of the Diocese, to act during his absence from the Colony. The Bishop had previously, in January, 1899, appointed Father O'Reilly Dean of the Eastern District. Bishop Lenihan returned to New Zealand by the San Francisco mail steamer which reached Auckland on the 3rd of July, 1900.