The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]
The Rev. M. T. Marnane
The Rev. M. T. Marnane,
Rector of the Parish of St. Mary, was born in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1856. He was educated at Rockwell College, near Cashel, afterwards at St.
Mary's College, Dundalk. In 1879 he went to France, where he studied at the ecclesiastical college of the Marist Fathers, and also in Switzerland, but afterwards returned to Ireland, where he completed his religions education at the Catholic University School of Dublin. He was ordained at St. Mary's, Dundalk, by Archbishop Redwood, in 1885, and came to New Zealand at the end of that year to take a professorship at St. Patrick's College, Wellington. On coming to Christchurch, he was at first assistant priest at the Pro-Cathedral. Eighteen months later he was appointed assistant priest at St. Mary's, and took charge of the parish about 1895.