Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, pp 47-48:

Cleary, Henry William, Most Rev, Irish
Foremost Among Our Priest Journalists
(The article that follows has been generously contributed by Father John J. Cleary, P.P. of Elsternwick, Vic., and a relative and admirer of the bishop-journalist).

The Diocese of Ballarat was well served by the Rt. Rev. H.W. Cleary who worked there on loan from 1888 to 1898. It is my good pleasure to record the man's accomplishments.

Henry William Cleary was born in Oulart, County Wexford in 1859. He studied at St. Peter's Diocesan Seminary, going from there to St. Patrick's, Maynooth, and then to the Papal University of the Apollinaire, where he won many medals and distinctions. Contracting fever in Rome he went to the Seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris, always cherishing the spiritual formation received there. He was ordained in 1885 in Shannon Chapel, Enniscorthy, by Bishop Browne, who later conferred on Henry W. his episcopal consecration. For a time he was attached to the Mission House, Enniscorthy, having as companion, Michael Kelly, later Archbishop of Sydney. He also taught as Professor of Modern Languages at his first college of St. Peter's. With a missionary zeal burning within, he volunteered to serve in Ballarat, encouraged, it would seem, by Dr. Fortune of All Hallows. In the company of the returning Bishop of Ballarat, Dr. James Moore, he arrived in Melbourne on the 'Ormuz' on 9 November 1888. He was assistant to Moore at St. Patrick's Cathedral from the end of 1888 to 1890, going then to Hamilton for the next five years to assist the long-standing pioneer, Monsignor Michael Shanahan. That pastor was to admit that the assistant did the work of ten — a justifiable assertion, for the assistant was untiring in visiting the local hospital, other institutions, and homes. He showed a special interest in construction gangs on the railway and roads; no doubt attracting these men to himself, as did a priest of later days — Father Pierce Phelan — by displaying his conjuring ability.

Once on his way from Ballarat to Bendigo by train to attend his brother's wedding, he had as companion Mark Twain, author. The last-named in his diary More Tramps Abroad wrote:— "For comrade I had a Catholic priest who was better than I was, but did not seem to know it. A man full of graces of the heart, mind and spirit. A lovable man. He will rise. He will be a Bishop, and later still an Archbishop, and a Cardinal. Finally, an Archangel, I hope. And then he will recall me when I say: Do you remember that trip we made from Ballarat to Bendigo, when you were nothing but Father Cleary and I was nothing to what I am now".

Henry William was a born journalist, with a quick and ready pen to present Catholic truth in a clear positive way and to defend the Church against the bitter attacks so rampant at the time. "To hear an open scandal is a curse, but not to find an answer to it is much worse." It was in this spirit that he wrote his book on 'The Orange Lodge' which ran into thirteen editions and was always quoted as a standard work on Catholic apologetics. Other writings include 'Exposition of Decree of Pius X on Matrimony'; 'Impeached Nation', two works on Education, and contributions to the Catholic Encyclopedia.

After a three year service at Ararat from 1895 to 1898 he accepted an invitation from Bishop Verdon of Dunedin to edit the New Zealand Tablet, which soon became one of the outstanding Catholic papers on the Australasian scene. In 1908 he received an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in recognition of his journalistic work. He took the opportunity of a holiday given to mark his Silver Jubilee of Priesthood, and went to South America to get first hand information on scandals being circulated there about the Church. While there he was appointed bishop of Auckland in succession to Bishop Linehan. He chose to be consecrated in his home town of Enniscorthy on 28 August 1910. Many Australian friends were present, including Dr. Corbett of Sale, Dr. Reville of Sandhurst, Dr. Dunne of Wilcannia and Dr. John McCarthy, later bishop of Sandhurst.

At present, Dr. Delargey, Bishop of Auckland and his archivists are gathering material relating to his episcopacy from 1910 to 1929. This will embrace his pastoral care for priests and people, his administration, his impact as builder, educationalist, military chaplain, ecumenist, journalist, ornithologist. He found time to edit the New Zealand Month and some 150 publications that came from his pen. Missionary zeal never left him, and many interesting records tell of his pioneering journeys to all parts of his extensive Diocese by horse, car and plane. As archivist he collected and collated many documents, vessels, vestments, and items — some of them going back to the days of Bishop Pompallier. When documents were damaged he had them mounted and filed under appropriate headings. Before his death on 9 December 1929 he had asked to be buried in Panmure Cemetery.
(Footprints, Vol. 2, No. 5)
Ref.: MDHC File, Torquay.