Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, pp 17-19:

Canali, Joseph Augustine, Italian
"Apostle of Brisbane". Engineer and Designer
The late Archbishop of Brisbane Dr. James Duhig, in his book 'Crowded Years' describes the man and his eccentricities so well that description should be given in full..."He was known as the 'Apostle of Brisbane', and was in a way the most remarkable figure at every Priests' Retreat. He was tireless, restless, and a pre-occupied style of man who trudged about all parts of the city day and night bringing the consolations of religion to a diversity of persons, ranging from the poorest outcast in the Brisbane Hospital to the big professional man in his luxurious suburban home. In walking he had the strangest possible carriage, his head poised high over his shoulders, and his eyes gazing upwards, so that he frequently passed his intimate friends without noticing them. He wore a long, tight-fitting clerical coat which seemed very much out of place on a broiling summer's day...At the Retreat he knelt on a chair. He had such power of dissociating himself from his surroundings that he could pray anywhere. He had some well-known peculiarities. For instance, when passing along Wickham Street, and espying a parrot in front of the Prince Consort Hotel, Father Canali would go over and have a conversation with it. No other priest in the city could do any such thing and pass unnoticed, but when the "apostle" came along it was just "dear old Father Canali" who could do peculiar things without any comment. His powers of endurance were remarkable. He could fast all day and never relax his activities...Three privileges he always claimed and retained to the end, namely that of attending the Brisbane Hospital, celebrating the Sunday eleven o'clock Mass at St. Stephen's Cathedral, and singing the "Exultet" on Holy Saturday. He never assumed the charge of a parish, and was a kind of free lance who could go anywhere...He resided at St. Patrick's Presbytery in the Valley, but observed no domestic horarium. As long as he found work to do outside, he never bothered to come home in time for a meal, much, of course, to the displeasure of the housekeeper. He was never known to take a holiday or go away from Brisbane for any period. Having been trained in Italy as a civil engineer he was a highly educated and capable man, but never mastered English pronunciation to be able to preach effectively in the language. Having come out with Bishop Quinn to pursue his profession in connexion with the building of St. Stephen's, he became a teacher at St. James' old school. There is only one monument to his professional genius existing in Brisbane - the main gate leading into the Avenue of All Hallows Convent grounds from Ann Street...Two of Father Canali's virtues will live long in the memory of many people. He was always ready to sink his own dignity in order to do a kind act. Every day he took letters from the patients at the Hospital, stamped them and posted them. He served the sick with extraordinary devotion during all his life as a priest. It was on an errand of charity, returning from a sick call, that he met with the accident that led to his death. As he was riding on a tram coming round a street-corner while reading his Office, the sudden jerk of the tramcar caused him to over-balance and fall on to the street. He went home to St. Patrick's and was subsequently taken to the Mater Hospital, where, on 15 August 1915, he was called to receive the reward of his apostolic labours..."
There is little more to add to the Duhig description of the "saintly and quaint" Apostle of Brisbane, save the ordination dates sent in by Brisbane historian, Fr. Alan Brown, P.P. in Rosewood: diaconate in Brisbane on 1.7.1878; priesthood likewise in Brisbane on 5.1.1879 - dates which show that studies were completed at St. James' College. He died on the Feast of the Assumption (15 Aug.) 1915 and is buried in Nudgee. Age: 69.
(Footprints, Vol. 2, No. 1)
Ref.: As quoted.

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, pp 146-147:
Fr Joseph Augustine Canali

Archbishop James Duhig called Fr Canali The Apostle of Brisbane''. When Fr Pat Tynan published a biography of Fr Canali in 1989 he called it: The Apostle of Brisbane – Joseph Canali. I recommend Fr Tynan's well researched book to all those who would like to know more about this wonderful priest.

Guiseppe Augustine Canali was born in 1841 to Enrico Canali and Anna Pellicioni at No 3 San Nicola Dei Cesarini in Rome. He was baptised in the parish church of San Marco. After his early education he was enrolled at the Roman College of the Jesuits in 1859 where he obtained a licentiate in philosophical-mathematics. In 1862 he moved to the University of Rome and in 1864 obtained a diploma in architecture and finished in 1865 with the course in engineering. It is assumed that Joseph Canali was a member of the papal army of Pius IX – the Zouaves in the last days of the Papal States.(1)

Joseph Canali sailed for Australia on the Silver Eagle from London on 25 January 1872 arriving in Sydney on 20 May. Bishop Quinn was returning from the Vatican Council and his time spent endeavouring to recruit more priests for his diocese. In the party were Fathers Peter Capra and Michael Antonini and eleven Irish Sisters of Mercy to work in Brisbane as well as Italian sculptor Achille Simonetti. Joseph Canali was recruited to assist in the completion of St Stephen's cathedral. The schooner Lady Young brought the party from Sydney to Brisbane arriving on 24 May.(2)

Canali lived in a cottage on the Fitzgerald family's property at Bowen Terrace New Farm for four years. He tutored the four elder sons of the family. In 1875 following the completion of the cathedral Canali joined the staff of St James School in Boundary Street Fortitude Valley. In 1877 he moved to St Kilian's at South Brisbane as a tutor while he studied under Fr James Breen in preparation for ordination to the priesthood. Joseph Canali was ordained a priest in St Stephen's cathedral on 5 January 1879, the vigil of the Epiphany.(3)

When Fr Tom Linane in 1974 came to write an article about Fr Canali in his series on early priests entitled From Abel to Zundolovich he considered that Archbishop James Duhig words in his book Crowded Years were an excellent summary of Fr Canali's life and work in Brisbane. This is Fr Linane's quote from the Archbishop's tribute.

He was known as the Apostle of Brisbane; and was in a way the most remarkable figure at every Priest's Retreat. He was tireless, restless, and a pre-occupied style of man who trudged about all parts of the city day and night bringing the consolations of religion to a diversity of persons, ranging from the poorest out cast in the Brisbane Hospital to the big professional man in his luxurious suburban home. In walking he had the strangest possible carriage, his head poised high over his shoulders, and his eyes gazing upwards, so that he frequently passed his intimate friends without noticing them. He wore a long, tight-fitting clerical coat which seemed very much out of place on a boiling summer's day. . . At the Retreat he knelt on a chair. He had such power of dissociating himself from the surroundings that he could pray anywhere. He had some well-known peculiarities. For instance, as he was passing along Wickham Street, and espying a parrot in front of the Prince Consort Hotel, Father Canali would go over and have a conversation with it. No other priest in the city could do any such thing and pass unnoticed, but when the 'apostle' came along it was just 'dear old Father Canali' who could do peculiar things without any comment. His powers of endurance were remarkable. He could fast all day and never relax his activities. . . Three privileges he always claimed and retained to the end, namely that of attending the Brisbane Hospital, celebrating the Sunday eleven o'clock Mass at St Stephen's Cathedral, and singing the Exultet on Holy Saturday. He never assumed the charge of a parish, and was a kind of free-lance who could go anywhere. He resided at St Patrick's Presbytery in the Valley, but observed no domestic horarium. As long as he found work to do outside, he never bothered to come home in time for a meal, much, of course, to the displeasure of the housekeeper. He was never known to take a holiday or go away from Brisbane for any period. Having been trained in Italy as a civil engineer he was a highly educated and capable man, but never mastered English pronunciation to be able to preach effectively in the language. Having come out with Bishop O'Quinn to pursue his profession in connexion with the building of St Stephen's he became a teacher at St James old school. There is only one monument to his professional genius existing in Brisbane – the maingate leading into the Avenue of All Hallows Convent grounds from Ann Street. . . Two of Fr Canali's virtues will live long in the memory of the people. He was always ready to sink his own dignity in order to do a kind act. Every day he took letters from the patients at the Hospital, stamped them and posted them. He served the sick with extraordinary devotion during all his life as a priest. It was on an errand of charity, returning from a sick call, that he met with the accident that led to his death. As he was riding on a tram coming round as street-corner while reading his Office, the sudden jerk of the tram car caused him to over-balance and fall on to the street. He went home to St Patrick's and was subsequently taken to the Mater Misercordiae Hospital, where, on 15 August 1915, he was called to receive the reward of his apostolic labours… (4)

Footnotes
1. Patrick J Tynan, The Apostle of Brisbane – Joseph Canali, 1989, pp. 1 to 19.
2. Ibid. pp. 20 to 29.
3. Ibid. pp. 30 to 54.
4. Footprints, January 1974, Vol. 2. No. 1. P. 26

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.