Rev Maurice Wolfe
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Maurice
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Wolfe
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Ballaugh, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese:
Brisbane
Seminary:
Irish College, Rome, Italy
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Brisbane QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Nudgee, Brisbane QLD
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockhampton | Blackall | 1899 | 1910 | Fr Denis Long, Pioneer and Early Priests | |||||
| Rockhampton | Blackall | Parish Priest | 1903 | Oct | 1910 | Fr Denis Long, Pioneer and Early Priests | |||
| Brisbane | Childers | 1910 | Oct | 1913 | Fr Denis Long, Pioneer and Early Priests |
Biographical Notes
Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, pp 140-141:
Fr Maurice Wolfe
Maurice Wolfe was born in Ballaugh via Abbeyfeale in County Limerick on 6 August 1872. His parents were Maurice Patrick and Norah (nee O'Carroll) Wolfe. Maurice had three brothers; the eldest of whom became a priest but died a young man. His four sisters became Sisters of Mercy, all four coming to the Archdiocese of Brisbane.(1)
Maurice commenced his priestly education at Mount Melleray College where John Francis McCarthy was a fellow student. He completed his education at the Irish College in Rome where James Duhig was a fellow-student of. Fr Maurice was ordained on 15 August 1897.
He arrived in Brisbane in November 1898. His first appointment was to assist Fr Thomas Enright in Blackall. In1900 he was registered as a celebrant for marriages in Queensland. He served in Blackall for twelve years; seven as priest-in-charge of that mission. He was held in such esteem in the town that he was elected mayor for two years.
Although a Doctor of Divinity he never used the much coveted title of distinction preferring to lead a life of a simple priest.(2)
He became the priest-in-charge of the Childers' mission in 1910. Six months prior to his death Fr Wolfe was attacked by a painful and obstinate form of rheumatism.(3) He died on 9 October 1913.
Fr Wolffe (sic) died in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital this morning after a long and painful illness. Father Wolfe came to Brisbane on the occasion of the annual retreat for the clergy of the archdiocese a few weeks ago, and later had to go to the Mater Misericordiae hospital where he died as stated. The funeral takes place from St Stephen's Cathedral tomorrow.(4)
He suffered from Motor Neurone disease. He received the last sacraments from Fr O'Flynn on Sunday 5 October four days prior to his death. Masses were celebrated in the Cathedral early in the morning of the funeral by his relatives Rev Fathers Maurice Lane and Patrick Murphy. Solemn Requiem Office and Mass were sung in St Stephen's cathedral by priests of the diocese. Fr Wolfe was buried in the priests section of Nudgee Catholic Cemetery.(5)
People from Blackall and Childers contributed to erect a monument over his grave in 1914.
Between 200 and 300 persons assembled in the Nudgee cemetery yesterday afternoon to witness the unveiling of a monument over the grave of the late Rev Father M Wolfe, who died in October last year. The ceremony was performed by Archbishop Duhig. The monument is an expression of the reverence and esteem which the deceased priest won from the people of Blackall and Childers, amongst whom he laboured.
Archbishop Duhig, who was accompanied by the Rev Father Cashman, of Charleville, arrived at the cemetery at 3.30pm, and was received at the gate by a delegation consisting of Messrs M Ryan (Blackall), D J O'Regan (president of the Childers branch of the HACBS Society) and T Kelly (a past president of that branch). The Archbishop passed through a guard of honour composed of Hibernians, to the platform from which he subsequently addressed the gathering. Amongst those present were Rev Fathers McCarthy, Lee, Power, and Jordan, Bro McGee (principal of the Christian Brothers' College, at Nudgee), Messrs M J Kirwan MLA, R McCormack (district president, HACBS), P Scott (district secretary) E J Butler (district treasurer), J Carroll (district trustee) P A McLachan (PDP), P Gaffney (PDP), T P Morahan, D Cremin, and P J Connolly.
The Rev Father McCarthy said that the representatives of the Blackall and Childers parishes who were present, had asked him to be their mouthpiece, in inviting the archbishop to unveil the beautiful monument erected to the memory of Father Wolfe.. The deceased priest was a college mate of his, and 24 years ago they sat side by side in the seminary in which they studied, preparatory to entering the priesthood. The rev gentleman referred to the good feeling and generosity shown some years ago towards Father Wolfe, by half a dozen non- Catholics of the Blackall district (one of whom was present), in subscribing between £200 and £800 towards the expenses of a health trip home, which the deceased clergyman declined to take (not withstanding that a passage was secured for him, as he did not think it was right to leave his work at Blackall.
Archbishop Duhig referred to Father Wolfe as a devoted priest and noble citizen. He spoke of the deceased clergyman's distinguished career at the famous seminary of Mount Melleray. Father Wolfe had left a name as a zealous priest that would live for generations. He was an apostle of the Queensland bush, and laboured strenuously to supply the spiritual needs of a parish larger than Ireland. Although he had to travel long and lonely journeys by buggy or horse, he never complained. The deceased priest won the esteem not only of the members of his own flock, but the people of other churches. That was illustrated by the fact that he was made Mayor of Blackall. He rendered great services to the Childers branch of the Hibernian Society, of which he was president at the time of his death: In the words of the poet Cowper; 'only the ashes of the just smell sweeter and blossom in the dust'.
The Archbishop then unveiled the monument.
The Rev Father Lee made brief references to the good qualities of Father Wolfe. A vote of thanks was accorded to the archbishop on the motion of Mr M Ryan (Blackall), seconded by Mr D J O'Regan, and supported by Mr M J Kirwan MLA.
The monument is in the form of a beautiful Celtic cross. It stands almost 12 feet high. The bottom is of Helidon brown stone, and die and plinth and cross are in white Carrara marble.(6)
Fr Wolfe held a seat at the Council Board of the municipality, and put in a successful term as Mayor of Blackall in the year 1897. At Childers, besides presiding over the HACB Society, he was a member of the Hospital Committee and president of the local Agricultural Society.(7)
The Courier Mail in a fuller report of the Archbishop's words reported:
Dr Duhig also mentioned the interesting fact that the late Father Wolfe, after receiving his early education in Ireland, was a fellow student with him at the Irish College in Rome, also that he had four sisters in the Sisters of Mercy in Queensland, and a cousin, at the present time in Queensland, was studying for the priesthood.(8)
The eldest of Father Wolfe's sisters was Sister Mary Carthagh rsm 23.5.1858 to 1.3.1943, then in Ipswich who was the informant of his death. The others were Sister Mary Ambrose 8.9.1861 to 28.8.1943, Sister Mary Emilia 24.12.1865 to 25.11.1948 and Sister Mary Augustine 28.8.1867 to 12.2.1951. They are all buried in Nudgee Catholic cemetery.
Footnotes
1. Catholic Advocate, Brisbane, 18 October 1913, pp. 28 and 29.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Bundaberg Mail and Burnett Advertiser, 10 October 1913, p. 3.
5. Catholic Advocate, op. cit.
6. Telegraph, Brisbane, 2 November 1914, p. 4.
7. West Australian Record, Australian Catholic News, Perth, 1 Nov, 1913, p. 8.
8. Brisbane Courier, 2 November 1914, p. 6.
Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.