The Argus, Melbourne, 21 December 1861, p 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5707151:

Yesterday morning the interesting, and in the colonies rare, ceremony of the administration of holy orders took place in St. Patrick's Cathedral, on the Eastern Hill. The recipients were the Rev. T. Neville, who had been ordained deacon on Wednesday last, and was now admitted to the dignity of the priesthood, and Messrs. Galen and Nagle, who, having received the first portion of minor orders of the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, were now admitted to what are called the full minor orders, or those of acolytes. The ceremony began at half-past eight o'clock, by which hour the sanctuary had been furnished, and the altar and vestments arranged, by the Rev. James Moore. Several of the Sisters of Mercy occupied the front seats near the altar. The Right Rev. the Bishop, who was assisted by the Very Rev. Dr. Fitzpatrick, V.G., the Rev. D. Bleasdale, the Rev. J. Moore, the Rev. H. England, and the Rev. W. Finn, having entered the cathedral, was then vested in full pontificals, and proceeded with the solemn service of the church and the celebration of mass. The proceedings occupied upwards of two hours, and were regarded with deep interest. At their conclusion, the newly-ordained priest blessed the congregational in the manner usual on such occasions.

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Profession of Novices of the Order of Mercy, The Age, Melbourne, 15 April 1863, p 6, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154965665:

A religious ceremony, which attracted much interest from its infrequency in this colony, was performed yesterday morning in St. Francis's Church, namely, the profession of three novices of the Order of Mercy. [...] The superiors of the Order of Mercy entered first, with the three noviciates in the centre, dressed in the simple attire of Sisters of Mercy, but without the black veil, and bearing lighted tapers. The procession of the priesthood followed close upon them, the Right Rev. Dr. Goold, Bishop, and the celebrant, leading, the officiating ministers and assistants following in couples. Among those were included—Dr. Fitzpatrick, Vicar-General, Fathers P. A. Courtney, Scully, Riordan, Moore, Madden, McCarthy, and Power, with sub-deacons Barry, Nagel, and Galen.[...]

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Notice to Catholics, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 16 January 1864, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112894896:

In consequence of the absence of Father Galen, at Melbourne, there will be no Mass at Beechworth, or the Woolshed, until SUNDAY, the 31st current, when Mass will be celebrated at both places, at the usual hour.
W. Tierney

Marriages, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 20 February 1864, p 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112895205:

Connolly—Crawford—At Beechworth on the 9th February, by the Rev. G.D. Galen, Mr John Connelly of Beechworth, son of Patrick Connolly, County Cork, Ireland, to Elizabeth Jane, daughter of Thomas Crawford, county Fermanagh, Ireland.

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Roman Catholic Church, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 14 May 1864, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112902054:

A meeting of the Catholics of Beechworth, presided over by Mr. James Feely, was held on Wednesday evening last in the Catholic School-room, for the purpose of memorialising the Right Rev Dr. Gould against the removal from Beechworth of Father Galen, who has labored amongst his flock in Beechworth for the last twelve months.

The Chairman opened the proceedings in a few appropriate remarks, and then read the advertisement convening the meeting. He remarked that every one who was acquainted with Father Galen would wish to retain him in this district, and he hoped that the expressed opinion of the meeting would induce His Lordship the Bishop to accede to the expressed wishes of the members of the Church in Beechworth.

Mr. John Carew moved the first resolution, which was as follows:—'That this meeting, having heard that our much-respected Clergyman, the Rev Mr. Galen, is about being removed from Beechworth, and that his loss will seriously affect our spiritual and temporal welfare, we deem it a duty incumbent on us, as Catholics, to use our utmost endeavors to take such steps as may be requisite to prevent his removal from here.' He believed he need do no more than read the resolution to enlist the sympathies of the meeting in its favor. Having known the Rev gentleman for some time, he was enabled to testify to his character as a Clergyman and gentleman.

Mr. Power seconded the resolution, which was carried without a dissentient voice.

The second resolution, which was moved by Mr Dodd, and seconded by Mr Rath, was to the following effect:—'That it is the opinion of this meeting that the removal of the Rev Mr Galen from here will prove detrimental to the Catholic portion of the inhabitants, as he has, by his great zeal and energy in the discharge of his religious duties, won the good-will and affection of all his flock'

The resolution was carried without discussion.

Mr L. Murphy then moved, and Mr Connolly seconded, 'That it is the opinion of this meeting that a memorial should be forthwith prepared, and forwarded to His Lordship the Right Rev Dr Gould, respectfully calling upon him not to deprive us of the valuable services of the Rev Mr Galen, and that Mr P. F. Murphy be requested by this meeting to prepare a memorial for presentation to His Lordship'

The resolution was carried as soon as seconded.

Mr Hallahan moved, and Mr Hughes seconded the following motion:—'That a Committee be appointed from this meeting to see that immediate steps be taken to have the memorial prepared, and signatures attached'

No discussion took place on any of the resolutions ; they were all carried as soon as proposed.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman was proposed in a complimentary speech by Mr Carew, which, having been duly acknowledged, the business of the evening was declared to be at an end, and the meeting then separated.

The room was pretty well attended by a very respectable audience.

The following is a copy of the memorial intended for presentation to His Lordship the Right Rev Dr Gould:—

To His Lordship the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Melbourne and Victoria.
The memorial of the Catholic inhabitants of Beechworth and vicinity, humbly and respectfully showeth,—

That your memorialists, having heard with much regret of the fact of our much-respected Clergyman, the Rev Father Galen, being about to be removed from them, which must inevitably prove to them a serious loss, owing to the great exertion displayed by him towards the advancement of our spiritual and temporal wants.

Your memorialists, being long resident in this parish, and feeling the great want that oftentimes existed by having us deprived of some of our Clergymen, deem it a duty incumbent on us, as Catholics, to see that our religious wants should be attended to And, having now located amongst us, two Clergymen possessed of all the requisite qualifications suitable to their calling, your memorialists, therefore, deeply deplore the loss they are about to sustain by the removal of one of them, the Rev Father Galen, from here, who has, by his great zeal and energy in the discharge of his multifarious duties, as also his many acts of benevolence and charity, impressed on our hearts and minds a feeling of love and affection, which will never be obliterated.

Your memorialists are thus induced, humbly and respectfully, to implore of your Lordship to countermand the order given with respect to the removal of the Rev Father Galen.

Further, your memorialists are the more induced to hope that the memorial, thus presented to the notice of your Lordship, will have its wished-for effect, from the circumstance that the character of the Rev Father Galen will bear the test of inquiry. These facts, coupled with the certainty of this being the first and only request ever sought from your Lordship by the Catholics here, strengthen your memorialists with the sanguine hope that your Lordship will comply with our wishes.

And your memorialists will, as in duty bound, ever pray.
(Signed) James Feely,
Chairman.

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Wangaratta Common School, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 6 September 1864, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112902815:

The Rev G D Galen has been appointed by the Board of Education, a member of the local committee of the above school.

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Wangaratta, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 6 September 1864, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112902818:

From our own Correspondent.
Saturday.
I understand that the Roman Catholic school in Wangaratta has been opened again, after a short interregnum, under very favourable auspices. The Rev Mr Galen is doing all he can to make it a first-class establishment, and, with the co-operation of the new teachers, it is to be hoped he will succeed. At the commencement, the teachers were rather disheartened at the smallness of the attendance of pupils, but lately they have received large accessions to the school roll. If report can be relied on, Mr McLauchin is well qualified for his position. I have also been informed that Mrs McLauchin is an accomplished pianist.

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Tarrawingee School, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 1 November 1864, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112909953:

The Rev. G.D. Galen has been gazetted a member of the committee of the above school.

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Telegraphic Despatches. Victoria, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 7 September 1867, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198656362:

(From our own correspondent.)
Wangaratta, Friday.
There was a very large attendance at the Rev. Father McCarthy's funeral to-day. Persons of every persuasion were present, and gentlemen from Yackandandah, Chiltern, Beechworth, and various other localities attended. The Rev. Fathers Galen, Tierney, and Moore officiated at the last offices of the Roman Catholic Church.

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The Rev. Mr Galen and the Wangaratta Borough Council, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 16 September 1869, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197566666:

The dispute between the Rev. Mr Galen, as lessee of the public park, at Wangaratta, and the local borough council, seems destined to furnish employment to the gentlemen of the legal profession. It will be in the recollection of our readers that proceedings for trespass were instituted by Mr Galen, in the Wangaratta Police Court, against Messrs Patterson, the contractors who had taken the work of clearing the park from the council. The case was heard by the local bench, but dismissed on the grounds of want of jurisdiction, the request of the solicitor for the complainant, to have a case stated for the Supreme Court, being at the same time refused. Since then the matter has been brought under the notice of the law officers of the Crown, which has resulted in the following order being transmitted from Mr Casey, in his new capacity of Solicitor-General: — "George Galen v George and John Patterson; trespass. I hereby direct that application be made to the adjudicating magistrates to state a case, setting forth the facts and the grounds of the determination herein, for the opinion of the Supreme Court. — J. J. Casey, Solicitor-General." [...]

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Death, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 13 November 1869, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196420273:

Galen—At Wangaratta, on the 11th November, at 9.30 p.m., the Rev George D. Galen, P.P., aged thirty-two years.

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The Death of the Rev. Mr. Galen, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 13 November 1869, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196420272:

It is with feelings of the utmost regret that we have to record the death of the Rev Mr Galen. This gentleman's untimely decease will, we are certain, be received with feelings of the deepest sympathy by the whole of the Roman Catholics throughout the district. Mr Galen was well-known and highly respected throughout this portion of the colony. He was one of the first of the priests appointed by the Bishop of Melbourne, he having completed his education at St Patrick's College. The rev gentleman in the fulfilment of the duties of his sacred calling at the Melbourne cemetery, where the long wet grass was up to his knees, caught a cold, which ultimately led to a disease from which there was no hope of recovery. The Rev Mr Galen first came to this district about seven years ago, when for twelve months he acted as coadjutor to the Rev Mr Tierney, parish priest of Beechworth. Subsequently he was appointed to the pastorate of Wangaratta; and during his residence in that locality, he gained the goodwill and esteem not only of his own flock, but of the whole of the community. As a clergyman and gentleman, the Rev Mr . Galen stood second to few in public estimation, and his death has caused a vacancy which will not be easily filled.

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Funeral Notice, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 13 November 1869, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196420259:

The Friends of the late Rev. George D. Galen are respectfully invited to follow his remains to the Wangaratta Cemetery. The Funeral Procession to move from his late residence, Wangaratta, this afternoon (Saturday) at Two o'clock p.m.
John Grant,
Undertaker.

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The Late Rev. G.D. Galen, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 16 November 1869, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196418936:

Seldom has public feeling been more excited than when the news of the death of the Rev. Mr Galen, became known throughout the district. We shortly alluded to the occurrence in our last issue, but were unable to give full particulars, owing to the late hour at which the intelligence reached us. The melancholy event was not altogether unexpected, the rev gentleman having been laboring under serious illness for some time previously; still, when the announcement was made, all classes of the community, and especially the Roman Catholics, felt that they had sustained a great loss. The Rev George Devitt Galen, who died at the Wangaratta Presbytery, on Thursday evening, was quite a young man, having been born at Donegal, in Ireland, in 1837; from his childhood he was under the care of his uncle, the Dean of Donegal, and was sent by him to the Roman Catholic Diocesan College at Cavan, where he remained some years. From Cavan; Mr Galen went to Durham, and there entered St Cuthbert's College. Here he remained for nearly a year, until recalled to Ireland to be present at the deathbed of a favorite sister. At this time he seems to have formed the idea of visiting Australia, for shortly after his sister's decease, Mr Galen took his passage by the steamship Great Britain, for Melbourne, intending, after seeing his brother, who was then residing in Victoria, to take his departure for America. During the voyage, Mr Galen was a great favorite with the passengers and crew of the Great Britain, especially with Captain Gray, whose night-watch he often shared. Jokes occasionally played at the expense of the serious young student, ended in increased good-will and respect; and at the end of the passage, Mr Galen was held in the highest esteem by all on board. Subsequently, when speaking of this voyage, and his fellow passengers, Mr Galen alluded to his trip by the Great Britain, as one of the most pleasant remembrances of his life. On his arrival in Melbourne, Mr Galen presented himself to the Right Rev Dr Goold, who proposed to him to prosecute his studies, and prepare for the priesthood in connection with the Australian mission. Mr Galen entered St Patrick's as a student, and subsequently was appointed assistant to the Rev Dr Barry, principal of the college. On the departure of Dr Barry for Europe, Mr Galen prepared for the priesthood, and was admitted into holy orders in 1863, by the Right Rev Dr Goold, Bishop of Melbourne. He at once entered on his duties with characteristic zeal. At the time of ordination, the Rev. Mr Galen appeared to be a strong, healthy young man, and few of his acquaintances would have recognised the same person in the attenuated priest who died at Wangaratta on Thursday. The first symptoms of illness appeared whilst the rev gentleman was acting in the metropolis, arising, it is believed, from severe cold caught in the performance of his sacred duties. A doctor was called in, but he did not appear to consider the case serious, as when asked if there was any real cause for anxiety in Mr Galen's case, he said that "young men were often more disposed for rest than work, and he saw no reason why Mr Galen should discontinue his duties." On listening to the words of the doctor, the young clergyman blushed deeply, as if he had been sailing under false colors, and although suffering severely, he resumed his duties. He attended the cemetery in wet weather, some days being soaked and drenched to the skin. The result of this may be easily anticipated—Mr Galen was again laid up. After becoming convalescent, he was removed to Beechworth, the duties there being less severe than those he had been performing in the metropolis. For some months he acted in Beechworth as coadjutor to the Rev. Father Tierney, parish priest, and was then appointed to the charge of the Wangaratta mission, in the place of the Rev. Father Kums. During the six years Mr Galen occupied this position he performed his duties with a zeal and fervor as if he were fully alive to the fact that for him the night would soon come when no work could be done. It almost seems as if the labors of a lifetime were concentrated in the comparatively short period which he was spared to labor. Six churches were founded by his untiring exertions, while throughout the immense parish extending from Longwood on the one side to Tarrawingee on the other— a tract of country embracing a large share of the Murray district—schools scattered here and there bear testimony to his untiring zeal for the welfare of the young committed to his charge. Perhaps the work in which he took the greatest amount of interest was that of the erection of the new church at Wangaratta —an edifice which will long remain a monument of his zealous and untiring labors. The task of raising funds for the building of so fine a structure as that of St. Patrick's church, Wangaratta—excepting, perhaps, the new church now being erected at Beechworth, the finest specimen of ecclesiastical architecture in the north-eastern portion of the colony— was of itself no ordinary work to engage in. The zeal which the Rev. Mr Galen brought to bear, and his gentle, unassuming manner, so won the hearts he appealed to that, as a parishioner said the other day, they gave £l to the church and £10 for the sake of him who asked them. His interest in the work never flagged; month after month he devoted the time that he could spare from his parochial duties to the task of devising means for the speedy completion of an edifice worthy of the high purpose to which it is to be devoted; always contending bravely against the many difficulties that now and then would arise. With impaired health, and frame weakened by sleepless nights—for some time previous to his decease he could not sleep in a recumbent position, but rested as best he could, propped up by pillows.—Mr Galen bore up bravely, seldom complaining of his own troubles, but always ready to lend a sympathising hand to the sorrows and trials of others. This, however, was characteristic of his whole career; reticent to the last degree as to his own ailments, he had ever the ready word of condolence for all who came to him for advice or consolation. On Monday, 8th instant, the Rev Mr Galen for the last time stood near his church. He never again entered the doors until his remains were carried thither by the members of his sorrowing congregation. Despite the fact of his serious illness, and the knowledge that he was laboring under mortal illness, his death was, to a great extent, unexpected. As soon as the more serious symptoms became apparent, a telegram was forwarded to Beechworth to the Rev Mr Egan, who received it shortly after his attendance at the Beechworth Gaol, in the performance of a most distressing duty. Father Egan at once responded to the call, and proceeded to the death-bed of his fellow priest, performing the journey from Wangaratta to Beechworth, a distance of twenty-five miles, in an hour and a half. He arrived in time to see his friend before life had fled, and had the melancholy satisfaction of receiving his last wishes. Now and then he turned his eyes in the direction of his beloved church, and the whispered enquiry was put by those standing near, as to whether he would like to be buried there. He expressed assent, adding, "If it could be allowed," and then finding life fast ebbing away, he said to a friend standing near "I think I am dying." But you are happy, Father," was the rejoinder; "I am satisfied," was the reply. After suffering great agony, every breath he drew apparently adding to his pain, with his eyes still fixed on his beloved church, the last low breath was drawn and he was at rest. In thus referring to the deceased rev. gentleman's career, the language of unqualified eulogy would be unfitting and superfluous. As none are perfect, so, doubtless, the Rev. Mr Galen was not absolutely faultless; yet his high sense of honor, zeal for the work in which he was engaged, pure and unblemished life showed him to be a man of mark in his vocation; one who did good because it was good, and eschewed evil because it was evil. His whole career both in the old country and since his residence in the colony, was an adornment to the calling which he had adopted. As an instance of his strict conscientiousness—some might call it Quixotic scrupulousness—it is said that Mr Galen, some years since, insured his life for a large amount, and subsequently surrendered his policy, owing to his having been under the impression that the seeds of deadly disease had been implanted in his frame before the insurance was effected. The insurance company returned him a portion of the money he had paid as premiums; it would have only been a fitting recognition the conscientiousness that dictated the surrender had they returned the whole. While performing his pastoral duties, the Rev. Mr Galen ever showed a great anxiety for the interests of the church with which he was connected over any merely personal considerations; no more true hearted soldier of the Cross has engaged under its banners, and the manner in which his decease was felt by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance showed that his real worth was duly appreciated. In the evening, the remains of the rev. gentleman were clad in the vestments of his office, and placed on a bier in the little wooden church, the members of the congregation watching round the body during the still hours of the night. On the following morning, the offices for the dead were chanted and mass said by the Rev. Father Egan. The coffin was closed, and borne on the shoulders of members of the denomination round the town. Six gentlemen from Wangaratta first took part in this mournful duty, then six of the Benalla congregation, and then six residents of Beechworth. The body was followed by a procession of at least three hundred persons, amongst whom were residents of Bright, Benalla, Wangaratta, Chiltern, Rutherglen, and Wahgunyah; in fact, every town in the Ovens and Murray districts had its representatives present. The funeral cortege having reached the new church, where a vault had been prepared at the foot of the altar, the coffin was placed in it, the funeral rites being conducted by the Rev. Father Egan. The emotion of those present plainly testified to the esteem in which the late rev. gentleman was held; and thus ended the funeral obsequies of one who although young in years had spent his life so wisely and so well that all came forward to pay their tribute of respect to the good he had accomplished.

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Benalla Ensign and Farmer's and Squatter's Journal, 19 November 1869, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66837876:

The Rev. Father Galen died at the Presbytery, Wangaratta, on Thursday night, at 10 o'clock. The deceased clergyman had been ailing for a long time, but was able to perform his religious functions at Benalla on the Sunday previous, at which place he officiated in conjunction with Wangaratta. The deceased gentleman was much beloved by his congregation in both towns and highly esteemed by persons of all creeds. Consumption was the disease which has led to the late clergyman's premature end. His remains were interred at the foot of the altar in the new church at Wangaratta on Saturday, the ceremony being attended by representatives from Benalla and nearly every town in the upper part of the district. When the news of his death reached here on Friday morning, every store in the town put up shutters as a mark of respect, and quite a gloom prevaded every countenance.

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Advocate, Melbourne, 20 November 1869, p 8, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169268805:

A Wangaratta correspondent, speaking of the late lamented Father Galen, says:—"He was really a good priest and a courteous gentleman. His whole heart and soul were in the erection of St. Patrick's Church, Wangaratta, but he did not live to see it opened. The church is almost completed; the windows are being put in, and it may give you some idea of what a handsome little church it is, when I tell you it has cost up to the present about £6,000. Father Galen was not only beloved by his own flock, but was respected by all denominations; and as an instance of the respect in which he was held, I may inform you that the Protestants of this place have asked permission to erect a tablet to his memory. He is buried in his church, as indeed I may well call it his, for he was the founder of it, and worked zealously to complete it."

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Memorial to the late Rev. Mr Galen, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Beechworth, 23 November 1869, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196420630:

The Protestants of Wangaratta and district, as a token of their appreciation of the worth of the late Rev. Father Galen, intend erecting a suitable tablet in St. Patrick's Chapel to his memory. The erection of this tablet of course depends on the sanction of the Vicar-General being obtained, but of this there is little doubt. We understand only the subscriptions of Protestants will be received towards the memorial.

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The Herald, Melbourne, 7 December 1869, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244912160:

We perceive by the Ovens Spectator that the Rev. Father Tierney, for the first time since his late serious illness, officiated at St. Joseph's Church, Beechworth, on Sunday morning. We also learn that the Rev. Father McGillicuddy, is to take the place of the late Rev. Father Galen at Wangaratta. Father Egan, who has been officiating here since the death of Father Galen, replaces Father McGillicuddy at Mansfield.

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Victorian deaths index: Galen, George Davitt, father's name Patrick, mother's maiden name McGlinsky, place of birth Done[gal], age 32, registration number 10560 / 1869.

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Grave of Rev. George Devitt Galen, Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst, https://sandhurst.catholic.org.au/item/2785-grave-of-rev-george-galen, accessed on 3 November 2025:

A pilgrimage to the grave of Rev. George Devitt Galen, located inside St Patrick’s Church in Wangaratta, offers a profound spiritual journey into the heritage of north-east Victoria.

As a pioneer priest who devoted his life to serving the region, Fr Galen’s legacy lives on in the hearts of the local community. Visiting his final resting place provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the early foundations of faith that continue to shape the Church in this part of our Diocese today.

Fr Galen was the first priest to serve in Wangaratta. Although faced with significant challenges this young Irish priest committed himself wholeheartedly to his mission in remote and rugged settlements of 19th-century Victoria.

Fr Galen died from tuberculosis in 1869 at the age of 32, just three years into his appointment at Wangaratta; but his legacy is still alive today. His body is interred inside St Patrick’s Church, a church he passionately rallied to build, but never saw open, dying before it was completed.

Born in County Donegal, Ireland, Fr Galen arrived in Melbourne in search of his brother. However, Bishop James Goold (Archdiocese of Melbourne) persuaded Fr Galen to stay and serve in Victoria. Rev. Galen was ordained in 1863 and just weeks later sent to Wangaratta and became the first priest to serve in the area.

Fr Galen worked tirelessly to raise funds to build St Patrick’s Church and enlisted celebrated architect William Wardell, to design a neo-Gothic beauty suited to the Australian landscape.

Tragically, Fr Galen never saw the Church completed and succumbed to tuberculosis in 1869, at the age of 32. To honour the legacy of their first priest, the Wangaratta community interred his body beneath the central aisle of the Church he dreamed of. If you walk down the central aisle of St Patrick’s you can feel the floorboards squeak – indicating the place where Rev. Galen rests.

St Patrick’s church was completed shortly after Fr Galen’s death, under the guidance of Fr Thomas Egan; it remains a masterpiece of neo-Gothic architecture. Its triple lancet windows, soaring roof structure, and exquisite High Altar—crafted from Tasmanian freestone and Caen limestone—reflect both the skill of its designer and the dedication of its builders. The church’s heritage status, granted in the 1960s, ensures its preservation for generations to come.