Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Monday 1 September 1952, page 2


'Still feeling as fit as ever'

Archbishop Duhig 81 to-morrow

ARCHBISHOP DUHIG, who will celebrate his 81st birthday to-morrow, said yesterday he was feeling as fit as ever.

On September 2, 1871, a

carpenter's son, James Duhig, was born in the small village of Broad-ford, in Limerick, Ireland. 'My voice is as good as when I was a young man,' he said. 'I .still live an active daily life, and can read without glasses.' 'I think it is because I have always led a very temperate and regular life. I have never smoked and am up every aay at 6 a.m. 'Anotlfer habit I have acquired is an hour's sleep every afternoon. I got into the way of that while I was In Europe, and think it is essential to good health. 'I never feel tired, though I have a tremendous amount of administrative work to do.' 'The Builder' Fifty-six years a priest, and a Bishop since 1905, 'James the Builder,' as he is known affectionately to Catholics, has been Archbishop of Brisbane since 1917. Coming to Brisbane in 1885, the future Archbishop for some time worked in Brisbane as a ? junior office boy Entering the priesthood, lie distinguished himself at his studies in Rome, was ordained in 1896, and returned to Queensland the next year. After only 10 years as a priest, he was appointed Bishop of Rockhampton by Pope Pius X at the age of 34. In 1945, when he completed 40 years' service as a bishop, he broke the record of 39 years set previously by Cardinal Moran and Archbishop Kelly, of Sydney. His church building programme has , been phenomenal. The 'money spent on land and buildings in the archdiocese since 1912 exceeds £3 million.

ARCHBISHOP DUHIG

ARCHBISHOP DUHIG

Nearly 1000 new buildings have been built. Forty new parishes have been founded and equipped in Brisbane, and 20 others have been formed in country, areas. The Archbishop has become one of the most travelled prelates in the Catholic Church. Every year he averages between 20,000 and 25,000 miles —a total of nearly a million and a quarter miles since he. became a bishop. He has travelled round the world five times. During a world tour in 1947 he touched all five continents in four months.