41. HISTORY – JOHN O’REILY

The first community of friars was established in Adelaide in 1898. The initiator of this move was Archpriest Bernard Nevin who had been a Dominican novice in Ireland. He suggested to the then Archbishop of Adelaide, John O'Reily, that the Irish Dominicans be asked to make a foundation. After negotiations, the invitation was accepted and three Irish Dominicans arrived on board the Oriental at Outer Harbour in 1898. They were assigned to the parish of North Adelaide and immediately commenced planning for a suitable residence and the foundation stone of St Laurence’s Priory, was laid by Archbishop O'Reily less than a year after the friars’ arrival.   INDEX

42. HISTORY – CHURCH

The foundation stone for St Laurence’s Church was laid by Bishop Shiel in March 1887. In September 1887, The Southern Cross recorded: ‘Already the first and splendid undertaking of our earnest Bishop is beginning to appear above North Adelaide Hill ... the building is now clearly visible from the gate of the Bishop’s House, West Terrace, with which it is almost in a straight line due north.’ The solemn dedication of St Laurence’s took place in January 1869. At this stage, only the nave had been completed. The photograph shows the Manse and Church ca 1920.

43. HISTORY – FATHER SPENCE

Fr Robert Spence, leader of the first group of Dominicans, came to St Laurence’s in 1898, and in due course, under his guidance, the Church would be completed by the Dominican Fathers, but not according to the original ambitious plan. Robert Spence, born in Cork, became Archbishop of Adelaide on the death of O'Reily and was in office from 1914 to 1934. (He was the only Dominican to be a bishop in Australia until Anthony Fisher was consecrated as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney in 2003.)