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The Ballarat Catholic Young Men's Society was established on 01 August 1892. The society provided sporting and debating for young men and later prime ministers Curtin and Scullin were members of the organisation, and it is where they learnt to debate. This image of the 1937 local football premiers is evidence of the sporting prowess of the members. The organisation ceased in the Ballarat Diocese in the 1940s.

The Altar at Colac decorated for Holy Thursday 1934. Prior to the 1955 reforms of Pope Pius XII the Mass of the Lord's Supper and the Easter Vigil were celebrated in the morning of Thursday and Saturday respectively, and Holy Week and Lent were seen as ending only on the approach of Easter Sunday. The Altar is highly decorated and the ceremony focused upon as following the Mass of Holy Thursday Mass is not celebrated on Good Friday and the communion distributed at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday is consecrated on Holy Thursday.

Caligraphy to board "St Mary's Colac Holy Thursday 1934".

holy thursday, st mary's colac, easter, 1934.

The Second Vatican Council or Vatican II, also termed the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican addressed relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world. The council, through the Holy See, was formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and was closed under Pope Paul VI on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 1965. The Bishop of Ballarat participated in the Council and this silver medal is one of his mementoes of the historic council. Many changes within the Catholic church were instituted as well as in relations between the Catholic church and other religions.

Rev Daniel Foley was Bishop of Ballarat 1916 - 1941 and was very interested in Japan and these books among others in the archive reflect his interest in that country and its people in the early 20th century. The illustrations are in the Japanese manner and are collotype images on French fold crepe paper.

Signed on title page of each, "D. Foley".

japan, bishop foley, ballarat japanese tourist books, crepe paper, collotype.

A mitre is the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops. This early 20th century example is of a low cut style in its original case. It is decorated in a baroque style with arabesques and paste and is believed to have belonged to Ballarat's second bishop James Moore.

bishop moore, ballarat, mitre, gold embroidery, stones, paste.

The alb (from the Latin albus, meaning white), is a white liturgical vestment coming down to the ankles. In most pre-Vatican II albs the lower segment of the vestment was made of or trimmed in lace as is the case in this example. This alb is possibly that of Bishop Foley, Bishop of Ballarat 1916 - 1941.

Br Purton was the retired principal of St Patrick's College Ballarat and this image shows the scene at Ballarat New Cemetery 28 September 1948, with graveside prayers being led by Fr John Shelley. The funeral was attended by civic leaders and leaders of Ballarat's schools and churches Catholic and non-Catholic.

br purton, ballarat, fr j. shelley, st patrick's college.

This reliquary (container for relics) contains a relic of St Therese of the Infant Jesus. A relic may be a piece of clothing, or some object associated with the saint. The use of reliquaries became an important part of Christian practices from at least the 4th century and this one, formerly in the Bishop's oratory at Ballarat, dates from the early twentieth century.

"Brass monstrance styled Reliquary of St Therese of the Infant Jesus.

Inscribed on the back "J P O'Collins 1922"

This Minute book outlines the work and those involved in the building committee of St Patrick's Cathedral Ballarat in 1857 - 1863.

Illuminated Address from the First World War period and the wording on this address makes particular mention of our boys "doing their bit". The artist was J. Hennessy of Carlton.

hennessy, camperdown convent of mercy, bishop foley, first world war.

Victorian padded, embossed and paper lace New Year card with silk intaglio of a New Year greeting. The card has opening front panels with the cross and a Christian message.

A small card with a cross central feature (with message entwined) on opening panels revealing a silk intaglio with a New Year message.

padded greeting card, new year,

Government poster advertising land sales to promote closer settlement in Portland area. The acquisition of land for the purpose of closer settlement was first authorised under the provisions of the Land Act 1898. In 1917 under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, the scheme reverted to the Soldiers' Settlement scheme when the government undertook the settlement of discharged soldiers on lands set aside exclusively for them as a reward for their war service.

closer settlement, soldiers settlement, government poster. land sales, portland.

McAuley College was established at Dooboobetic in 1977 as a Catholic consolidated secondary college bringing together secondary catholic students from Donald, St Arnaud and Charlton in Victoria's Wimmera. A new school was built on a 23-acre site at Dooboobetic constructed from mostly portable classrooms among wheat fields, five minutes from the Gooroc church. The college served the north-west from Wycheproof to Wedderburn. The concept proved unsustainable and the Dooboobetic campus was closed in 2003 marking the end of a century of Catholic secondary education in the district.

The image portrays the no longer used High Altar of the Ballarat Cathedral and one of Ballarat's major artworks installed in 1880. It was designed and executed by Leonardi of Carrara, Italy, recognised as one of the premier marble workers in the world at the time. This is the only example of Leonardi's work in Australia.The altar is constructed of inlays of precious stones and antique marbles and the bas-reliefs feature Christ's passion which is also reflected in the Bentley designed Clayton & Bell window behind it.

signor leonardi, high altar, carrara, st patrick's cathedral ballarat.

The Holy Name Society was prominent in Ballarat until the reforms of Vatican II. It promoted reverence for the Name of Jesus Christ, and abhorrence of blasphemy, profanity, and immorality. By the 1950s membership of the society in Australia numbered in excess of 100,000. The Holy Name Society was a male society although where it still survives it now welcomes both Catholic men and women.

Blue silk banner trimmed in gilt braid the lower edge handkerchief cut with gold fringing. gilt cord with gilt tassle ends to either side. The society logo of the Chiros appliqued in the centre with the words of the Roman Emperor Constantine "In this sign we shall conquer", embroidered on a scroll beneath. The branch identity / name embroidered above and below the emblem and scrollwork.

Tower Hill at Koroit in Victoria was stripped of vegetation by generations of farming practices until replanting and regeneration programs were undertaken from the late 1960s onward. This historic image taken by keen amateur photographer and editor of the journal "Light", Monsignor J. Mc Inerney, shows the caldera before the replanting took place. Monsignor McInerney's photographic archive contains many images used in illustrating the journal.

The Second Vatican Council or Vatican II, addressed relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world. Other Christians outside the Catholic Church attended as observers but did not cast votes in the approbation of the Council documents. The Council 1962 - 1965 was attended by the Bishop of Ballarat and these documents record some of the votes from the Council signed off by the Bishop. These documents were important in bringing about changes in modes of practice and liturgy in the Catholic Church in Australia and in its relations with other denominations and religions.

Signed by J.P.O'Collins with annotations.

vatican ii council,, john xxiii,

Written on mounting board: Fr Ryan indicating the priest upper left and below image "Picnic Phillips Track" Verso has "Colac & Beech Forest."

Bishop Higgins was translated from Rockhampton to Ballarat Diocese in 1904.

Oak boxed cutlery set made by W.R. Humphreys & Co Sheffield.

Silver sheild attached with legend "Presented to the ZRt Rev Dr Higgins, Bishop of Rockhampton by the Children of Mary Charters Towers."

bishop higgins, ballarat rockhampton, charters towers, children of mary.

Small snapshot of the floral carpet displayed in Ballarat's Alfred Hall for the Centenary of Gold celebrations 1951.

ballarat, alfred hall, centenary of gold discovery. floral carpet.

The burse is a flat case used at Mass as a container for the corporal. Over the centuries it was decorated with symbols relating to its use as part of the Mass often matching the decoration on the vestments and chalice veil. This selection use simple lace trim with embroidered decoration representing the cross, the Christian fish symbol and the Greek Alpha and Omega.

photograph mounted on board.