The hospital's new youth mental health service was officially opened and blessed on Tuesday. I was in attendance as an 'honoured' and non-celebrity guest. The opening was declared by the popular NSW Governor, Marie Bashir, although in her temporary and occasional guise as Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia. This means she was at the time substituting for Australia's Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, who I believe was on ceremonial duty overseas at the funeral of the King of Tonga. What exciting lives these vice-regal personages lead!
The blessing was performed by Sydney's Roman Catholic Cardinal, George Pell. This included sprinkling holy water all over the place but mostly over the many walls in the unit. This was my first sighting up close of a Cardinal spreading the holy water about. Cardinal Pell's presence brought the Pavlov's dog reaction out in me.
When I was born, almost 63 years ago, Sydney's Cardinal was Norman Thomas Gilroy.
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| Cardinal Gilroy |
Gilroy resigned as Cardinal in 1971; that is when I was aged 22. Although that was more than forty years ago I still to this day tend to link 'Cardinal' with 'Gilroy'. Every time Cardinal Pell's name was mentioned yesterday, I immediately thought 'Gilroy' in mind even as 'Pell' was being said.
Once I had the thought I couldn't shake it for the entire hour long ceremony.
Quentin would have been at Jimmy Stynes funeral if she wasn't in Tonga. No need to thank me for sending Pell to Sydney. You are most welcome to him. Archbishop Mannix died in 1963 yet I still think of him when someone mentions Melbourne Catholic Archbishop.
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