CLEARY, HENRY WILLIAM (1859-1929) was born at Oulart, County Wexford, Ireland, the son of a farmer. He was educated at St Aidan's Academy, Enniscorthy (1874-76), at St Peter's College, Wexford, and then at Maynooth Ecclesiastical College, near Dublin. From there he proceeded to the Pontifical Seminary at the Lateran, Rome, pursuing higher studies in theology and canon law at the Papal University of the Apollinaire (1880-83). His health suffered from close study in Rome and he had several times to retire for rest periods. On leaving Rome he completed his studies at the College of St Sulpice in Paris (1884).

In the following year Cleary was ordained priest in the Shannon chapel at Enniscorthy and was appointed to the house of missions there. Owing to indifferent health he did not remain in mission work but was sent as assistant to the parish priest at Monagheer. He was then appointed professor of modern languages in his old college at St Peter's, where one of his pupils was Sir James O'Connor, afterwards lord chief justice of Ireland. It seemed imperative that he should seek change of climate and in 1888 he took up duty as assistant priest in the diocese of Ballarat, in Australia. In 1890 he went to Hamilton (Victoria) and later to Ararat. While there, in addition to intense devotion to parochial duties, he undertook the task of defending the Catholic faith in the press. Working at high pressure he published a book, The Orange Society, which ran into 12 editions.

This work attracted the attention of Bishop Verdon and Cleary was in 1898 invited to assume control of the Catholic organ in New Zealand, the New Zealand Tablet. His term in charge of that paper was distinguished by brilliant journalistic success and in 1900 the paper received the apostolic blessing. While in Dunedin Cleary published An Impeached Nation, giving the Irish version of the agrarian outrages which were constantly occurring in Ireland. He also published Secular v. Religious Education and wrote a number of articles for the Catholic Encyclopaedia. In recognition of the notable work done in this sphere the Pope in 1908 conferred upon him the doctorate of divinity. He made an extensive tour abroad in 1910, including a long visit to Central and South American countries for the purpose of establishing a number of Catholic news agencies which should combat hostile propaganda at its source. He was made a life member of the International Catholic Truth Society. While Cleary was on this tour the death occurred of Dr Lenihan (q.v.), Bishop of Auckland, and the nomination of a new bishop was unanimously in favour of Dr Cleary. He was consecrated on 21 Aug 1910 at Enniscorthy and he took possession of his see on 11 Jan 1911.

The new Bishop made the Maori people his especial care, and for that purpose learned the language thoroughly. He was mainly responsible for the establishment of St Peter's rural training college at Takapuna, in which the Mill Hill Fathers co-operated and which they afterwards controlled. There selected native boys are not only trained for service as catechists, but learn technical work of various kinds which they may afterwards impart to their own people. Cleary saw the Star of the Sea home for orphans at Howick replanned on generous lines. He wrote many fairy tales for children and personally told them to the orphans. He was most zealous in the cause of Catholic education, building schools wherever he could find the means, and publishing many pamphlets in defence of the Catholic standpoint on the Bible-in-Schools question. He envisaged a Catholic school in every parish. During his episcopate of Auckland he saw the number of parishes increased from 38 to 57, of primary schools from 30 to 51, of secondary schools from 8 to 9, of children receiving Catholic education from 3,300 to 7,200, and the total Catholic population from 31,000 to 55,000. He took the interest of a scholar and a historian in the preservation of Catholic archives, which he left complete and well organised as a legacy to posterity. In 1916 he had to go abroad for medical advice and spent some months in various private hospitals in Australia, America and Great Britain. Finding in England that there was only one Catholic chaplain for the military camps of the New Zealand division in Great Britain, and that the 2nd brigade in France had none, he volunteered for service and on 31 Oct 1916 was gazetted a chaplain of the 4th class. From Dec 1916 to Feb 1917 he was with the troops in the front line. Though he received injuries in attending the wounded under fire he did not flinch; and found time also to write his observations of the effect of shell fire upon birdlife. (O.B.E. 1918) He returned to New Zealand in Oct 1917. In 1918 Cleary founded a Catholic newspaper in Auckland, The Month. His death occurred on 9 Dec 1929.

The Month, pass. (notably 17 Dec 1929 (p)); N.Z. Tablet, pass.; Studholme; Cleary, op. cit.; Father Martindale, The Risen Sun; Official Hist. of N.Z's War Effort, vol i; Herald and The Dominion, 10 Dec 1929.

Reference: Volume 1, page 97

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