Finding Fr Graham

By Dr Pru Francis, former Archdiocesan Archivist

Everyone has a story, and our Archdiocesan Archives hold countless stories of the people who helped shape the life of our Church and our state. It was during my time working in the Archives that I first became interested in Fr John Graham, after being contacted by a family member in 2014.

The initial enquiry concerned the exact location of Fr Graham’s burial. It was a simple question, but it sparked something much larger. Who was this priest — born in Victoria, belonging to the Archdiocese of Hobart, yet buried in Manchester, England?

Thus began a decade-long investigation, filled with twists and turns, and culminating late last year in a poignant and fitting conclusion to this aspect of my research.

From Bendigo to Hobart

Fr Graham’s file in the Archives was more substantial than most, and I soon found his story both colourful and somewhat forlorn.

Born in 1876 in Sandhurst (now Bendigo, Victoria), he was professed a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1898 and was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Patrick Moran in Sydney in 1904.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart arrived in Tasmania in 1903, and Fr Graham came as part of their mission in 1907. He served in Campbell Town Parish, ministering across Campbell Town, Ross, Fingal and Mangana.

It was in Mangana that his energy and determination left a lasting mark. He oversaw the construction of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, completed in 1912. Built of local stone, it became affectionately known as the ‘Cathedral of the Valley’.

Vision and Difficulty

Yet the story was not without difficulty. Fr Graham undertook the Mangana building project without the permission of Archbishop Delany. The Archbishop refused to meet the costs, and in an effort to recoup expenses Fr Graham opened a shop in Fingal — an imaginative but decidedly unorthodox solution.

While his heart was clearly in the right place, he had overstepped clerical boundaries. His initiative revealed a generous and entrepreneurial spirit, but also an impulsive and independent streak. The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart were unwilling to finance the church, and tensions followed.

In 1915 Fr Graham left the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Hobart in December of that year. He continued ministry in the Fingal district from 1916 to 1922.

Not one to remain idle, he oversaw yet another building project: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church at Ross. Construction began in 1918 and was completed in 1921. The sandstone church remains a striking presence and was one of Tasmania’s designated pilgrimage churches during the Jubilee Year of 2025.

However, the cumulative stress of these years appears to have taken its toll. In 1922, Archbishop Delany relieved Fr Graham of his parish responsibilities. He remained living in Tasmania until 1934.

A New Chapter in Europe

In 1934, Fr Graham applied to go to France, to the Diocese of Lille, which was then experiencing a shortage of priests. The Archbishop and clergy ‘took the hat around’ to raise funds for his passage—a gesture of generosity carefully recorded in the Archives, where donors’ names and contributions remain listed.

He sailed on the RMS Otranto, bound for Europe and a new chapter in his life.

Whether he ever reached Lille remains uncertain. Records show that he undertook supply work in the Archdiocese of Westminster until 1937. When that work ceased, the documentary trail grows faint. A bishop in Wales later suggested that Fr Graham continued intermittent supply ministry across England and Wales, but formal records are sparse.

Given the instability of such appointments—and the difficult years of the Second World War—one can only wonder how he managed during that time.

In 1947, a more settled position became available. He was appointed chaplain to the Sisters of St Joseph of Chambéry in Crickhowell, Wales, after the incumbent chaplain fell ill and died. Fr Graham ministered there until 1953, when his health declined and he developed dementia. The Sisters could no longer meet his needs.

He was initially placed in a nursing home in South Wales, though it proved unsuitable. Eventually, he entered the care of the Alexian Brothers in Manchester, within the Diocese of Salford.

Appeals for Assistance

It was here that another thread of correspondence emerged in the Archives—letters concerning Fr Graham’s health and the cost of his care. The Bishop of Menevia (Wales) appealed to Archbishop Tweedy of Hobart for financial assistance. The archbishop generously responded, meeting the expenses of Fr Graham’s care.

Fr Graham spent his final two years at St Mary’s Home, Moston, Manchester, a home for infirm men run by the Alexian Brothers. He died there on 15 April 1955.

He was buried at St Joseph’s Cemetery, Moston, in an unmarked grave.

Every Person Deserves Dignity

The fate of Fr Graham struck a particular chord. Does not every person deserve the dignity of being laid to rest with their life acknowledged and marked?

From the other side of the world, it was no simple task. With the assistance of a volunteer connected to the Salford Diocesan Archives, the grave was located. Further research revealed that two other priests were buried in the same grave: Fr Robert Treby (d. 1953), originally from Narrabri, NSW, and Fr Thomas Hayes (d. 1922), about whom little else has been discovered. It is likely that all three had been cared for and buried by the Alexian Brothers.

Diocesan archivists across England assisted in piecing together enough information to compose suitable wording for a headstone.

Then Chancellor (now Bishop) Fr Mark Freeman and Chris Ryan, Executive Director Administration and Finance, agreed that the cost of erecting a headstone would be met by the Church in Tasmania. Bishop John Arnold of Salford facilitated arrangements, and monumental masons Alberti Lupton of Moston were engaged.

The Graveside Ceremony

In September 2025, the headstone was finally erected. Bishop Arnold graciously agreed to bless the grave, and by happy providence, a post-retirement overseas trip allowed me to be present for the blessing.

A small group gathered quietly at the graveside. The morning rain had cleared, and sunlight streamed through the tall trees, creating a gentle and reflective atmosphere. Flowers had been arranged, with eucalyptus leaves included to honour Fr Graham’s and Fr Treby’s Australian heritage.

The ceremony was simple and dignified: Scripture, prayers, holy water poured softly upon the earth. It was a profoundly moving moment. Fr John Graham and his fellow priests were gently commended once more to God’s care—no longer forgotten but honoured.

When you pass through Ross or visit the “Cathedral of the Valley” at Mangana, let your thoughts wander to Fr John Graham. A priest of vision and complexity, once nearly forgotten, now remembered and honoured for a life given in service.

An interesting aside to Fr Graham’s story relates to the Alexian Brothers who cared for him. The Brothers came to prominence in Europe during the time of the Black Plague. It was their care of the sick, the dying and the ritual of Christian burial that in 1472 brought about their recognition as a religious congregation by Pope Sixtus IV.  In Manchester they operated both St Mary’s Care Home for men and St Joseph’s Cemetery, Moston. This cemetery, now owned by the Diocese of Salford (Manchester) is the final resting place for many of the Brothers who cared for the poor in this large English city. While no longer in England, the Alexian Brothers have houses in Dublin, and New York.

A postscript—Bishop Arnold mentioned to the author that he had a cousin living in Tasmania. On my return to Hobart I was able to meet Mrs Anne Ryan and pass on the good wishes of her very gracious and generous cousin.