George Henry Backhaus
Encyclopedia
George Henry Backhaus (15 February 1811 Paderborn
- 7 September 1882 Bendigo), was a Catholic priest and one of nine children of a boot merchant. He studied with distinction in Paderborn, going from there to Rome
to study for the priesthood at the College of the Propagation of the Faith, graduating D.D. in 1836 and being ordained on 24 August 1836. His enthusiasm for mission work took him to India
, sailing from Ireland
as chaplain, and later working at Berhampur
in the vicariate of Bengal
. He stayed there for several years and in 1841 visited Ireland, returning to India with some Loreto Sisters
from Rathfarnham
.
Health problems with his liver forced him to leave India in 1846 for a cooler climate. Calling at Singapore
and Batavia, he landed in Australia, spending eleven months in Sydney, and finding an outlet for his musical talents with the Sydney Metropolitan Choir. Hearing that the Bishop of Adelaide
was looking for a priest for the German Catholics in his diocese, Backhaus decided to fill the post. Leaving Sydney on 20 October 1847, he endured demanding conditions in Adelaide for more than four years. During this period he resolved to make the Australian mission his life work.
When many of the settlers in the area left in 1852 to seek their fortune on the Victoria goldfields, Backhaus decided to follow them there. He left Adelaide in the Marshal Bennett on 4 March and landed in Melbourne eleven days later. Once there, he volunteered to minister to the spiritual needs of the diggers. In those early months he travelled extensively from Mount Alexander
, visiting the various diggings. Later a priest was stationed at Kyneton, freeing Backhaus to focus on Bendigo Creek. The first Mass site of the district was at Golden Square, but by the end of 1852 Backhaus was camping at the future location of St Kilian's Church.
When Bishop James Goold from Melbourne visited in 1855, he strongly suggested the construction of a church. Plans for a stone church were drawn up and building commenced so that it was in use in early 1858, but only completed after five more years. Knowing that most of the diggers were Irish, Backhaus dedicated the church to St Kilian, a pioneer Irish missionary in Germany and one of the patron saints of Paderborn.
Backhaus was diligent in his clerical duties, and played an active part in public matters - his extensive medical knowledge was frequently called upon. In 1863 he tendered his resignation and announced his return to Europe for personal reasons. A banquet was arranged in his honour. In 1866 he returned to Australia and resumed work in Adelaide. He left for Bendigo in May 1867 and some months later when it was declared a diocese, Bishop Martin Crane appointed Backhaus as his vicar-general. He gave up his parish work in 1881 and after another ceremonial farewell, retired to a house he owned at Brighton
near Melbourne. In August 1882 he became gravely ill, but insisted on returning to Bendigo, where he was buried in the churchyard of St Kilian's.
He was an accomplished musician, creating some notable compositions and maintaining an excellent church choir. A sound investor, he acquired valuable properties in his early days. In 1863 he had pledged to make St Kilian's his heir, and to this end he allowed real estate worth some £75,000 to appreciate over twenty years. His work and bequests made possible the construction of Bendigo's Sacred Heart Cathedral
, one of Australia's largest churches and second tallest after St Patrick's Cathedral
in Melbourne. It has the distinction of being the last Gothic style
cathedral ever built.
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
- 7 September 1882 Bendigo), was a Catholic priest and one of nine children of a boot merchant. He studied with distinction in Paderborn, going from there to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to study for the priesthood at the College of the Propagation of the Faith, graduating D.D. in 1836 and being ordained on 24 August 1836. His enthusiasm for mission work took him to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, sailing from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as chaplain, and later working at Berhampur
Berhampur
Brahmapur , nicknamed "The Silk City", is a city located in the eastern coastline of Ganjam district of the Indian state of Orissa, about south to state capital, Bhubaneswar.It is also dubbed as "The Dance City" of Orissa after Prince Dance Group and Harihar Das made the state famous in India's...
in the vicariate of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. He stayed there for several years and in 1841 visited Ireland, returning to India with some Loreto Sisters
Sisters of Loreto
The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, more commonly known as the Loreto Sisters , is a women's Catholic religious order founded by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609 at Saint-Omer in northern France...
from Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
.
Health problems with his liver forced him to leave India in 1846 for a cooler climate. Calling at Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Batavia, he landed in Australia, spending eleven months in Sydney, and finding an outlet for his musical talents with the Sydney Metropolitan Choir. Hearing that the Bishop of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
was looking for a priest for the German Catholics in his diocese, Backhaus decided to fill the post. Leaving Sydney on 20 October 1847, he endured demanding conditions in Adelaide for more than four years. During this period he resolved to make the Australian mission his life work.
When many of the settlers in the area left in 1852 to seek their fortune on the Victoria goldfields, Backhaus decided to follow them there. He left Adelaide in the Marshal Bennett on 4 March and landed in Melbourne eleven days later. Once there, he volunteered to minister to the spiritual needs of the diggers. In those early months he travelled extensively from Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander is a mountain that is located approximately 125 km north-west of Melbourne, near the small town of Harcourt. It rises 350 metres above the surrounding area to a level of 744 metres above sea level...
, visiting the various diggings. Later a priest was stationed at Kyneton, freeing Backhaus to focus on Bendigo Creek. The first Mass site of the district was at Golden Square, but by the end of 1852 Backhaus was camping at the future location of St Kilian's Church.
When Bishop James Goold from Melbourne visited in 1855, he strongly suggested the construction of a church. Plans for a stone church were drawn up and building commenced so that it was in use in early 1858, but only completed after five more years. Knowing that most of the diggers were Irish, Backhaus dedicated the church to St Kilian, a pioneer Irish missionary in Germany and one of the patron saints of Paderborn.
Backhaus was diligent in his clerical duties, and played an active part in public matters - his extensive medical knowledge was frequently called upon. In 1863 he tendered his resignation and announced his return to Europe for personal reasons. A banquet was arranged in his honour. In 1866 he returned to Australia and resumed work in Adelaide. He left for Bendigo in May 1867 and some months later when it was declared a diocese, Bishop Martin Crane appointed Backhaus as his vicar-general. He gave up his parish work in 1881 and after another ceremonial farewell, retired to a house he owned at Brighton
Brighton, Victoria
Brighton is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Bayside. At the 2006 Census, Brighton had a population of 20,651...
near Melbourne. In August 1882 he became gravely ill, but insisted on returning to Bendigo, where he was buried in the churchyard of St Kilian's.
He was an accomplished musician, creating some notable compositions and maintaining an excellent church choir. A sound investor, he acquired valuable properties in his early days. In 1863 he had pledged to make St Kilian's his heir, and to this end he allowed real estate worth some £75,000 to appreciate over twenty years. His work and bequests made possible the construction of Bendigo's Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo is a Catholic cathedral located in the provincial city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It is the seat of the Diocese of Sandhurst, Sandhurst being an earlier name for Bendigo...
, one of Australia's largest churches and second tallest after St Patrick's Cathedral
St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne
St Patrick's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, and seat of its archbishop, currently Denis J. Hart. The building is known internationally as a leading example of the Gothic Revival style of architecture.In 1974 Pope Paul VI...
in Melbourne. It has the distinction of being the last Gothic style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
cathedral ever built.