Martin Griver

Martin Griver y Cuni (11 November 1814 in Granollers, Spain – 1 November 1886 in Perth, Western Australia), an Australian bishop, was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Perth, serving from 1873 until his death in 1886.^[2]

Early life in Spain

As a young man Martin studied Latin in his hometown of Granollers. In 1829 he entered a junior seminary in Vic where he concentrated on mathematics and logic. He then graduated to the major seminary in Barcelona and undertook seven years of theological training concluding in 1839. The last six years were accredited by the University of Cervera.

Following the completion of his theological studies he was unable to be ordained. The liberal and anticlerical Spanish government had published a ban on ordination in 1835 to reduce the size of the Catholic Church's clerical body, which in the previous century had reached approximately 200,000.

During the time he was unable to fulfill his vocation to become a priest, Griver studied medicine and surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Barcelona. He was awarded a bachelor's degree in philosophy specialising medicine in July 1845 and then in the same month received a bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery.

Finally, after much perseverance, in December 1847 he was ordained for the diocese of Girona. He was ordained for this diocese as he received a small benefice, a land holding for the support of clergy, from a previous employer the Marquis of Milan that was located within that diocese. He was also granted a licence to exercise his ministry in the diocese of Barcelona.

After a brief period as a curate in his home parish of San Esteban he volunteered for Western Australia. Travelling from Spain with Joseph Serra, Griver arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia, and applied his knowledge of medicine together with his religious fervour from Albany to Geraldton, as well as across Perth.^[2]

An 1846 establishment of a Benedictine mission in New Norcia by Griver's compatriot, Rosendo Salvado, was not supported by Serra and created tensions in the sprawling colony. Appointed Administrator of the Diocese, Griver was charged with the responsibility for to separating the activities of the mission with the diocese and facilitating equitable access to funding for Church schools. In 1865, as administrator, Griver completed the first stage of construction of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (St Mary's), Perth.^[3]

Bishop of Perth

Travelling to Rome for the First Vatican Council In 1869, Griver was appointed Titular Bishop of Tlos and consecrated the following year; changing to Perth following the death of Brady in 1871.^[2][4]

During 1885 Griver attended the first Plenary Council of Australasia along with fourteen other bishops and fifty-two theologians. During the Council he advocated for the establishment of the Kimberley region as an apostolic vicariate. Due to his age and health, while in Sydney he also proposed three possible candidates for the position of co-adjutor bishop of Perth. The proposed names included Father Matthew Gibney, the future third Bishop of Perth.

He died while in office on 1 November 1886 and was buried in St Mary's Cathedral.

Exhumation

During 2006, as part of the restoration of St Mary's, Bishop Griver's remains were exhumed from a brick lined grave by a group of archaeologists under the supervision of Fr Robert Cross and Dr Shane Burke. His successor Bishop Matthew Gibney was buried beside him.^[5][6]

References

1. ↑ "Bishop Martin Griver y Cuni". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011. 
2. 1 2 3 4 Perez, E. "Griver, Martin (1814–1886)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
3. ↑ Perez, E. "Griver, Martin (1814-1886)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. 
4. ↑ "About us: History". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth. Retrieved 22 December 2011. 
5. ↑ "Ned Kelly's bishop's tomb found under Cathedral pews". Catholic News. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2011. 
6. ↑ Laurie, Tiffany (14 October 2006). "Cathedral reveals the secret of its lost bishops". The West Australian. p. 3. 

Further reading

• O'Brien, Odhran, Martin Griver – Unearthed, St Pauls Publications Australia, 2015. ISBN 9781921963360
• O'Brien, Odhran, Martin Griver - Unearthed: A biographical study of a missionary, visionary and colonial bishop in Western Australia, 1814–86, Master of Arts (History), University of Notre Dame Australia.
• Winship, John A (2010). Our cathedral : a history of St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia (paperback). Perth, Western Australia: Archdiocese of Perth. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-453-75519-8.