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           RalphRaoul,CardinaldeBricassarthashadalongandillustriousassociationwiththeRomanCatholicChurchinAustralia,extendingfromhisarrivalasanewlyordainedpriestinJuly1919tohisdeparturefortheVaticaninMarch1938.

           BornonSeptember23,1893,intheRepublicofIreland,CardinaldeBricassartwasthesecondsonofafamilywhichcantraceitsdescentfromBaronRanulfdeBricassart,whocametoEnglandinthetrainofWilliamtheConqueror.Bytradition,CardinaldeBricassartespousedtheChurch.Heenteredtheseminaryattheageofseventeen,anduponhisordinationwassenttoAustralia.HisfirstmonthswerespentintheserviceofthelateBishopMichaelClabby,intheDioceseofWinnemurra.

           InJune1920hewastransferredtoserveaspastorofGillanbone,innorthwesternNewSouthWales.HewasmadeMonsignor,andcontinuedatGillanboneuntilDecember1928.FromtherehebecameprivatesecretarytoHisGraceArchbishopClunyDark,andfinallyprivatesecretarytothethenArchbishopPapalLegate,HisEminenceCardinaldiContini-Verchese.DuringthistimehewascreatedBishop.WhenCardinaldiContini-VerchesewastransferredtoRometocommencehisremarkablecareerattheVatican,BishopdeBricassartwascreatedArchbishop,andreturnedtoAustraliafromAthensasthePapalLegatehimself.HeheldthisimportantVaticanappointmentuntilhistransfertoRomein1938;sincethattimehisrisewithinthecentralhierarchyoftheRomanCatholicChurchhasbeenspectacular.