In 1894, John O'Reily was appointed to replace the deceased Christopher Reynolds as Archbishop of Adelaide.
15 Facts About John O'Reily
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John O'Reily actively participated in public discussions relating to education policy at a time when the role of the state in supporting religious education was topical.
3.
John O'Reily publicly advocated government assistance for religious schools, stating that it was unfair Catholics paid taxes to support state schools, but received no funding for their own.
4.
John O'Reily was highly regarded by many in South Australian society, with Adelaide's daily newspapers praising his character, administrative ability and positive relations with non-Catholics.
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John O'Reily completed his primary education at the parochial school of St John's Parish, and spent six and a half years at St Kieran's College.
6.
John O'Reily learnt Irish, and studied mental philosophy, mathematics and ecclesiastical studies, achieving first prize in each of his classes.
7.
Accordingly, while he was staying in Sydney for his consecration, John O'Reily sought to establish a convent for the Sydney-based Sisters of the Good Samaritan in Port Pirie.
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John O'Reily requested financial assistance from the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, and divided the diocese into fund-raising districts, campaigning for contributions in each of them.
9.
John O'Reily authored a pastoral letter on the matter in March 1889, and the next year gave a speech criticising the lack of government funding for Catholic schools.
10.
John O'Reily noted in his report for that year that the remainder of the debt could have been removed had expenditure been cut, writing:.
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John O'Reily weighed into the debate in The Register, giving conditional support to scriptural instruction in state schools, so long as the teachers themselves were religious and Catholic students received instruction from Catholic teachers.
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John O'Reily blamed the Labor Party for the loss of the capitation grant.
13.
In 1904, John O'Reily travelled Europe to make his ad limina visit to Rome, and to visit his native Ireland where he was made a freeman of Kilkenny.
14.
When John O'Reily requested a coadjutor in 1913, he chose Spence as his first preference for the role.
15.
John O'Reily died on 6 July 1915 at his house in Glen Osmond, and was buried under a large Celtic cross at the West Terrace Cemetery.