Date of Birth: 13/05/1872
Date of Death: 21/01/1958
Date of Ordination: 08/06/1895

Mgr Thomas Percival Davis

Biography:

Early life

Thomas Percival Davis was born on May 13,1872 in Sydney, NSW.

His early education was at St Stanislaus College in Bathurst, NSW. Through the intervention of his uncle, who was an Adelaide solicitor, he was accepted to train for the priesthood for the Adelaide Archdiocese. He received the tonsure from Archbishop Reynolds before going to Rome in 1891 where he studied at Propaganda College. While in Rome he was asked to study Arabic so that he could better serve the Lebanese and Syrian Catholics in Adelaide. He also undertook special studies to prepare him to be a professor at the Seminary planned by Archbishop Reynolds.

He was ordained to the priesthood in the St John Lateran Basilica in Rome on June 8, 1895.

Appointments

He arrived in Adelaide on September 3, 1895. His first appointment was as Assistant Priest at Port Adelaide. Then he was appointed Parish Priest at Balaklava and later at Naracoorte.

On December 30, 1924 he was appointed Parish Priest of Mount Gambier where he received the title of Dean.

His arrival in Mt Gambier coincided with the so called Great Depression when unemployment was high and many families were struggling to survive. Of course country dwellers were, on the whole, better off than their city cousins with easier access to life’s essentials with home grown vegetables, cheap milk, firewood and an abundance of rabbits around Mt Gambier.  

New entrance gates, the ‘Crouch Memorial Entrance Gates’ were erected at St Paul’s Church on Penola Road in 1925, and while the extension of the church was discussed many times during Dean Davis’ time, no decision was ever made. Finance did not allow it. It was not until 1962 that Mgr Redden initiated plans for extensions to the church, which were opened in 1966.

The 1920’s were really hard times, finance was tight and at one of the Dean’s Finance meetings he reported that after paying all the previous week’s expenses he only had one pound one shilling left to pay his assistant priests. Nevertheless it was under his leadership that the Marist Brothers College was established in Mt Gambier in 1930.

During his time in the Mount Dean Davis has several assistant priests including Frs Ernest Robinson, Jerome Barry, Denis O’Connell and John Whelan.

Back to the city

On February 1, 1935 he was appointed Parish Priest of Kingswood. While there he built the rather beautiful St Paul of the Cross Church at Blackwood, which at that time was still part of Kingswood parish. The new church was completed in 1936, replacing the old army hut that had been purchased from the Mitcham Army Barracks in 1919. It was then moved to Belair where it continued to be used as a church until 1981.

On January 14, 1937 he was appointed a Consultor for the Archdiocese.

In April 1945 his service to the Archdiocese was rewarded with the granting of the title of Prelate of Honour with the title of Monsignor. In July that year he celebrated his Golden Jubilee as a priest. The Monsignor was recognised as a wise and prudent priest, a zealous and good pastor. Two years later, on his 75th birthday, he retired as parish priest but continued to remain active in parochial work.

Mg. Davis had a great hobby as a stamp collector – a field in which he had expert knowledge. It also proved to be quite profitable as it financed a trip abroad and also a very generous gift to the Seminary. Later the Seminary was the main beneficiary in his Will.

In January 1955 he received a further honour in being promoted with the title of Prothonotary Apostolic, still with the title Monsignor.

On retirement he took up residence with the Archbishop at Robe Terrace, but with increasing infirmity he moved to Calvary Hospital where he remained for six months until his death on January 21, 1958.

Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Francis Xavier Cathedral where Archbishop Beovich presided and Mgr Vincent Tiggeman was the celebrant. The Archbishop described Mgr Davis as “a man of retiring disposition". Because of his age most of his friends had died before him. The death of Mgr Davis severed a link with the earlier years of the archdiocese.

 He was buried in the Catholic Section of the West Terrace Cemetery where Mgr J. Gatzmeyer VG officiated at the graveside.

May he rest in peace.



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