Bishop Rosendo SalvadoPrint Page

The sculpture commemorates Bishop Rosendo Salvado, the founder of New Norcia.

Dom Rosendo Salvado Rotea OSB (1814 – 1900) was a Spanish Benedictine monk, missionary, bishop, author, founder and first Abbot of the Territorial Abbey of New Norcia, in Western Australia.

Strongly desiring to labor in the foreign missions, his wish was granted after John Brady was consecrated as first Bishop of the Diocese of Perth. With his longtime friend Father Joseph Serra OSB, Salvado sailed from London with the Bishop's party and landed in Fremantle in January 1846. At Brady's instruction, Salvado and Serra, alongside a small party of their fellow Benedictines, journeyed deep into the Victoria Plains via ox drawn cart. On 1 March 1846, they founded "The Central Mission" in the midst of the bush, intending to convert the Aborigines to Catholicism. This was later renamed "New Norcia," after the birthplace of St. Benedict.

In 1849, Salvado sailed for Europe to raise funds for the Mission, accompanied by two young Aboriginal boys, Joseph Conaci and Francis Dirimera. Salvado was consecrated Bishop of Port Essington in August of that year, much against his will, as he strongly desired to return to New Norcia. After Port Essington was abandoned, however, he was left as a Bishop without a See. He returned to Australia in 1853, accompanied by a large number of priests and monks bound for the Australian Missions and especially for New Norcia. For four years he administered the Diocese of Perth during Bishop Serra's absence in Europe. He returned to New Norcia in 1857.

He died in on the 29th of December 1900 at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, while on a visit to Rome. His body was returned to New Norcia in June 1903 and buried in a tomb of Carrara marble behind the High Altar of the Abbey church.

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