Matthew Beovich

Beovich, Matthew

Archbishop. (Melbourne, 1 April 1896 – Adelaide, 24 October 1981)

Archbishop Matthew Beovich was the first Australian-born Archbishop of Adelaide and a proud descendant of Croatian and Irish heritage. He was born in Carlton, Melbourne, the second of four children to Mate Beović (1861–1933), who migrated from the Croatian island of Brač, and Elizabeth Kenny (1864–1949), whose parents came from County Clare, Ireland. After attending St Joseph’s College, North Melbourne, Beovich worked as a post office clerk while completing his matriculation at night. In 1917, he travelled to Rome to study for the priesthood at the Urban College of Propaganda Fide, where he earned doctorates in both Philosophy (1919) and Divinity (1923), and was ordained in the Basilica of St John Lateran on 23 December 1922.

Beovich was appointed Archbishop of Adelaide in 1940, and became an influential figure in Catholic education and support for post-war migrants. He established the St Francis Xavier Seminary in 1942 and reorganised the Catholic school system in South Australia. In 1950, Beovich was invited by Croatian pilgrims to join them at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome during the Holy Year, in recognition of his connection to their homeland. He was especially engaged with South Australia's Croatian community. For example, he presided over a Mass supporting a Croatian handicrafts and culture exhibition organised by the Croatian Club in Adelaide in April 1952.

A significant act of support occurred in October 1954, when he welcomed 25 young Croatian refugees who had escaped Communist Yugoslavia. Arriving in Adelaide on 13 October, the boys were greeted at the Catholic Immigration Centre by Archbishop Beovich, who spoke to them in Croatian, and arranged for their housing, education, and pastoral care. They sang Croatian songs in gratitude, later describing him as "a father in their new country". The event was prominently featured in The Southern Cross and promoted with a bold "DON’T MISS THIS" headline promoting the "Catholic Hour" broadcast, underlining its significance in postwar Adelaide: "Mr Knez [Bruno Duerrigal-Knez] representing the Croatian community, responded on behalf of the boys." A compassionate spiritual leader, Beovich's legacy in education and support for migrant communities resonates to this day.