a9292068.html
21
on Sundays. An outgoing intellectual, Pryke had a network which extended far beyond the formal structure of the Catholic Church. Then, at mass one Sunday, he shocked his followers by announcing his resignation from the ministry.
The Archbishop found a replacement who took little interest in politics. But some radicals lingered on and found an outlet for their energies in the ALP.
In the wake of the Whitlam sacking, many people from non-Labor backgrounds joined the Party. They were welcomed into the Harbord Branch, even if they lacked Celtic blood or Catholic faith.
The secretary of the branch was Frank Harvey, a journalist employed by the Australia Council. He was the son-in-law of Ethel Crowe who was one of the original members of both the branch and the catholic congregation. He urged me to join the executive, which met informally in Mrs. Crowes living room. Here we discussed tactics: how to get publicity in the Manly Daily, how to attract new members, how to raise money.
It was all rather light hearted. We were a small group of rather odd companions with some common ideals: organised more like a tennis club than a serious political machine. Indeed, an election campaign was something like a sporting contest -- the