The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-09 00:00:00

beeauet in the Carmen of Trent many things are mixedup with
the Declarations of Faith; whereas, the Catechism of the Council
is confined, I believe, exclusively to matters of faith and tile Council
Is confined, I believe 2 exclusively t matters of tgth and in.?als.
Is lioesuet's Exposition of the Doctrine of the Roman Catholics
considered orthodox?—Yes, quite orthodox ; and we consider it
extremely good. There is another that would be exceedingly use-
ful to read, which is Feron's Rule of Faith.
Of what date is that 4—Sometime after the Council of Trent.
I mention its utility because he not only expounds what truly are
the Catholic tenets, but he also removes a misunderstanding which
then subsisted in the minds of many whit regard to those tenets;
there is both the tenet itself and the exposition, but in Latin;
and it is a work universally admitted as a standard of our doctrine.
Are not the Roman Catholics taught that no change whatever
has taken place or can take plane in the doctrines of their Church
—Yea, that is a tenet of our faith; and it regards, as your Lord-
ships must have perceived from my many ar:swera, the doctrine or
faith- and not the discipline of the Church, which is eternally
raising.
When Roman Catholics are required to profess their assent to all
things declared and found by the Canons of Councils. what Canons
are meant 4—The Canons universally received by the Church, or
such parrs of them as are received by the Church.
The whole of sonny, and parts of others ?—Just so.
When crimes, such as murder or treason, are revealed in con-
fession, is the confessor bound not to disclose that?—He is bound
not to disclose it in any case whatever.
Has not such disclosure been allowed at Rome?—Never.
Not in the case of conspiracy against the Pope p—No. That
statement has been made. It is a matter which I have taken pains
to ascertain.

It is said by Du 7 hou, in his history, that it has been allowed in
France would not believe, on the authority of Du Thou, nor
any authority whatever, that it could have been allowed; for we
hold universally, in the Catholic Church, that the revealing of any
secrets confined to the Priests in confession is contrary to the law of
nature and to the authority of God, in respect of which no Pope or
Council can dispense or exercise any authority, unless to enforce
such law.

Would not such a regulation, were it adopted, defeat its own pur.
poses, as far as unconnected with the security of the State, by pre-
venting the habit of confession on those subjects?—Altogether ;
but by laving it as it is the abuse of it is impossible; because when
a criminal comes, if he should come, to make known his crime
to the Priest, the latter endeavours to dissuade him from it, if not
perpetrated, and to repair, if it be done, the injury he has coin-
nutted, as far as it is in his power. If, however. it were once al-
lowed to the Priest to reveal the confession, under any circum-
staneek no criminal would come to him.
Would .a Priest think himself justified, in case he received in
confeesion a knowledge of an intended crime, to take any measure
by which he could prevent the execution of that crime?—No, he
cannot; more than the means he uses with the individuals them-
selves.
Could not he warn the person against whom the crime is intended
to be committed ?—Pie cannot. We adopt, with regard to the
secret confession, an expression of St. Augustin—his Latin is very
bad, but it expresses oar sentiment very strongly—" Plus ignorat
quod sacerdos a peccatore audit quani quod nescit."
Are there not many places in Ireland, ten or twelve, to which the
Roman Catholic peasantry are encouraged to make pilgrimages_
where they go to pilgrimage ?—Ycs ; ten or twelve, or more; but
I doubt whether they are encouraged to go. on those pilgrimages.
We had a Council of Bishops held in the time of the IVhiteboys,
I cannot recollect the year, it is by theseevents we count in Ireland,
I suppose forty years ago, when our Bishops of the province of
Dublin made a decree, prohibiting all pligrimages of that kind,
and confining the people in their devotion! to their respective cha-
pels ; this, however, has not been properly attended to ; but we
endeavour to restrain the custom as much as we can. It is hard,
however, to root out prejudices.
Do not the Parochial Clergy promote it ?—Certainly not, in the
province of Leinster.
Do they not in the neighbourhood of Lough Dearg ?—Some in
the neighbourhood of Lough Dearg do strange things, but Ido
not know it.

You do not know that there are twenty-four Priests who officiate
at two chapels there ?—I do not. I saw it stated in a paper cir-
culated by a Society of Clergymen in Ireland, who have undertaken
to ascertain and make known all the abuses prevailing among the
Roman Catholics in Ireland. They have published a periodical
work, of which they acnt me the first number; it was by this I
first came to the knowledge of there being such chapels, or such at-
tendants of Priests at Lough Dearg.
Are there any images of the Virgin or of Saints which are re-
garded with peculiar veneration in Ireland ?—I do not know that
there are.

Are there indulgences granted by the Pope to the persons who
have performed their devotions at any particular shrines,—Shrines,
I do not know ; but particular churches, yes.
Of what nature are those indulgences 7—The nature of an indul-
gence is a remission of the temporal punishment which may be ,
supposed to be due to the sin after the guilt is remitted by Almighty
God, through the sacrament of penance.
What are the particular churches in Ireland to the performances
of devotions in which indulgences are annexed ?--I really know of
only one in my diocese, that is the parish church or chapel of the
parish in which I live.
That can be granted only by a Bull of the Pope ?—Only by a
Bull of the Pope.
Have the parochial clergy in Ireland generally what are called
glebe.houses 7—No ; very few of them have glebe-houses. And
of all modes of providing for the clergy, none would be so useful
to the State, and so truly advantageous to the clergy, as to provide
them with comfortable dwellings and very small. glebes. I think
that too could be easily effected, if, in the provision for instance,
were it ever granted to the clergy, there were so much given to
them until a house could be provided for them, and then to have
that withdrawn which was allowed for rent of a dwelling.
Could that be done by legalising the gift of a house or a tlebe-
land, to a limited extent, ty persons of' their own persuasion ?—I
think it could be done, and would be done. If such permission
were given by law I think we should shortly have many glebe-
houses in Ireland ; and I know we have lost many we had by the
incumbent dying intestate, and his heirs at law seizing on the
house, which had been given to him perhaps by the proprietor ;
thus it was lost to his successor and to the parish.
In some parishes there are glebe-houses 7—There arc in some
parishes, but they are held in trust, and the tenure by that means
becomes very precarious. They are vested in one, or two, or three
persona, and with the right of survivorship ; and very often two of
those persons die, and the whole right vests in one, and he dies in-
testate, and his heirs seize it.
If the purchase of a house and glebe-land, to an extent limited
by law, were given, and that vested in the Bishop of the diocese,
would that be a satisfactory arrangement ?—Yes; I think that
would be perfectly satisfactory.
%'hat effect has the Burial Ground Act produced, good or bad ?
—lt produces a good effect in one sense, because I think Roman
Catholics are more cautious not to recite any prayers of any kind
whatever, at the time of the burial, if the burial takes place ad.
joining a Parish Church ; but in general the Bill has remained a
dead letter.
Are there any Purgatorian Societies in Dublin P—l am unac-
quainted with those Societies.
They are not countenanced among the Bishops ?—I am not ac-
quainted with them at all; there may be various things counte-
nanced by poor tradesmen in Dublin of which I know nothing.
Are the miracles of Prince Hohenlohe generally credited in Ire-
land ?—1 believe they are generally credited.
Are they considered by Roman Catholics as evidence of the
Divine favour towards that Church 7—l WU personally concerned
in one of them: I hare considered that an instance in which the
Almighty was pleased to interfere, and show his mercy to the in.
dividual who was &Minted.

Is it not likewise considered as a proof of the intention of the
Almighty to interfere for the recovery of thy Roman Catholic
Church from its present state of oppression ?—As a proof that the
Almighty has watched over a faithful member of that Church.

Have those miracles been acknowledged by the Court of Rome?
—The Court of Rome has taken no cognizance of them.
The Roman Catholic Bishops in Ireland fcel themselves entitled
to receive them as miracles ?—The Bishop in his nan diocese has
a right to examine into the fact, and to receive tba miracle If his
mind la convinced ; but his declaration in its favour does not bind
an one.
With respect to all miracles now wrought, the right of private
judgment is exercised by every individual seriatim ?—Of course.

Till they have been acknowledged by the Head of the Church ?
And even then, I think, a declaration of the Head of the Church
on a miracle does not bind the faith of any one: it would be irre-
verent to doubt it ; bit it is a matter on which the Pope and a Cc- ,
neral Council might be in error.
But it is ■ matter in which you believe, and which you would in.
eulcate on those you would instruct ?—lt is not a matter I wou!d
inculcate, because I think it unnecessary to do so : it is not a mat-
ter which can form a part of such instruction as we give to the
people ; but Ido believe it myself. It is the doctrine of our Church
that miracles are wrought in every country, and in every age,
when the Almighty may think it necessary to do so for the relief
of any of his creatures, who petition him in the spirit of humility
and faith.
Are you acquainted with the Service for the Sick in the Common
Prayer Book of the Established Church ?—Yes.
In that Service, where a Protestant applies for the special inter-
ference of Providence for the relief of the sick person, where no
human help can avail, does he appear to you to ask for more than
has been granted in your opinion in the case of Prince Ilohenlohe ?
Precisely the same ; but in the case of Prince Hohenlohe it was
granted in a more special and striking degree.

BREACH or PRI VI G E.—thie of our London letters
mentions, that it is likely a complaint for breach of privi-
lege will be brought forward in the House of Commons,
immediately on their re-assembling after the recess, against
The Dublin Evening Mail, for an irregular publication of
the evidence taken before the Select Committee on the
State of Ireland.—Dahlin Paper.
The Dublin Patriot says—" IVe have heard with much
gratification that Mr. Peel has expressed Lis intention to
suggest—as being within his department—that the Lord
Lieutenant and Privy Council shall not hereafter approve
of any gentleman returned for the office of Sheriff for the
Corporation of Dublin, who may have given party pledges,
or avowed political hostility against any class or his Ma-
jesty's sub;ects."