The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-09 00:00:00

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE of GREAT
BRIT.
• SPECIAL- 'MEETING.
A special meeting of the Catholic Institut_e of Great B_Britain
was held yesterday at the Great
fßoorotmhe,
pFurrpe
onis ae Loofn a' l l
makingall7
pursnant to public, advertisemeantti,
)ns in the rules,the
certain amendments and alteor:
suggestions of the Vicars Ap toile of England, in a commu-
nication made by them to the Committee on 29th August,
1844, and under the sanct.ion of their Lordships assembled in
London at the present time ; alio, to extend and increase
of the Catholic Institute, and to add to their
the eon
other objects that of embracing the furtherance of charitable
education."
The meeting was very numerously and most respectably
attended, and a great number of ladies occupied the scats
immediately in front of the platform and the chair.
Amongst the distinguished edvocates of the institute
present were the Right Hon. the Earl of Shrewsbury
Right Rev. Dr. Griffiths, Vicar Apostolic of London, the Hon.
Edward Petre, Phillip Howard, E.sq., M.P., Right Rev. Dr.
Brown, Bishop Apostolic of Wales ; Right Hon. Lord
Stourton ; Hon. Charles Langdale; Right Rev. Dr. Griffiths,
Vicar Apostolic of London ; Right Rev. Dr. Briggs, Vicar
Apostolic of Yorkshire ; Right Rev. Dr. Wareing, Vicar
Apostolic of the Eastern District of England ; Right Rev.
Dr. Beggs, Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of Eng-
land ; Right Rev. Dr. George Brown, Vicar Apostolic of
Lancashire ; Right Rev. Dr. Sharpies, Coadjutor Vicar
Apostolic of Lancashire ; Right Rev. Or. Wiseman, Coadjutor
Vicar Apostolic of the Central District of England ; Right
Rev. Dr. Collier, Vicar Apostolic of the Mauriti Hon.
Charles Thomas Clifford ; Win. Jones, E. of us;
Clytha ; Ed-
ward Doughty, Esq., of Upton House ; P. 11. Hoard, Esq.,
m.r. ; Rev Messrs. l.yt hogs, Sien, O'Connor, Hearne,
T. M. Macdonell, M'Avila.
Shortly after one o'clock the Right Hon. the Earl of
Shrewsbury took the chair, and the Secretary read the re-
port of the Committee, in which regret was expressed that
the institution was in a rapidly declining state, and that
eherefore it was feared it must be dissolved, the subscriptions
having very much fallen off ' • but if any suggestionscould be
made for its resuscitation and effective continuation, the Com-
mittee would be happy louse their best efforts to carry it out.
The report recommended that the Hon. C. Langdale should
be appointed Chairman, and the Hon. E. Petre as Vice-
Chairman of the Institute, if it should be continued ; that
a Committee should be appointed, consisting of seven cler-
gymen, and that the Secretary should also be a clergyman.
When the Secretary had concluded reading the report,
The Noble CHAIRMAN arose, and was received with loud
cheering. His Lordship said that the objects for which they
were met were so well understood that it would be unneces-
sary for him to make any observations, and therefore he
would propose that they proceed immediately with the
business of the day.
The Hon. C. LANGDALE, M.P., proposed the first resolu •
tion. He expressed the satisfaction it afforded him to see so
large an assembly of their lordships, the vicars -apostolic,
present; and he hoped to have the pleasure of congratulating
the meeting upon hearing their lordships state that the
proposed alteration of the rules of the institute had met with
their approbation. The Honourable Gentleman then read
the proposed alterations, and proceeded to say that
he would not delay the meeting by any lengthened observa-
tions, as there were several others present who would wish to
address it. But there was one point which he felt bound to
say a few words upon, namely, the promotion of charitable
education.—(Cheers.) He hoped it would not be supposed
that he meant to give any offence to any sect or party, for
such was net his intention. But he would ask what was the
state of the poor Roman Catholics of Great Britain in respect
to education?—(Hear, hear.) It was a deplorable fact
that the Catholic poor children were, in very many instances,
brought up in such awtul ignorance of their religion as was
terrible to think of. He conceived that great and blameable
indeed was the amount of responsibility incurred by those
upon-whom devolved the duty of rescuing these poor chil-
dren from this fearful ignorance, and he by no means meant
to say that' he himself was free from it.—(Hear, hear.)
When he looked around, and beheld the noble temples
erected in this country by Catholic munificence to honour
the great Creator, he could not but reflect that
those who could afford to contribute towards the
erection of such magnificent temples—not more mag-
nificent than they should be could also afford to
lend their aid in rescuing from a life of vice and
sin, and spiritual destitution, the poor Catholic children of
this country.—( Hear, hear.) He had commenced by saying
he would not trespass long on the meeting, and, therefore, he
would now conclude by expressing his most earnest hope that
this subject would be taken up with an interest that it de-
served, and in a manner becoming the rank, station, wealth,
and respectability of the Catholics of England.—(Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. SISK seconded the resolution. He had
heard it said that there was apathy on the part of the
wealthy Catholics in this cause, but he could not bring him-
self to believe it—(Cheers)—and he was borne out in be-
lieving the contrary when he beheld such a meeting as the
present ; and he had no doubt that the result of this day's
proceeding would prove that he did not estimate too highly
the zeal of the Catholics of England for the maintenance of
their holy religion.—( Loud cheers.) What stronger proof
could he have of the interest taken in this institute than the
presence of their noble and munificent Chairman—(Cheers)
—and of the Hon. Mr. Langdale, who had left his home in the
country, at great personal inconvenience to himself, to attend
here.—(Cheers.) It was a melancholy fact that, out of
24,000 Catholic children in London, only 6,000 received edu-
cation, and that fact would of itself be sufficient, he felt as-
eured, to arouse the most apathetic.—(Cheers.)
The Rev. Dr. GRIFFITHS. Bishop of Olena and Vicar Apos-
tolic of London, said he had the pleasure to inform the
meeting that the proposed alterations had met with the en-
tire approbation of the Vicars Apostolic.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
The Hon. P. HOWARD, M.P. proposed the next resolution,
"That the lion. Messrs. Langdale and Petre be appointed
Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Institute," and in doing
so spoke of the merits of those gentlemen as advocates of
Catholicity, and stated that the latter gentleman had re-
ceived a marked personal compliment at the hands of the
Sovereign Pontiff.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Jocks, of Clytha (Wales), seconded the resolution,
which was carried by acclamation. It contained also the
names of those who are to form the Committee.
The Right Rev. Dr. IlarGGs, Vicar Apostolic of the
Western District, proposed the third resolution, calling for
renewed support and re-organisation of the Catholic Insti-
tute. He said he knew no object which should be so dear
to Catholics, or one that should be taken up with
deeper interest than the education of the poor.—
(Loud cheers.) He hoped much from beholding such
a meeting as this, attended as it was by their Noble Chair-
man, the great number of prelates, and members of the
noble Catholic families of this country.—(Cheers.) The
presence of such men carried him back to a contemplation of
the times when the Catholic aristocracy of England looked
upon their religion as their best and most valuable inherit-
ance.—(Cheers.) Amongst those to whom the Catholics,
and particularly the Catholic clergy, owed much, was the
Hon. Mr. Langdale, who, in his capacity of Member of Par-
liament, had never flinched from the advocacy of the Ca-
tholic cause.—(Loud cheers.) He (Dr. Briggs) felt
deeply the awful responsibility that devolved on him as a
Catholic Bishop, when he reflected upon the want of educa-
tion amongst the poor Catholic children of this country.—
(Hear, hear.) Nothing could be more fearful to contem-
plate than a human being reared up from infancy in this
state—(Hear, hear)—while, at the same time, nothing
could be more easy than to impress upon a youth the value
of religious education, for youth was like wax, and very sus-
ceptible of any impressions sought to be made upon it.—
(Hear, hear) Why, then, was it, that while the mother
carefully guarded her tender offspring, that child was
abandoned by its spiritual mother after it had been
spiritually born in baptism ?—(Hear.) Let this state of
things no longer be a cause of shame to those who could re-
move it, but, like the old man in t:.te Scriptures, let them
" sow their seed in the morning, and water it and tend it all
day."

Mr. BAOSTIAWE, editor of the Dublin Review, seconded the
resolution. He was happy to see every Catholic district of
London represented here, and he, himself, represented
the very poorest of their distre.:ts.—(Hear, hear.)
Ile, teok shame to himself that this institution bad
been suffered to decline; but he saw by this meeting that it
would not only be revived, but kept np with an intent and
.determination worthy of so great a cause.—(Cheers.) Now
was the time for all to co-operate in this beneficent work,
rich as well as poor. for all could be of use to some extent,
no matter how humble.—(Hear, hear.) But all efforts
would be of little use indeed if they had not the sinews of
.war,' and therefore let those -4-ho couid.do it now build up
the edifice of which they laid the foundation, and he would
.lend all the aid in his humble power.—(Cheers.)
The Right Rev. Dr. BnowN proposed the next resolution.
.He Said he felt proud of the honour of addressing such a
meeting as this, while at the same time ho felt great hueni-
litv at the circumstances under which the meeting had been
lie differed from the Rev. Gentleman who said
•there was no apathy on the part of the Catholics, for, if
there were not, this' institute would never have de-
clined.—( Hear, hear.) He did not allude to individuals,
but to the great body of the Catholics of Great Bri-
tain.—(Hear, hear.) This state of apathy was owing to the
fact that Catholics were too apt to rely on their faith, for-
rgetful that, without good works, such as feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, and giving shelter to the destitute, their
.faith would be of no avail.—(Hear, hear.) He had heard it
said that tracts need no longer be -issued to the same extent
;as had been; but he, as representing a most miserable dis-
trict, sh, uld say he totally dissented from such a propo ition.
—(Hear, hear.) He contended that those tracts were most
useful ; but he deplored the want of schools in the principality
of Wales., in some parts of which he was aware of a few poor
children assembling for instruction in a one-horse stable
into which light and air were' admitted only through the
door.—(" Oh, oh.") But he looked forward now with hope,
for a happy future, and this day, he had no doubt, would be
the great andgood beginning otthat bright future.—(Cheers.)
The Hon. Mr. PRTRE seconded the resolution. He would
not presume to delay the meeting by making a
speech, after the very eloquent addresses they had heard
from these . who bad preceded him. But he could
not refrain from reminding those saw around him of
d
the many times he h ng
"ow
a addressed them from that place, and
P"
endeavoured to impress upon them the necessity of making
exertions to save the poor Catholics from the continued
.efforts of their enemies at prosle.,tisrn.—( Hear, hear.) Their
enemies had insulted them by taunts the effect that their
clergymen meant to keep
them in
rnotreance;let net the
Catholics, by their apathy, corrolT)a thoseebt taunts.—ti_
(Loud cheers.) 'Let them also remeinbet the d
:tilde they owed the Catholic soldier, and d'liarge that
debt by ensuring to hint the means of salvationic-heewnhen
he
should fall in the defence of his country.-_(
Cheers.) felt pleasure in bearing testimony to the munificent -Intl!:
and others.-
- ention of their chairman, Mr. Langdale,
(Cheers.) But let not persons unblessed by the possession of
great wealth say, they should do nothing because they could
not contribute as large sums as Lord Shrewsbury, or Lord
Stourton, or others—(Cheers)—for the 11., or the smallest
contributions of the poor man, would be as thankfully received
as the 1001. of the rich.—(Cheers.) He hoped also that per-
sons would not become apathetic from the belief that
• Government would aid them, for he could assure them that
no such aid would be given.—( Hear.)
The Hon. CHARLES CLIFFORD proposed the fifth resolution.
He congratulated the meeting and the Catholic cause in
seeing so many of the Vicars Apostolic present, for their pre-
' sence augured well for the prosperity of this institution.—
(Hear.) He regretted to have to annnonnce that her Ma-
jesty had lately deemed it expedient that he should retire
from an office he held in the county in which he resided, for
he was the only Catholic landed proprietor in that county ;
but that fact should not lessen his desire for the advance-
ment of his relitrion, which only needed the co-operation of
the people with the clergy to crown their efforts with
Stlt-teSB.—..(CiteerS.)
• The Res. Mr. I..rraGoE seconded the resolution, which
Was a vote of thanks to the prelates for their attendance.
He said that nearly 2,000 poor children received education
iu Preston from the clergy and the sisters of charity, but the
funds were supplied from the pennies of the poor.--7(Cheera.)
After a few words from the Rev. Mr. M'Donnell the reso-
--- e'arried idglOttd cheers.
`Were then passed, and the meet-

lizti n:44Arried amidgltlnd cheers.
ivih Stts4tbuiti Votes of thanks "fere then passed, and the meet-
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