The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-03-11
{" THE IRLsR IN ENGLAND."
LECTURE OF REV. W. II. KENNY.
Detroit Homo JournalJ

Cathedral, to o large audience. The lecture
was as we'll q defence of the patriotism ant
faithfulness of the irish in England t.
fatherland as an account of their wonderfu
progress and work in the very heart, as II
were, and through the arteries Of her op
pressor.
The Rev. gentleman referred first to the
ancient work of Ireland, of her children In
helping to convert the same land from pa
ganism, through the ministry of Saints
Aedin and Colnm bkill, in the palmy days
of lrish Christianity, when her priests were
teachers in European schools, and gave the
faith and apostles to other lands, and by O
natural connection brought it down to the
present not less providential or wonderful
reconverson which is daily taking place
| The cause of the exodus of the Irish peo-
| pie to England were frat the iniquitous
! union between the two countries in 1900,
and the subsequent decay of Irish pros.
perity, which again received q very large
increase from the famine of 1916 and lS47,
q famine which was stated as largely as an
artificial one, caused by the misgovern.
ment of successive English ADMINISTRATIONS
in Ireland. In the unusual exodus of this
time, which has produced such effects on
the prosperity of America and Australia,
and other countries. England received
share of Irish immigration, an unwilling
one; for the emigrants only came by dire
beloved motheriand. So great was the in
crease that the Catholic population, which
in 1900 was reckoned at not more than
sixty thousand souls, was counted at two
millions and a half before half q century
had passed. The first in England settled
mostly in the large manufacturing towns
of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and other manu-
featuring district and soon began to srect
chapels which grew into the large and in
many cascs, magnificent churches of the
present day.
1t was not many years after this that
Pope Gregory the Sixteenth found it ne
cessary to provide more largely for the
Episcopal administration of the country,
and the able and distinguished Nicholas
Wiseman was transferred from the head of
the English College at Rome to London.
Shortly after his arrival began the celebra-
ted TractarisD movement, which, like the
Rituaiistic movement of to day has pro-
iuced 81 many converts from the Church
Of England to the Catholic faith, among
them the distinguished and eloquent Father
Ne Hman. This movement was largely
aided by Bishop Wiseman by his able
articles in the Dublin Rsview, and other
In lS48 Bishop Wiseman
was appointed Cardinal Archbishop of
Westminster by the present Pope Plus TX.
md a great excitement was created. Lord
John Russell introduced tho celebrated Ec-
,lesisstlcal Titles Bill, and was compared
oy the inimitable artist Doyle, in hs car
,oon in Punch, to q little boy, who ehalked
up ssNo Popery" on tue CARDINAL q door
and then ran away. But the Catholic
clergy took firm stand, and the noble
Archbishop MeHale, Of Tuam, 1.-the Lion of
Judah" and others, were conspicuous in
signing their full titles. The excitement
soon sHbslded, and Cardinal Wfseman WAS
both by the English Pro5estants
,s we'll as Catholics, as entitled to his title
and honors.
Before this time Catholic Emancipation
had been secured for Ireland by the Efforts
Df the great Lieeratcr, Daniel OConnell,
and every victory of the Irish ChuTch and
people at home was hailed with eestatic
joy by the Irish Catholics in Eugland, and
lt was partly oy their moral aid and assis
fanee that acquiescence was forced upon
the Eoglish ministration. Richard Lalor |
Shie's speech at Peueden Heath, 80 highly
by the great English economist,
Jeremy Bentham, produced u grsst effect
upon the English people in regard to the |
rights of Catholics. Freedom and respect !
have followed by slow degrees, until now
every considerable town In England has it's
Catholic church and convent. Schools and |
other institutions of learning have multi
piled all over England. The Catholic
Church in England is now almost entirely
irish. 30 far as the preponderance of num-
bers 10 concerned, aud while all honor is
due to the noble English families who re-
NAMED stea6fast to the faith through CEN
turieS of persecution, it must be said that
the strength of the Church is from it's Irish
believers, and WAS 80 declared by the able
and eloquent Dr. Manning, Cardinal Arch
bishop of Westminster, In a recent ad-
dress.
The social condition of the Irish people
in England is good. Irishmen are to be
found in the professions, and in music, art,
and literature there are Irish names des.
tined to be found among the few whose
will not perish. In the reform
movements the Irish have taken q promi-
nent part, and the better condition of the
glish laboring classes is due in no email
degree to the efforts of the Irish represen-
tative men. Churches an schools aud con
vents are springing up, the prejudices of
other times are beng dissipated, and the
outlook is very promising.
The progress In England during the last
1fty years and the work accomplished will
'Val it's extraordinary progress in this
country, more especially during the last
twenty five years. Even as short time
lgo as that, a Catholic priest was 30 rare a
light that his presence in many an interior
own would cause no little cOmmotion. The
oWn which the Rev. gentleman serves was !,
q such condition At that 0n1 ;e | 4