The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-03
"CATESBY" IN AMERICA.
A Talk with the Distinguished English
Churchman, Monseisneur Capel.

I
Pau, in the Bases Rsrenees over a dozen
( years ago. Monseigneur Capel was then rector
of the English mission at Pau, handsome,
courtly ecclesiastic, to whose recognized
! spiritual character the conversion of the
Marquis of Butte, one Of the bulwarks of
Englands Protestant nobility, had lent lus-
| ter that Attracted the eyes OF the world.
England was startled at the conversion,
closely accompanied as it was by that OF the
Marquis of Rpon, the personal---very. inIndia,
who was at the time head OF the English Free
masons and who was succeeded in that dignity
/ by the Prince of Wales. Mgr Capel left
! Pau, travelled in the East with the Marquis
OF Butte, returned to England, entered on
missionary labors there preached much,
converted many and finally started, with
| the concurrence of the Catholic Episcopate
in England, university that was intended
/ to take the place of ambridge and Oxford to
English Catholic youth. After some years
OF struggle Mgr. Capel resigned his position
of director. Cardinal Manning took the in
sttuton in hand and it has since disappear
ed. A year ago Mgr. Capel, by permission
| of his ecclesiastical superior went to Italy.
| He preached to large congregations in Flor
1 ence, and passed much of his time in that
| city and in Rome.
| Mgr Capel has apparently all the subtle
! tact, accompanied by the suave and winning
| manner, that characteriZes the ecclesiastical
| diplomatist and man OF affairs. He is pre-
pared to speak just as far as he deems proper
and no further. You may be an excellent
dentist" he remarked, smilingly, to the re-
porter in answer to certain questions on sub
| jects that the Monseigneur considered deli
cate, but if the patient refuses to have the
tooth drawn you only waste your skill.
He, adheres strictly to the programmes
1 laid 10
spondent telegraphed some weeks since
from Paris, and refuses, at present
at least, to treat on political subjects OF
any kind. Il have come here" he said, Ito
observe. | am not prepared to speak at
moments notice on matters of deep import
and wide controversy. | am not" he added
with a smile, IAN Oscar Wilde, to begin by
being disappointed with the Atlantic. One
has to be very careful. Matters of this kind
are republished on the other side, often mis-
interpreted, and are likely at times to do
more harm than good. l have come here
for rest and recreation and observation. My
visit is not matter of to-day or yesterday.
1t has been in contemplation for ten years
past, and have had the most urgent solic
itations to come. At last am here,
That Mgr. Capel is a close observer must be
evident to anyone who speaks unreservedly
to him for ten minutes even. To the reporter
he sketched description of his trip and the
company oil board that was full OF quiet hui
NOR. I'VE had a delightful passage he said,
''unaccompanied by the slightest mishap;
and we had most mixed company in the
cabin. There was young Lord Bennett,
very pleasant fellow, and his companion,
the Hon. +. Bennett who are off on
shooting expedition. There was the son of
your Mr.. Jay Gould. There were the
atrcal people - KiralfY, l think, and
Others. There were the usual attentions
that young people paw, TO young peo-
pie on shipboard and elsewhere, and
sometimes half regretted that the captain
had forsaken his vocation of splicing. Then
their was Mr. TOmkins Yes Tomkins, l
| think it was He was very amusing. He
had come over to join the Salvation Army
and to convert this country to godliness.
He was very worthy man. He confded
| his mission to me as great secret. We had
not been out long before l discovered that
he had confided the same great secret to
| everybody in the cabin. He gave a recta-
| ton in the cabin the other evening. He
was anxious TO obtain the use of Mr.. Kiral
| fy's theater on Sundays. Mr.. Kiralfy heard
| the recitation, and | am afraid the negotia-
| tions stopped there. He did not engage Mr..
| Tomkins."
"Did you make any converts on board,
Monseigneur?"
"Well, those are matters we never talk
| about. on Sunday l preached twice to the
Storage We had many Irish emigrants on
the vessel. They looked as though with
fair chance they would do well in the
world"
$50 you deserted the cabin for the emf
grants?"
Eyes; the captain read divine service in the
cabin and monopoized the aristocratic
quarters. l took the steerage, and had a
most mixed congregation of Irish Hebrew,
theatrical and every kind OF people"
And what of the conversion of England,
Monseigneur, TO the Catholic faith? Some an
tlcipate that Mr. Gladstone will try to dis
establish the Anglican Church. Would that
lead many into Catholicity?"
81 cannot speak on that point Whether
Mr.. Gladstone will soon be i'll or out can
not say, nor what is his policy regarding the
Anglican Church. 1t is all matter of cOnjec-
ture, and, besides l will not touch on
political matters of such moment, Later
on after / have been about and seen
your country and people and this new and
vigorous growth, may say something, and
probably will. Then | shall be prepared l
may give a course of lectures here, as for in
stance, on The Puseyite Movement and Its
Results, The Present Condition and Flu
ture Prospects of the Anglican Church. The
Reconversion of England to Catholicity,'
The Probability of Disestablishment and
Its Effects, etc But at present 1 cannot
speak on those points"
With reference to the matter of Catholic
education and Catholic universities, in
which Mgr Capel Is deeply interested ne
told the story OF the failure of the English
university as already given. He said that he
had met Bishop Spalding IN Rome, and they
had compared notes on the subject. Bishop
Spalding is the author of the project for the
founding Of an American Catholic univer-
sity
at is not with us as with you,n said Mgr.
Cape you, over here, with your eight
millions of Catholics, all united and striving
for one great Catholic end, you can accom-
plish this thing. But we, with our million
and a half or two million Catholics in Eng
land-we are striving for social position, and
that is another thing"
Wherever he goes i: seems safe to say that
Mgr. Capel will assuredy be welcomed. The
charm OF his manner is his complete natural