The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-29

Cardinal MANNING has recently been led
to discuss the development OF Roman
Catholicism in Great Britain during the
last half century. On one occasion his views
were expressed to a reporter Tor the FdH
Mall Gusette and he naturally had much to
say on the same subject when, on June II,
the twenty-tifth anniversary OF his entrance
upon episcopal functions was celebrated.
English Catholics date the restoration Of
their Church not from the removal Of Catho-
lie disabilities, but from the reorganization
OF a Catholic hierarchy in England, which
took place forty years ago 1t was, as we
have said, twenty-five years ago that HENRY
EDWARD MANNING was indicted into the
episcopal Office. and it is now fifteen years
since he was made a Cardinal. If the growth
OF tho Roman Catholic Church in England
since DR.. MANNING succeeded DR.. WISE
MAN as Archbishop of Westminster, be
measured by mere numbers, it may
not seem very noteworthy. On this point
the Cardinal himself remarked, when
recalling the fact that ten years hence
will be celebrated the first jubilee, or tiftieth
anniversary OF the Catholic Church in Eng
land, II cannot pretend that on that occa-
sion we shall have cause to rejoice over such
an increase as We see in the United States.
The United STATES, through the emigration
from all nations, have received millions OF
Catholics into the unity OF the Church. We
have nothing of the kind. Our million and
half cannot, l expect, be apprcciaby in
creased in that time" The Cardinal went on
to compare the absence Of Evolutionary OBJ
stacles in America with the immense mass
OF traditional prejudice and antipathy which
had accumulated in England against CaIhol-
iciSm during the three centuries which have
elapsed since the Reformation.
But, while he frankly owned that he did
mot anticipate the conversion of England"
Cardinal MANNING showed that an extraor-
binary increase had taken place in the
agencies of Catholic activity: in the clergy
the churches, converts, colleges ana schools
How much Of this increase should be cred
tied to his own discharge of episcopal
duties was pointed out on Juno II by
Mgr. GILBERT, Vicar General OF the do
cese of Westminster. While 1t is true, he
said, that in twenty-five years the number
Of people attending their Easter duties in
that diocese had only expanded from $4,000
to 10000, the number Of priests regularly
igiOus communities had increased from
"scarccly one" 10 Eat least fifty" During
tn" same period forty-nine new departments
in the elementary schools had been opened,
AMI the increased daily attendance was
1000. Moreover, sixteen orphanagcs
poOr-law schools. and workhouse schools
had been founded, and the children
brnriitng by such establishments had
increased by 5000. The Cardinal has also In
troduced into his diocese eleven communities
Of religious men and fifty communities Of
religious women; he has added l49 to the
number of working priests. and he has built
and opened forty churches and missions. At
n cost OF 100000 he has secured four acres
of land for the projected Westminster Cathe-
dral, and at further outlay Of $500, 900 he
has established the Seminary OF st. Thomas,
from which 200 priests have already been
ordained.
Remarkable as is this increase in the ap-
planes for ecclesiastical activity, 1t Is not
the most important part " the work per-
formed by Cardinal MANNINd during his
tenure OF the post II Archbishop of West
minister. The ConcIliatOry influence which
he has exercised upon English public opin-
ionis the most signal service which he has
rendered to his Church. The change which
has taken place in the attitude of Protestant
Englishmen toward the Catholic clergy
Was striklngly exemplified last year, when
every one regarded as natural and proper
the association OF Cardinal MANNING with
the Archbishop of Canterbury in tho effort
to settle the controversy between the East
London strikers and their employers What
Is especially worthy OF notice Is the fact that
this change in public opinion has been
effected without any attempt on the part
OF the English Catholic clergy to mini
mize the differences between the Roman
and the Anglican faith. They have
shown that man can be at once jealous
Catholic and good citizen, and the result ID
that nothing is now more common than to
see members VI tho Roman clergy figuring