New-York tribune., 1899-07-23
CATHOLICISM IN ENGLAND
AN ENGLISH CATHOLIC DECLARES THAT
1T IS MAKING NO PROGRESS.
CONVERSIONS THAT EXERCISE NO INFLUENcE-A
LIMIT TO ENGLISH TOLERANCE.
Richard Bagot in Littelrs Living Age.


LIMIT TO ENGLISH TOLERANCE
Richard Bagot in Littelrs Living Age
With the death of Cardinal Manning there died,
Church in England and there was at the same
time inaguraed an epoch of ecclesiastical ag,auors a
The truth is that Roman Catholicism in England.
far from being progressive movement, ls anu Las
been for several years quite stationary II not VI"
Yet the Catholic press. both English and foreign IGN
assures us that no month passes without "a, con- on
fold OF the Roman Church and every little while
their papers publish imposing lists OF these con-
We also read OF new churches built. of the
foundation OF IN 1nasteries and religious houses
in short OF a general stir which is supposed to sig
Nifty extraordinary activity and an iS -,
development on the part of the Catholic Cnurcn vi
Now, in point of fact one has ever thought bought
Church under all circumstances. but as tor IN, tne
| spread of Catholicism among my fellow country na
superficial movement Influencing neither the
thought nor the real religious sentiment Oh 'he
Having seen the superb Catholic churches OF Of
| London and the other English cities so cro"oed
| with devout worshppers Of both sexes. while the
functions OF the Roman faith are performed WIN
what wonder il the foreigner remains impressed
| and goes away after mass firmly persuaded thaI h
| affair OF but few years at the most. How Il the
a seen r2 at e src
| probably not Catholics at all and have not the
| spiritual authority Of the Pope?
FEW NEW ADHERENTS
The majority go out of curiosity, to enjoy the
music and the spectaclefo few are the aVel sI
Of Of an EIgsh s1d%y And we % cahocsm
| shall find that only very few OF the converts
any strong personal influence over the thought oi
the people Among the recruits that the tathDilt at
| twenty-five years there are barely dozen pr9mi,
persons Men OF science Of letters ana rde0 0I
aud oil %
| lions, are conspicuous by their absence from the
list OF. the converted IT is not among these tna'
The majority OF the conversions occur cur among IN th
great ces now it is perfectly evident
| one who is concerned merely with the form OF
hn cbeesemoneer Is Oy lust as valUabie as that Of
Minister OF State But from practical point GI
on the intellectual or social position OF the con-
| Now while statistics show that Roman
| Catholicism in England is stationary. with zen, Ten
| dency retrograde. the international Cathonc
the Increase flow ire we to reconcile these con,
tradc;ory statements? That the PrneIsss during
the last fifty years Is an undenable iact Ihe ue y
reform of the Anglican the lines Of the Cnthonc
Church There is not function on 4t ,be me RtraIists
But'9 But this sS Would seem @ to show Italian readers
will exclaim that Cathocism Is really pscoi'iSs n -
no Roman Catholicism without the Pope. and In
the Anglican churches every one is free 10 6e ns
| Church has initiated the spiritual and dogmatc
stand Of the Roman Church but II has omitted i an
| FORTY wears a self STYLED Catholic Church, Wnlcn
| gets on very we'll without any Pope ana waits
nothing TO do with one
PSEUDO CATHOLICISM VIEWED WITH sCoRN
| The hierarchy Of the Roman Church In Engiand'
no less than the Vatican views this pseudo canon
clsm with scorn; but at the same time WIN =, a
certain satisfaction because they fancy thai ~ 10
their game which the Ritualists are reaIy
dogmas and doctrines which belong IN reaII.y Sor :,
the Holy Roman See. This supposi,,on ~, oT,v he
| another Illusion of which they VIII eventuaHy pe
Recent events in England show clearly that @ there
| relgInn which not even the Anglican Churcn
could pass without the traditional Protestsnti,ssIm
Of the English nation ps Tsmg IN caholIc party this
robust Professionalism expodes over preclseiy M .,
the Roman faith. as the supremacy or the rope
| and compulsory confession, ,. .o-,oss "a
| n the Anglican Church finds itself powerless aS
II most certainly does to Introduce the conessiona'
| into English religious life, how can Roman All a..
oics deude themselves with me % %ho.lon trn' na the
| other hand that the Roman Church should make s
concessions to English prejudice IN the mater 1 o,
| the confessional Is simply impossible Inc system
| Of obligatory confession IL too powerful weapon,
| roth spiritually and politically. for the Romaa ,
Church to be able 10 abandon IT, even at the priSe
| Of winning schIsmatic England back into the tou'
| INsUPERABLE OBSTACLES TO CoNVERsIoN'
we'll as dogmatic and political. which Will aiways
nresent insuperabe obstacles 10 the conversion -.
nes,ions my have not wished to alude since my
aim i'm this article has been 10 make clear 10 l'h
ian readers the true postioa efore o them argu-
ments and official statistics which 10 my @ nlliu
fairly prove that the international CothJmS
tiius,ons which are founded absolutely erro-
neous views OF the religious and political opinions
| held by the vast majority OF my country"e"-