The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-04-17
The Fearless Champion and Defender Of the Faith in the
Early Part of the Last Century Was the Eloquent
Rt Rev. John England
DESTROYED PREJUD|CES IN THE UNITED STATES
The Brilliant Orator Who Had No Superior in His Time
Was Born in Cork City Within the Sound of
the Bells of Shandon.
On Easter Sunday occurred the s7th

On Easter Sunday occurred the 67th
anniversary Of the death Of the most
illustrious ecclesiastic that laid the
foundations Of Catholicism in the
United States. To the great Bishop
England belongs the high honor Of
having been the flrst to bring the
Catholic Church prominently before
the American people. Before him
there had been sanity and apostolic
bishops in this country, but no one
had stood out like him in the presence
Of all men, as the fearless champion
and defender Of Catholicity; and those
who. after him. raised their voices so
as to be heard over the whole country,
owed much to the power Of his noble
example.
He was the first Bishop Of Charles
ton: with a diocese embracing North
and South Carolina and Georgia.
Scattered through this vast terri
sterxs iarssr:: than that Of several Euro
peln kingdoms, there were few poor
Catholics, mostly Of foreign birth,
sywho, at that time had but two small
churches, one at Charleston and the
other at Savannah. The sectarians,@ on
the other hand, were numerous and
wealthy. Through misunderstanding
of Catholic doctrines and practices the
adherents of the sects We're bitterly
prejudiced against the Church which
in their minds was associated with all
that is low ard degrading.
There had been scandals, too. in
Charleston and other places, which
had not increased their respect for
Catholics. But poverty contempt. ha-
tired, nor scandals daunted Bishop
England, who at once set to work with
q will which. was sure to find way
or make one. Travelling through his
vast diocese, wherever he found few
Catholics he gathered them around
him, and by his irresistible eloquence
reawakened their slumbering faith and
organized a congregation. He found
ed a seminary to provide them with
priests. and another Institutions col
lege for the study of the classics that
soon took highest rank among the ed
ucationa1 institutions of the South. In
very truth Bishop England <was the
father of Catholicism in the South,
but his influence could not be confined
within the limits of his vast diocese.
In the whole country he destroyed
rrejudices, battered down the fortress
of ignorance and made the Catholic
Church understood and respected
where 1t had been hated and feared.
Bishop England's keen perception en-
abled him to discover that Americans,
though bitterly preJudiced against
Catholics. were yet disposed to be Just
and even generous.
Their hatred Of the Church arose
from utterly false notions concerning
her history and doctrines. and unfor-
tunately the Catholics possessed no
means Of correcting these erroneous
views.
II The press was in the hands OF Pro-
testants, who made use Of it to dis
seminate the most injurious and alb
surd statements concerning the Church.
The great majority Of the people had
never seen priest. had never heard a
Catholic sermon, had never entered a
Catholic church, and had nothing to
rely upon but the false traditions
which they or their ancestors had
brought from England.
Bishop England resolved to make
war on these prejudices. and with this
view established the United States
Catholic Miscellany. His powerful ar
gunents in favor Of the Church. and
his fearless assaults on Professionalism.
soon attracted public attention in va
rious parts Of the Union; adversaries
rose up on all sides; Catholic ques--
tiens began to assume prominence;