The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-08-14
OLIVER CROMWELL.
How tho Irish Priesthood Suffered in
His Day.

How the Irish Priesthood Suffered in
His Day.
"Of all the nations constituting the
British Empire" says the famous con-
vert, Colin Lindsay there is one, and
only one, where in the Luminary OF
Faith and Truth Notwithstanding all
the suffering inflicted upon that poor
oppressed land, stin shines resplend-
ent, and wherein the silver light Of
personal and domestic purity still gilt
tiers with unsullied excellence and
glory.
I'm Ireland you see a people true
to their faith, holy in their lives, and
virtuous in their conduct. Whence
came these fruits? Not from the Re-
formation, not from the late Estab-
lished Church, not from the Dissent
ers, but from the Catholic church, tc
which, notwithstanding the iron poll
cy of prosecuting England, she has re-
manned true and faithful even until
death. Ireland, renowned in her an
cient history, glorious during centu-
ries of suffering, has without doubt a
splendid future. She has not decayed
by. time, nor has she been demoralized
by suffering; she is like the church
still young and vigorous, possessing
within her soul which no human
power can break"
The official records of Ireland in the
seventeenth century are full of &C.
counts of the Imprisonment and hang
ing of "Popish priests" in the deter
mined policy of the English reform
ers" to wipe out Catholicity. One OF
the grandest tributes that can be paid
to the sublime courage and apostolic
zeal of the Catholic priesthood is the
record of history that they stood
faithful to their sacred mission. un-
daunted by persecution and undis-
mayed by the terrors of death.
In the year 1856 the Irish" Parlia-
ment was assembled, and the first
measure Of that body was that COM
mittee was appointed ito consider
what penal laws were already in force
against the Catholics, not for the pur-
pose of repeating Them, but to add
others to their number" An act was
passed to deprive Catholics Of the
means of educating their children, at
home or abroad, and to render them
incapable of being guardians of their
own, or the children of Others" A
second act was passed to disarm all
Catholics, and lastly an act to danish
all Catholic priests and bishops from
Ireland"
The Protestant historian. Prender-
CAST, testifies that in 1856 the govern
ment had noted the great increase in
the number Of priests, in spite. of
their persecution" and ordered a gen
eral wholesale arrest, by the justices
Of the peace in the month of April
On May 8, 1856, the governors Of the
respective precincts were ordered to
send 1.-The arrested priests with guards
to Carrickfergus, to be there put on
board ships to be transported to the
Barbados
But even in the Barbados the En-
glish government did not seem to con-
slider them secure. or perhaps the cost
Of transporting them may have been
too heavy. For on Feb. q, 1857, they
referred the question to the Lord Lieu
tenant OF Ireland to consider wheth.
er the priests. then In the prisons ir
Dublin, might be most safely disposed
off," and thenceforth the Isles Of Az
ran, lying out thirty miles in the At
lantic, opposite the entrance Of the
Bay of Galway, and the Isle Innis-
BONN, off the cost Of Connemara be.
came their prisons.
To the storm beaten islands tn;
exiled priests were shipped, until the,
could be transported to the West In
dies. and there they dwelt in colonie.
during the three concluding years o
the Commonwealth rule in Ireland, II
cabins built for them by the govern
ment, and maintained on all allow
ance Of two pence a day, while the in
famous iest-catcher was allowed flv,
pounds sterling for each priest wht
fell into his fangs. Hence the clerg!
were hunted as If they were wilt
beasts of the field. The churches and
abbeys were converted into stobles To-
the horses of Cromwells regicides
the chalices and sacred vessels of tn,
altar were used as drinking cups, ant
the old and valuable libraries OF tn,
clergy sold to shopkeepers or assigned
to the flames. Yet, still In all parts
Of the nation there was found a sue
cession Of these intrepid soldiers Of re