The Catholic bulletin., 1920-03-20
SOME HEROIC PRIESTS.

An appeal Wnlcn mas been made OF
late for Catholic priests of Argyll and
the Isles, Scotland. together with the
hardships which clergy in that coun-
try district face, calls to mind a
great heritage of Catholic history in
that part of the world. In that his
tory the Irish have played great
part.
The district is known as the Garbh-
Chriochan,' or the Rough Bounds ~
and even today, as of yOre, the life of
the priest is one of hardship, though
in one respect of a different kind. In
Protestant days persecution added to
the difficulties of the life, while today,
even without persecution, it contains
features which make the path of the
priest far from rosy.
The priest in the Rough Bounds"
at the present time has to face many
of the privations and dangers familiar
to his predecessors. Motor boat and
railway have helped to facilitate tran
sit in this hard country, but there are
great tracts which these modern i'm
provements fail to reach at all. Miles
of the land are still practically vir
Gin wilderness, and it is over such
places that the priest may have to
make his way on sick CALL
Chiefs of "Rough Bounds"
The work of the priest in these
days is worthy of the great heritage
which history hands down to him.
A whole martyrOlOgy might be COM
oiled from the annals Of the priests
Of the district, says a writer in ''The
Universe" Though the 18th and 18th
centuries have left records of those
who perished in prisons to which
Their prosecutors had consigned them
such have not been the only hare
leaths which clergy of this district
have met.
Until we'll into the 18th century
chiefs of the Rough Bounds" staunch
ly adhered to the faith, and kept at
bay the menace of the So-called Refor-
nation. North of Loch' Shiel apostasS
was practically unknown. Thus priests
were able to carry on their work un
ever, Catholics were less fortunate.
Chiefs who had fallen away harasseG
and prosecuted the pastors who tried
to carry on their work in spite of all
difficulties.
Catholic chiefs appealed to st. Vim
cent de Paul to send missionaries, anf
in response, two Irish-born priests
Fathers Dermit Duggan and Francis
White, arrived in 1851. They did
great work in the Highlands and Isles.
but the former died of the inroads
made upon his delicate health by tho
severity of the life.
A tragic story is told of Father Rob-
ert Munro, native of ROss-shire. 1t
is recorded that, though twice impris
oned and banished, with the threat
that death would be the penalty if he
returned. he, nothing daunted, landed
again on Scottish soil, devoting him
self more fervently than ever, ii thai
were possible, to the spiritual service
of his countrymen.
A VeritabIe Martyr.
Eventually, in 1904, after more than
80 years of unwearying apOstolate,
he was lying, feverstricken and help
less, in a miserable hut in Glengary
when he was found by some English
soldiers, who seized him. After being
subjected to vile treatment, he died,
a veritable martyr to duty and char
ity, in the dungeon into which he was
thrown.
In 1850 came three Irish priests Of
fine mould, Fathers Cahassy, Devoir
and Ryan, who worked in co-opera-
ton with Father Munro. The two
last-named died before him, while
Father Cahassy died in 1904, shortly
after him.
These, with other native-born and
Irish priests, did such solid and last
ing work in reviving the knowledge
and practice of the Faith, that when
Bishop Nicholson's historic visitation
took place in 100, he confirmed no
fewer than 5000 persons.
An outstanding personality in the
18th century was Father Colin Camp
bell, who began his career as an Off,
Ger and priest-hunter, was converted
under extraordinary circumstances
the Breviary left behind by priest
in his hurried flight to the hiding
place being the first link in the chain
and ended as a chaplain to Prince
Charles army, wearing the kilt, and
armed as an officer. His record ends:
Campbell fell on the field of Cul-
loden."