The English Hierarchy - Fr. Eugene - Broadway - Sutton.
The most notable event for the Catholic Church in England, during this year, was the re-establishment of the Hierarchy. It was a bold step and one that alienated many catholic sympathies, especially of those who thought toleration a blessing - as it is when contrasted with persecution - and dreaded to awaken the slumbering spirit of English fanaticism. Cardinal Wiseman received the Bull reviving the Hierarchy on the 30th September, 1850. His famous letter from the Flaminian Gate set the whole of England in a rage. A Durham Letter of Lord John Russell and soon an Ecclesiastical Titles' Bill followed as rejoinders. Effigies were burnt. Guy Fawkes wore tiaras and cardinals' hats in the streets of English cities. It was feared that the Riots of Lord George Gordon would again be repeated. Those who compare the revival of the Scotch Hierarchy in 1878 with that of the English, eighteen years before, can realise the change in English public opinion during those few years - a change to which the hated of all then, Cardinal Wiseman, gave the most telling momentum.
He taught the Catholics of England to crawl out of their hiding-places, to wear the ecclesiastical garb and not be ashamed of being priests. He taught Regulars to throw away their 'Misters' and appear with their O.S.B.'s, O.S.D.'s, O.S.A.'s and all their panoply of ritual and observance. He started a new life in the English Church which has gone on increasing since. When a mob assembled at his house in Golden Square with the object of burning it and him in it, he went to the balcony, showed himself, made them a speech, and they went off cheering him for his pluck and manliness. The Cardinal was made of the stuff that an Englishman appreciates. He was courageous, he was outspoken, he was genial and accommodating. He could face a furious mob, bare his breast to its howlings and turn aside their weapons by an honest English speech. He defied the diatribes of newspapers and solemnly condemned the Home and Foreign Review when it tried to graft a maudlin Christianity upon the branches cut down by the Munich Brief. He invited every Religious Order he could find and tried to set them as gems in the city allotted to his spiritual ministrations. He could throw off his importance and be a child and companion in the midst of his lowliest subjects.
He could lecture upon fine arts and the abstruce sciences so as to have the savants of the Metropolis auctioning the tickets among them. He was the best abused man of his day, since the death of Daniel O'Connell by the herd of hungry starlings who write for the English Press. From the heavy quarterlies down to the penny comicals, he was abused, lectured, sneered at, vilified and caricatured. Talk of English generosity. It was never shown to Cardinal Wiseman, until his gigantic intellect and fine scholarship asserted itself and sent the herd of jackals to their kennels whining unmelodiously. He lived down vituperation by disdaining to notice it and when he died London - yes universals - shopkeeping business loving London - closed its windows and shops and followed his hearse in thousands upon thousands. The newspapers which abused him for fourteen years, laid tributes of respect and atonement over his grave in the broadsheets. Catholicity had asserted herself in his career and she rose to be a nation from his grave.
The history of our poor communities is easily written. There was the usual commotion, after the death of Fr. Dominic on account of his successor. He was an Englishman, a convert, only 2 years in the Congregation and how could old men who had horned 'pondus diei et aestus' submit quietly to his rule and not find fault when his administration did not suit Italian notions. Sooth to say, Fr. Ignatius was a holy man and a zealous man; but he was not destined by nature or grace for the delicate art of governing. Complaints were sent to Rome, the affairs were getting troublesome, Woodchester was over patronized, many things had to be done and undone which a stranger could manage with more impartiality and satisfaction. Under these circumstances, Father Eugene, the professor of Theology in Rome, was chosen to come over as Visitor General and try his hand in untangling the knotted skene of our existence and smoothing it into shape. He arrived here on the 27th July, made the Visitation of the houses and changes immediately took place.
These changes were occasioned by circumstances scarcely worth recording. Some small piques, trifling inconveniences and better prospects had much to do with them. During the Continental troubles of 1848, our brethren in Rome wished to have some houses prepared for them in case the Revolution scattered them. More houses were accepted than we could well man and some were inconveniently situated for the work of our ministry. The hand of Providence was seen in most of these changes. On October the 7th, the Community left Woodchester and was mainly transferred to a new house in Broadway, Worcestershire.
Broadway is a picturesque village in the Vale of Evesham. As an ecclesiastical benefice it was formerly in the gift of the great and mighty Abbot of Pershore. He collated the rectors and curates to the benefice and the bishop of the diocese made out his rights to tithings and dues. In the reign of Edward the Confessor, as is recorded in Domesday, Bradaweia was called the land of St. Mary of Pershore. It contained 30 hides that paid taxes. In demesne were 3 caracutes of land and a priest, there were besides 42 villains with 20 caracutes and eight slaves. The parish was taxed at the immense sum of £12.10 and was considered overrated.
After the dissolution of monasteries and the confiscation of their property, in the reign of Henry VIII, Broadway fell into secular hands, of course, and remained so for many years. In 1813, a Sir George Taylor died in Bath, bequeathing £1500 for the purpose of founding a Catholic Church in Broadway. The Benedictines of Cheltenham undertook the work which was begun in May, 1828. The first portion built was the front where the parlour is now and the rear portion was added in 1834. A German College was founded here by some of the Benedictines from Lanspring for the education of the better classes of English. It failed to fulfil its object and was discontinued in 1841. From that time until October 1850, Broadway was served, once a month, from Cheltenham. Our noviciate was transferred to Broadway on Dec. 12th of that year and has continued, with one short interval of interruption, there since. It is admirably adapted for a Noviciate. Solitude and silence reign all around, broken only by the sound of the church-bell, the occasional lowing of a stray cow, and the churlish growl of a half starved dog.
On the feast of the Nativity of our Lady, the 8th September, 1850, but it was not till the 8th of the following October, that the nucleus of the first community arrived there. On the 12th December, the Noviciate was transferred to Broadway, Father Salvian taking thither from St. Wilfrid's four novices, two clerks and two lay brothers; and in a few days four other novices received the habit. Broadway thus began its career creditably, as far as the reception of its inmates was concerned, altho' it proved a more difficult manner to keep them than it was to cage them.
This was the first piece of English territory which was professed in our own names and it was increased, shortly after, by the purchase of a neighbouring field on which the schools stand at present.
One or two Fathers and a laybrother were sent to Sutton in order to begin, lefthandedly enough, the work of our future ministry in an unfinished Church, whilst being billeted on charitable neighbours.
Neither the duties which we were called upon to discharge nor the number of missioners at our disposal warranted the multiplication of houses which went on at that time. There were fears entertained in Italy of a general dispersion of the Religious and our Superiors there thought it well to have asylums prepared for them in England, in case such an event should happen. The course of continental politics have run another way, our new foundations were not required and some had to be given up.
At the end of 1850, our available staff numbered twenty one priests of whom only about 14 were capable of doing the work of the Congregation. Ten of these were Italians and only eight were of native growth. It was no small matter to keep 5 houses, with a proper staff of Superiors, men for the home duties and some for the missions and retreats with so small a body to spare.
Nevertheless our Fathers managed to give missions in Rosamore St., London, Somerstown, London, Leamington , St. George's, Southwark, Taunton, Spanish Chapel, London, Bewly, Worcestershire, and Cheadle, Erlington near Birmingham, St. John's Wood, Newcastle, Staffordshire and at Alton. Retreats were given to our Religious, to the Clergy of the Midland district in Oscott and the London District in St. Edmund's and to the young ladies in Roehampton. Father Gaudentius was the chief missioner. FF. Ignatius, Vincent and Joseph were very much employed also.
During the mission in Southwark they tried the Italian custom of 'Svegliarini' or specimens of fiery street preaching in order to arouse the lethargic and make the come to the Church. The chronicler says that the attempt succeeded very well; but our Fathers have not thought proper to continue it, as it is subject to a variety of objections - not the least of which would be its resemblance to the strange movements of the Salvation Army.