The year 1857 began with sad auspices for the new foundation in Dublin. Its first Rector died on the 1st March. It is not a rare thing to see noblemen leave their earthly prospects, the glory and brilliancy of the world, the pomp and luxury of their state, in order to hide themselves under the garb of a religious and be laid in a humble grave. Ecclesiastical history gives us many examples of how the sanctity of the cloister had more charms for kings, queens, nobles and warriors that all the glory the world could give them. As far as the history of monasticism is concerned, Father Paul Mary's history was in no way extraordinary; but from the circumstances of his death it acquired a peculiar interest.
He was born in Dublin on the 21st September, 1821, the son of the Earl of Longford. At the time of his birth the Duke of Wellington was married to his aunt; and it may not be known to all that the Duke's marriage with Miss Packenham, gave Moore's muse the subject of "Believe me if all those endearing young charms, which I gaze on so fondly today". The Honorable Charles Reginald Packenham, for so he was called before he threw away his name and his worldliness at the gate of St. Saviour's Retreat, Broadway, after finishing his education, chose the military profession. He obtained a commission in the Coldstream Guards and in 1850 became a Captain. He was always of a devout turn of mind. He became a Puseyite and performed wonderful penances whilst still a Protestant. A parson, to stem the flow of his catholic proclivities, lent him a book called the "Spirit of St. Ligouri". This book struck a new chord in his heart, he went to Cardinal Wiseman and was received into the catholic church by that prelate on the 6th July, 1850.
He paid a visit to his uncle, General Lygion, who lived near our Retreat in Worcestershire, in the winter after his reception into the Church and attended Mass and the other spiritual exercises at our little church in Broadway. In the Lent of 1851 he applied for reception into the Order to Fr. Vincent who discouraged him and tried to dissuade him, but the more he was repelled the more he persevered. He was at length accepted, clothed in our habit on the 22nd May, 1851, and professed on the 23rd May of the following year. His relations thought him eccentric if not mad - and the only one who thought highly of him for his sacrifice was the Duke of Wellington. He hoped young Charles would be another Loyola, who should conquer more by his cross than he could by his sword. A publication of the day makes the following apt remarks: “Until almost immediately before his death the world had not heard of the great sacrifices he had made, of the sanctity of his life or the hopes which all this held out. Then, as death drew nigh, even in the eyes of men the crown descended and the glory grew around his head. The last was made first - the novice became the Rector and the Founder and a certain mild sovereignty and unworldly attraction diffused itself over all who saw him. When death struck him, it was like the slow fading of a glorified soul, as of some great sunset, which, long after it has gone below the horizon, still leaves its glow on the earth and in the air.."
The foundation in Ireland, made under temporal difficulties, seemed to depend for existence on the 'eclat' and prestige this humble scion of a noble house could give it. By way of parenthesis (we never leant upon a secular or worldly arm that it did not break) and the support broke down just when it was most needed.
One of the most striking features in Fr. Paul Mary's religious life was his love of poverty. If he had his way, our houses should be but one story high, coming as near as possible to the style of early Irish architecture, which had just emerged from the cloghans. In food, in furniture, in the few comforts allowed he was most sparing. It was supposed that time and experience would cure him of such extreme notions and bring him to grant the indulgences of the Rule ungrudgingly.
There are extremes in every system and especially in the observance of the vow of poverty. Between stinginess and prodigality are found a great many degrees. Cheesparing and profusion mark two extremes. Some think that poverty should pervade everything - the dress, the food, the cells, the churches even and vestments. St. Paul of the Cross did not forbid gold or silver in the church and furniture thereof but other saints did. Some again, through the very spirit of generosity think that God should have the best of everything. Both may be saints in their own way -'omnis spiritus laudat Dominum.'
It must be allowed that our Fathers in England and Ireland up to this time, with the exception of Fr. Dominic, were more inclined to keep up the appearance of poverty than its contrary. They were afraid of debts and shuddered at the idea of managing or disposing of large sums of money. A new era was dawning and people are divided in opinion as to its being an improvement or the contrary.
On the 8th May of this year our General Chapter held its first session in Rome. Our Superiors were only provisionally appointed and when Pius IX was appealed to he wrote with his own hand, "si facciano le elezioni nel capitolo generale," let the elections be made in the General Chapter. The provisional Provincials and Consultors from here and from Belgium were given the active and passive voices and repaired to Rome for their exercise. Fr. Vincent was elected Provincial but resigned. His resignation was not accepted for a whole day and it was only after earnestly pleading his cause that the capitular Fathers hearkened to him. Fr. Ignatius Paoli was then elected as Provincial for this country and in a few days, set out for the scene of his labours. The sight of our house in the Hyde nearly frightened him. A Florentine, with an eye to the artistic and elegant, count find little to admire in any of our religious structures at that time.
He first gathered up all the students belonging to this Province who were in the Italian houses and brought them home to finish their studies in their native country. They were nearly all in Orders. His coadjutors in governing were Fr. Vincent and Fr. Ignatius Spencer, Consultors; Fr. Eugene Rector in London, Fr. Osmund in Dublin, Father Bernardine in Sutton and Fr. Bernard in Broadway. Instead of making the visitation at once, Fr. Ignatius Paoli went and paid a friendly visit to each community, laid his whole mind to the learning of the English language. So successfully did he master its difficulties, that in a few months he was able to hear confessions and converse with the Religious. He became such a proficient in a few years that only one born in these countries could detect the small touch of foreign accent that remained to him.
He saw the state of things with the eye of a general and felt it with the heart of a father. A poor handful of religious transplanting Italian notions in a very uncongenial soil, did not look hopeful. The new Provincial saw that plants of native growth must be, in the designs of Providence, the means of carrying out His designs. He started all his schemes for a general push forward to everything. It was long before he could find willing followers and even when he succeeded, he was met with ingratitude if not calumny. The question before him was this. Shall we run into debt to build our houses and churches and then pay off these debts in course of time, or shall we go on living in pigstyes and ministering in barns until money is rained down upon us from the clouds? He took the first alternative.