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 OSTENSORIUM

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OSTENSORIUM

Catholic bislinp in Iroland. In tho rebellion of 1641 Kilkenny was the centre of national resistance and till' liea(j(iuaiters of the Catholic Confederation. The part played by Dr. Hothe was prominent and patri- otic; l)Ml his best efforts were unavailinn. for Ormonde was able to foment divisions, the Anglo-Irish and the old Irish would not blend for the comnioii Kood, and the want of vigour in Catholic counsels prepared the way for Ormonde's treachery and Cromwell's victo- ries. While the Croinwellians held K'lkenny. Hothe died there (!.")), and for twenty years following .ssory was governed by vicars. During t he few periods of toleration in the reign of Charles II a feeble revival of religion took place. In 1G7S the bishop reported to Home, that in many cases one priest was in charge of five or six parishes; that the few n - maining Franciscans, Domini- cans, Jesuits, and Cainiehin.- ministered by stealth and in ruined churches; and that the Carmelites, Cistercians, and Canons Regular of St. Augus- tine had completely disap- peared.

In the penal times Ossor\ suffered much, but its faith survived, and when toleration came it was ruled by an exccii- tional man, De Burgo (17511 86). Equally capable was his successor, Troy (1777-St)l, subsequently Archbishop of Dubhn. To understand his praise of Ceorge III, his friend- ship with the viceroy and with Luttrell, son of the infamous Lord Carhami)ton, we must make allowance for the timer- in which he lived. He acted from no personal motive, but for the good of the Church, for he was zealous in propagating the Faith and enforcing discip- line. He was among the first of the Irish bishops to take ad- vantage of the relaxation (jf the penal laws and set u)) a college for his diocese by the purchase of Burrell's Hall, Kil- kenny-. Two of its first staff became his successors. Dr. Dunne (1787-89) and Dr. Lanigan (1789-1812). Under the latter the college at Bur- rell's Hall was transferred to more suitable premises and its

curriculum extended. It was ''""',""

not until the episcopate of Dr. aThi^lrai n a-nn

Kinsella that a diocesan college worthy of Ossory was founded. In 1836 the foundation stone of St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny, was laid and two years later the col- lege was opened for students. Dr. Kinsella also aided his priests to build several parochial churches. He laid the foundation stone of the Cathedral of St. Mary in 1843, though the exterior was not finished until 1857, nor solenmly consecrated until 1899. Dr. Walsh (184(5-72} succeeded Dr. Kinsella, and was succeeded by Dr. Moran, now (1911) Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney. Dr. Moran was succeeded, in 1884, by Dr. Brow-nrigg, a native of Carlow. Educated at May- nooth, Dr. Brownrigg displayed unusual ability, was ordained priest in 1861, and was .subsequently profes- sor at St. Peter's College, Wexford, and superior of the House of Missions at Enni-scorthy.

No diocese in Ireland is more interesting than Os- sory for historical and antiquarian remains. There

are the relics of old churches iissociated with the lives and acts of tlu- early Irish saints, such as lho.se of Seir- Kieran and .Xghaboe. There are round towers, Nor- man casllcs, and holy wells, ratlis and mounds, an- cient forts, cromlechs, and pillar stones. In the parish of Danesfiirt is Bunichurcli castle, in Durrow the cas- tle of Cullaliill. There arc the ruins of Kells I'riory and of liiistioge, the Dominican priory of Hosebercon, and tho Cistercian abbey of .Jerpoint. Kilkenny C;ustlc is an interesting rchc of history, and near by arc the remains of the Franciscan abbey, the Black Abbey, and St. John's priory. The number of distinguished men connected with the diocese is large. Clyn and Grace, the annalists, were both of Kilkenny. Hothe was not only a imblic man, but an author of eminence. De Burgo's work on the Irish Domi- nicans Ls still an essential book for Irish historians. Other famous men arc: James But- ler, .\rchbishop of Cashel, author of "Butler's Cate- chism"; Dr. JNIinogue, Bishop of Sacramento ; Dr. Ireland, .\rchbishop of St. Paul's; Dr. O'Reilly, Archbishop of Ade- laide; Dr. John O' Donovan; Dr. Kelly, for many years pro- fessor of ecclesiastical history at Maynooth; Dr. O'Hanlon, theological professor in the same college; Dr. MacDonald, his successor; and Dr. Car- rigan, whose "History of Os- sory" is the most complete historyof any Irish diocese. In 1910 the diocese contained: 41 pari-shes; 36 parish priests; 5 administrators; 5S curates; 11 regulars (a total of 119 priests); 96 churches; 1 college; 4 houses (>( regulars; lu convents; 4 houses of Christian Brothers. In 1901 the Catholic popula- tion was 83,519; the non-Cath- olic, 6029.

Mf)RAN. Spicilegium Ossoriense (I)ul.lin. 1S74-S4I; Carrigan, His- tni-)/ iiii'l Anttriuilir.^ of the Diocese of O.siuri/ (I)uliliii, r.«l.'>); Lanigan, £c- rlr.^iasticul lliatory of Ireland (Dublin, 1SJ2); Healv, Life and Writings of .S/. Patrick (Dublin, 1905); Moban, Aiinlecta of Dand Rathe (Dublin, 1SS4): Gilbert, History of Irish Affairs (Dublin, 1880); O'Donovan. iMl., Annals of the Four Masters (Dub- lin, 1860); Weehan, Confederation .// Kilkenny (Dublin, 1882); Idem, Irish Hierarchy in the Seventeenth Century (Dublin, 1872); Rinuccini, Embassy in Ireland, tr. HcTTON (Dublin, 1873) ; Grace, Annals (Dub- lin. 1842); Clyn, Annals (Dublin, 1849); Harris, Ware (Dub- lin 1764)' Carte, Li/e of James, Duke of Ormonde: HabdimaN, Statute of Kilkenny (T>uh\\rt. 1843); Utokss. Lives of the Saxnls from the Book of Lismore (Oxford. 1890); Brady. Episcopal Succession (Rome. 1867); Murphy, Cromwell in Ireland (Dub- lin, 1871); Prenderoast, CromweUian Settlement (Dublin, 1875); Catholic Directory for 1910.

E. A. D Alton.

Ostensorium (from ostendere, "to show") means, in accordance with its etymology, a ve.ssel designed for the more convenient exhibition of some object of piety. Both the name ostensorium and the kindred word moiislrance (monslrancia, from monslrare) were originally applied to all kinds of vessels of goldsmith's or silversmith's work in which glass, crystal, etc. were so employed as to allow the contents to be readily dis- tinguished, whether the object thus honoured were the Sacred Host itself or only the relic of some saint. Modern usage, at any rate so far as the English lan-

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