Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/542

 MacHALE 499 MaoBJOM

slytising Kil-

^^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^^ *,.«„„, Government

kr5ik''der Mden'ifaASaMi^^ unjustifiably gave countenance. He also attended the

KungefiufUsExM.Handbuchzu den A^ annual meeting of the Irish bishops, and gave evi-

a^'-d&iP^: '& ^EiSS?- ^.1sSS^.^.^)f^ denoe at .Maynopth CpUege .before t^he Parliamentary

AjwkrvphmtmdP»eudepi(raphende9 A. T.iTQhb^S^, 1900). Comnussioners then mquirmg mto the condition of

F. Bechtel. education in Ireland.

About this time he also revised a theological manual

MacHato, John, b. 6 March, 1791, at Tubbema- "On the Evidences and Doctrines of the Catholic vine, Co. Mayo, Ireland; d. at Tuam, 4 November, Church", afterwards translated into German. With 1881. He was so feeble at his birth that he was his friend and ally, Daniel O'Connell, MacHale took a baptized at home by Father Conroy, who, six vears prominent part in the important question of Catholic later, was unjustly hanged during the Irish Rebellion. Emancipation, impeaching in unmeasured terms the Thou^ Irish was always spoken by the peasants at severities of the penal code, which branded Catholics that time, the MacHale children were all taught Eng- with the stamp of inferiority. During 1826 his zeal hsh. When he was old enough John ran barefoot with was omnipresent; "he spoke to the people in secret his brothers to the hedge-school, then the sole means and in public, by night and by day, on the highways of instruction for Catholic peasant children, who on and in places of public resort, calling up the memories fine days conned their lessons in a dry ditch under a of the past, denouncing the wrongs of the present, and hedge, and in wet weather were gathered into a rough promising imperishable rewards to those who should bam. John was an eager pupil, and listened atten- die in their struggle for the faith. He called on the tively to lives of saints, le^nds, national songs, and Government to remember how the Union was carried historical tales, related oy his elders, as well as to the by Mr. Pitt on the distinct assurance and implied accounts of the French Revolution given by an eye- promise that Catholic Emancipation, which had oeen witness, Ws uncle. Father MacHale, who had just denied by the Irish Parliament, should be granted by escaped from France. Three important events hap- the Parliament of the Empire" (Burke, "The History pen^ during John's sixth vear: the Irish Rebellion of of the Catholic Archbishops of Tuam"). 1798; the landing at Killala of French troops, whom In two letters written to the prime minister. Earl the boy, hidden in a stacked sheaf of flax, watched Grey, he described the distress occasioned by starva* marching through a mountain pass to Castlebar; and a tion and fever in Connaught, the ruin of the linen few months later the brutal execution of Father Con- trade, the vestry tax for the benefit of Protestant roy on a false charge of high treason. These occur- churches, the tithes to the Protestant clergj% which rences made an indelible impression upon the child's Catholics were obliged to pay as well as their Protest- singularly acute mind. After school hours he betook ant countrymen, the exorbitant rents exacted by ab- himself to the study of Irish history, imder the guid- sentee landlords, and the crying abuse of forcing the ance of an excellent old scholar in the neighbourhood, peasantry to buy seed-corn and seed-potatoes from Being destined for the priesthood the boy was sent to landlords and agents at usurious charges. No atten- a school at Castlebar to learn Latin, Greek, and Eng- tion was vouchsafed to these letters. Dr. MacHale lish grammar. In his sixteenth year the Bishop of accompanied to London a deputation of Mayo gentle* Killala gave him a bursarship in the ecclesiastical men, who received only meaningless assurances from college at Maynooth. Earl Grey, After witnessing the coronation of Wil-

The emigrant French priests who then taught at liam PV at Westminster Abbey, the bishop, requiring Maynooth, appreciated the linguistic aptitude of the change of air on account of ill-health, went on to Home, young man and taught him not only French, but also but not before he had addressed to the premier an- Latin, Greek, Italian, German, Hebrew, and the Eng- other letter informing him that the scarcity in Ireland lish classics. After seven years of hard work, having " ¥Cis a famine in the midst of plenty, the oats being acquired a profound knowledge of theology, he wasap- exported, to pay rents, tithes, etc., and that the Eng* pomted in 1814 lecturer in that science, altnough only lish people were actually sencQng back in charity what a sub-deacon. Before the end of the year, however, had grown originally on Irish soil plus freightage and at the age of twenty-four, he was ordained apriest by insurance". It may be observed that Dr. MacHale Dr. Murray, Archbishop of Dublin. Father MacHale never blamed the English people, whose generosity he continued his lectures at Maynooth until 1820, when he ever acknowledged. On the other hand he severely was nominated professor of theology. He was much condemned the Government for its incapacity, its in- esteemed by his students, whom he strove to render as difference to the wrongs of Ireland, that aroused ia the zealous, earnest, and sincere as himself, and he never Irish peasantry a suUen hatred unknown to their more failed to give them very practical advice about their simple-mindea forefathers. During an absence of six- duties and studies. ^ teen months he wrote excellent descriptive letters of

Dr. MacHale was then above medium height, of all he saw on the Continent. They were eagerly read rather an athletic figure. Dignified and reservea in in "The Freeman's Journal", while the sermons he demeanour, his simple unassuining manners and at- preached in Rome were so admired that they were tractive conversation procured him many admirers, in- translated into Italian. Amid the varied interests <^ cluding'the Duke of Leinster, who often invited him to the Eternal City he was ever mindful of Ireland's woes Carton, where he had frequent opportunities of meet- and forwarded thence another protest to Earl Grey ing men capable of appreciating his intellect and char- against tithes, eess, and proselytism, this last grievance acter. About this period he commenced a series of being then rampant, particularly in Western C<m* letters signed " Hierophilus ", vigorously attacking ^e naught. On his return he became an opponent of the Irish Established Church. They attracted the notice proposed system of National Schools, fearing that the of Daniel O'Connell and led to a very sincere friendslup oill as originally framed, was an insidious attempt to between these two Irish patriots. In 1825, Leo XII weaken the faith of Irish cl^ldren. appointed him Bishop of Maronia, inpartibus, and Dr. Kelly, Archbishop of 'Tuam, died in 1834, and coadjutor to Dr. Waldron, Bishop of lullala. After the clergy selected Dr. MacHale as one of three candi« his consecration in Maynooth College chapel, the new dates, to the annoyance of the Government who de- prelate, who was wamuy received by Dr. Waldron and spatcned agents to induce the pope not to nominate nis people, devoted himself to his sacred duties. He the Bishop of Maronia to the vacant see. Gregorv preached Irish and English sennons, and superizi- XVI dryly remarked " that ever since the Relief BiU tended the missions given in the diocese for the Jubi- had passed, the English Government never failed to lee of 1825. The next year Dr. MacHale joined Bishop intenere about every appointment as it fell v^sso^!*