Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/543

 MacHALE 500 MacHALS

(Greville, " Memoirs ", pt. II). Disregarding their re* sry children and people too weak and infirm to seek

quest, the pope appointed Dr. MacHale Archbishop of for food in Tuani. The enormous donations sent to

Tuam. He was the first prelate since the Reforma- him were punctiliously acknowledged, accounted for,

tion, who had received his entire education in Ireland, and promptly disbursed by his cleigy amon^ the vio*

The corrupt practices of general parliamentary eleo- tims of fever and famine. The death of Daniel O'CJon-

tions and the Tithe war caused frequent rioting and nell (1847) was a deep sorrow to Dr. MacHale. He

bloodshed, and were the subjects of no little denuncia- was also much grieved at the dissensions of the Re-

tion by the new archbishop, imtil matters were tardily Dealers, and the violent tactics of the Young Ireland

settled by the passing of a Tithes Bill in 1838. In rarty, who would not listen to his wise and patriotic

spite of the labours of his diocese, which he always advice. In 1848, he visited Rome and by his represent

zealously fulfilled, Archbishop MacHale now began in tatious to Pius IX inflicted a deadly blow upOn the

the newspapers a series of open letters to the Govern- Queen's Colleges. He also succeeded in preventing

ment, whereby he frequently harassed the ministers diplomatic intercourse between the British Govem-

into activity in Irish affairs. During the Autumn of ment and Rome. The Synod of Thurles, held in 1850,

1835, he visited the Island of Aehill, a stronghold of emphasized the different views entertained by the

the Bible Readers. In order to offset their prosely- hierarchy respecting the education question. On that

tism. he sent thither more priests and Franciscan occasion Dr. MacHale strongly protested against giv-

monks of the Third Order. Although Dr. MacHale ing any countenance te a mixed system of education

had strong views as to the proper relief of the poor and already condemned by the pope. During the recru-

the education of youth^ he condemned the Poor Law, descence of "No Popery" in 1851, on the occasion of

and the system of National Schools and Queen's Col- the re-establishment of the English Catholic hierarchy,

leges as devised by the Government. He founded his and the passing of an intelerant Ecclesiastical Titles

own schools, entrusting those for boys to the Christian Bill that inflicted penalties upon any Roman Catholic

Brothers and Franciscan monks, while Sisters of prelate who assumed the title of his see, Dr. MacHale

Mercy and Presentation Nuns taught the girls. But boldly signed his letters to Government on this sub-

the want of funds naturally restricted the number of ject "John, Archbishop of Tuam'\ This act of defi-

these schools which had to be supplemented by the ance so startled the Cabinet that it was considered

National Board at a later period, when the necessary more prudent not to attempt a prosecution and to

amendments had been added to the Bill. allow the Bill to remain a dead letter.

The Repeal of the Union, advocated by Daniel As to the Catholic University, though Dr. MacHale O'Connell, enlisted his ardent sympathy and he as- had been foremost in advocating the project, he dis- sistod the Liberator in many ways, and remitted agreed completely with Dr. Cullen, Archbishop of subscriptions from his priests for this purpose. We Dublin (afterward Cardinal), concerning its manage- are told by his biographer O'Reilly, that Uke his ment and control, and the appointment of Dr. New- friend, the prelate ''was for a thorough and universal man as rector. The want of concord among the Irish organisation of Irishmen in a movement for obtaining bishops on this question, and the honest but totally by legal and peaceful agitation the restoration of Ire- wrong opinions of Dr. MacHale, handicapped the new iMid's legislative independence ". The Charitable Be- university. The archbishop approved of Tenant Right queste Bill, formerly productive of numerous lawsuits and also of the Irish Tenant League. He wrote to owing to its animus against donations to religious O'Connell's son that it ** was the assertion of the prim- orders, was vehemently opposed by the archbi^op. ibive right of man to enjoy in security and peace the In this he differed consideraoly from some other Irish fruit oi his industry and labour". At a conference prelates, who thought that each bishop should exer- held in Dublin, men of all creeds supported his views cise his own judgment as to his acceptance of a com- on " fixity of tenure, free sale, and fair rent''. Though missionership on the Board, or as regarded the partial it is impossible to relate all the events of a life which application of the Act. The latter has since then been the " Freeman's Journal *' described as the history of so amended, that in its present form it is quite favour- Ireland for the greater part of the nineteenth century, able to Catholic charities and the Catholic poor. In enough has been written to show how by pen, word, his zeal for the cause of the Catholic religion and of and deed, "the Lion of Juda'' endeavourea to benefit Ireland, so long down-trodden. Dr. MacHale fre- his covmtry. Toward the end of his life he withdrew quently incurred from his opponents the charge of very much from active poUtics, though he was happy intemperate language, something not altogether un- enough to live to see the dawn of more prosperous deserved. He did not possess that suavity of manner days for Ireland.

which is so invaluable to leaders of men and public Notwithstanding his very advanced years, Dr. Mac- opinion, and so he alarmed or offended others. In his Hale attended the Vatican Council in 1869. With anxiety to reform abuses and to secure the welfare of several distinguished prelates of various nationalities, Ireland, by an uncompromising and impetuous zeal, he thought that the favourable moment had not ar- he made many bitter and unrelenting enemies. This rived for an immediate definition of the dogma of was particularly true of British ministers and their papal infallibility; consequently, he spoke and voted supporters, by whom he was dubbed "a firebrand", in the council against its promulgation. Once the and "a dangerous demagogue". Cardinal Bamabd, dogma had been defined, Dr. MacHale instantly sub- Prefect of Propaganda, who had serious disagreements mitted his judgment to the Holy See, and in his own with Dr. MacHale, declared he was a twice-dyed Irish- cathedral he declared the dogma of infallibility '* to man, a good man ever insisting on getting his own way. be true Catholic doctrine, which he believed as he This excessive inflexibility, not suflSciently tempered believed the Apostles' Creed", a public profession by prudence, explains his more or less stormy career, that further raised John of Tuam in the estimation of

During the calamitous famine of 1846-47, nothing all who admired his great genius and virtue. In 1877,

could exceed his ener^ and activity on behalf of the to the disappointment of the archbishop who desired

afflicted people. He vainly warned the Government as that his nephew should be his co-adjutor. Dr. Mc-

to the awful state of Ireland, reproached them for their Evilly, Bishop of Galway, was electee! by the clergy

dilatoriness in coming to the rescue, and held up the of the archdiocese, and was commanded by Leo XIII

uselessness of relief works expended on high roaas in- after some delay, to assume his post. Although the

stead of on quays and piers to develop the sea fisheries, aged prelate haa opposed this election as far as possi-

From England as well as other parts of the world, car- ble, he submitted to the papal order, without protest or

goes of food were sent to the starving Irish. Bread resentment. In private life Dr. MacHale never wasted

and soup were distributed from the archbishop's own time, for he was always employed in study, business

kitehen, and he drove about regularly to relieve hun« and prayer. He was noted for his charity to the poor.