Cardinal Manning on the Religious Future of England.

Evening Star, Issue 8279, 26 July 1890, Page 3 (Supplement)

Cardinal Manning on the Religious Future of England.

Cardinal Manning celebrated hia episcopal silver jubilee the other day, and was interviewed by a representative of the 'Pall Mall Gazette.’ Questioned in regard to the past, present, and future of the Roman Catholic Church in England His Eminence said : “ In the last forty years, since the restoration of the perfect organisation of theCatholio Church in England, the progress has been singularly great; but it would be a mistake to test it only by the number gathered into it, for though many, what are they upon the millions of this country ? The true progress of the church in England is to be measured first by its immense material development in churches, clergy, colleges, convents, and schools. Everything is doubled, or trebled, and in some cases increased six or even tenfold. Next, its relation to public opinion and the feeling of the country is so absolutely changed that 1 leave it rather to you to estimate than express it myself. Thirdly, the immense increase of spiritual action of the church upon its own people and by its public acts of worship, by preaching and by administration of the holy sacraments, warrants my saying that I do not believe that even at the time of the Reformation, so-called, there were ever so many receiving the holy sacraments of the church as at this moment. The whole population of England in Elizabeth’s reign may have been between three and four millions. The number of Catholics now in England is over 1-J millions, and of those a very large proportion aro in faithful practice of their religion; and if 1 add hundreds and thousands of children in our schools, I believe I have understated the truth. I believe I may say that tho English have ceased to fear or to suspect the Catholic Church ns a papal aggression or a foreign religion.” Next the journalist, looking his Eminence in the face, said with some hesitation : “ And about the Church of England—what do you say, and especially with reference to ‘Lux Mundi?’” “Oh,” replied the Cardinal, with a smile, “ you want my opinion on Anglicanism. But I am too old to throw stones now, I most not be a judge of those who are without. And, again, you do not specify which of the many kinds of Anglicanism you mean,” he humorously went on. “ And again, we Catholics are disciples of a divine teacher, whilst the Anglican Church disclaims infallibility—that is, a corporate divine guidance. As to the book of which yon speak, ‘ Lux Mundi,’ I will not criticise it; but I think it is a counterpart of ‘ Essays and Reviews ’ —that is, every school in the Charoh of England, and there are many, brings forth its own fruit. As 1 repeat, I cannot judge it; but it has fallen away.” “Do you expect England will ever again be Catholic, your Eminence?” “I know no example in Christian history in which a whole people having once been robbed of faith have ever returned to it as a whole. The return of Arian nations, as Lombardy and Spain, to Catholic unity is no example. But I have an unchangeable hope that both Christianity and the Catholic faitb, which is its perfection, will continue to spread indefinitely among the English; because they never rejected the faith, but were robbed of it, and have been born innocently into a state of privation.” “One more question, your Eminence, and I will liberate yeu, with a thousand thanks for your kind courtesy. I have been told that there is a difference between the old Catholics and the converts. May I ask is that your experience? Is there not some lingering vestige of the old Protestant spirit ?” His Eminence smiled slowly and thoughtfully as he looked at me, and replied: "Do you know that is a very burning question with me. I will answer it generally. In matters of faith there is not one jot or tittle of difference, for we are all disciples of the same Divine Master, whose voice has never varied from the day of Pentecost until now. In matters of opinion outside the faith there is perfect liberty among us, which never troubles us. The old Catholics have, happily, inherited faith without effort and the strain of reasoning it out. Converts have had to find it in the sweat of their face. Perhaps St. Augustine knew the reasons of his faith and the evils of Pelagianism mere sensitively than those about him in Africa who had always been Catholic. ’