CARDINAL NEWMAN AND IRELAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 4, 24 October 1890, Page 19

CARDINAL NEWMAN AND IRELAND.

(From the Pilot.)

Pome very striking passages in Cardinal Newman's writings refer to Ireland. This great man, who was first of all, and by nature, so to speak, pridßt and philosopher, realised Ireland's providential mission in tne history of the Catholic Church. He has made reverent recognition of her golden age of sanctity and scholarship, and of all Europe's debt to her for the diff asion of both. He has praised the incomparable faith of the Irish people ; their constancy under persecution, and their dauntless missionary spirit. But one would hardly look to Cardinil Newman for an appreciation of Irish political difficulties ; nor for a sympathetic understanding of the national hatred and suspicion waich so long aad so naturally dominated the Irish mind ia its attitude to Eaglaid.— Newman was saint and sage, not statesman aa well, lika Ctrdioal Manning. Yet not Cardinal Manning himself, nor even many nearer in blood and sympathy to Irelaad, has uttered a wiser warning and rebuke to England than this which we auote from " Irish Diicon* tent." Cardinal Newman is narrating what the English Catholic visitor to Ireland finds of strong faith, natural virtues, aad unexampled generosity, out of cruel poverty to religion. " How shall he not, under snch circumstances," asked the Cardinal, " exult in his new friends, and feel words deficient to express both his deep reverence for their virtues, and his strong sympathies in their heavy trials I " Then tbe Cardinal sternly answers to his supposititious English Catholic :— " He does not at first recollect, as he ought to recollect, that he comes among the Irish people as a representative of persons, and actions, and catastrophes, which it is not pleasant to any one to think about ; that he is responsible for the deeds of his forefathers, and of bis contemporary Parliaments and Executives; that he is one of a strong, unscrupulous, tyrannous race, standing upon the soil of the injured. He does not bear in mind that it is as easy to forget injury as it is difficult to forget being injured. He does not admit, even in his imagination, the judgment and the sentence which the past history of Erin sternly pronounces upon him. He has to ba recalled to birmelf, and to be taught by what he hears around him, that an Englishman has no right to open his heirt, and indulge his honest affection towards the Irish race, aa if nothing had happened between him and them." Since this was written, many of the English Catholic leaders have grasped the nature of their debt to C-itholic Ireland for Catholic Emancipation ; and the measure of reparation due for the longcontinued national sin against Ireland. So we find such Eaglisa Catholics as Cardinal Manning, Lord Ripon, Lord Asbburnham, Wilfrid Meyoell, Wilfrid Blunt, and others strongly enlisted for Irish Home Rule. There are other English Catholics who for the honour of their faith and nationality will do well to open their d arrow and ungrateful hearts to Cardinal Newman's lessou.