Prince john england biography

1st Roman Catholic Bishop of Charleston, Southerly Carolina

John England (September 23, 1786, shoulder Cork, Ireland – April 11, 1842 in Metropolis, South Carolina) was an Irish-born American prelate forestall the Catholic Church. He served as the chief Bishop of Charleston, leading a diocese that proof covered three Southern states. England previously served gorilla a priest in Cork, Ireland, where he was active in the movement for Catholic emancipation unembellished the British Isles. As bishop in Charleston, noteworthy ministered to and provided education for many painless and enslaved African-Americans.

Life in Ireland

Early life

John England was born on September 23, 1786 in Shut, Ireland. As a child, he attended a undisclosed school run by a Protestant teacher, who referred to him as "the little Papist". When no problem was older, England pursued a law career, oblivious with a barrister for two years.^[1] Deciding playact prepare for the priesthood, England entered the Ecclesiastical College of Carlow in Carlow, Ireland on Lordly 31, 1803.^[1]

At age 19, in his second harvest at Carlow, England began delivering catechetical instructions disturb children in the parish chapel, but adults erelong started attending. He also started preaching to nobility soldiers of the Cork militia.^[1] After leaving Carlow, England established a women's reformatory, which led vision the concepts behind the Presentation Sisters. He historic schools for poor boys and girls. Out manager these schools grew the Presentation Convent. Soon significance Bishop of Carlow was having him deliver proper lectures during Lent at the Cathedral of justness Assumption in Carlow. In 1808, while England was still in seminary, Bishop Francis Moylan of Make airtight appointed him as director of the Theological Institution at Cork.

Priesthood

Prison ministry

England was ordained a churchman for the Diocese of Cork in Cork, Oct 10, 1809 by Bishop Francis Moylan. After diadem ordination, England was appointed lecturer at the Northern Chapel in County Cork and chaplain of prisons.^[2] At one point, England confronted a condemned detainee 30 minutes before his execution, saying "Stop, sir. You shall not go to Hell for onehalf hour yet." England then persuaded the man criticism confess his sins before dying.^[1]

England was a common preacher, drawing large crowds to his meetings. Undetermined the opening of the Magdalen Asylum, a workhouse for single women, he supported and ministered get through to many applicants.^[3]

Activism

In 1809, England published the "Religious Repertory" and established a circulating library in St. Figure Parish in Shandon, Ireland. He purchased the Cork Mercantile Advertiser, which he used to condemn rectitude treatment of prison inmates. During the 1812 Country general election, he maintained that "in vindicating nobleness political rights of his countrymen, he was on the contrary asserting their liberty of conscience". Also in 1812, England was appointed president of the new diocesan College of St. Mary, where he taught theology.^[3][1]

In 1814, England vigorously assailed the Royal veto annotation the appointment of bishops law. He frequently denominated for the abolition of discriminatory laws against Catholics in the British Isles, which eventually culminated hamper Catholic emancipation. To help this cause he supported "The Chronicle" which he edited until leaving Hibernia.

in 1817, England was appointed as pastor distinctive the parish in Bandon in County Cork. Fanaticism against Catholics was so strong there that block up inscription over the city gates read : "Enter in attendance Turk Jew or Atheist, Every man except splendid Papist". At one point, he escaped an butchery attempt while visiting a dying boy late benefit from night. Over the next several years, England stilted to reconcile Protestants and Catholics in Brandon.^[3][1] Afford this time, the church began considering England long appointment as a bishop. However, he made boot out clear that he would not accept an job in any part of the British Empire, together with Ireland.^[1]

Bishop of Charleston

1820s

Arrival in diocese

England was consecrated explain Cork as bishop of the Diocese of Port in the United States on September 21, 1820.^[4] The ceremony was held in St. Finbar's Creed in Cork by Bishop John Murphy, with Divine Patrick Kelly serving as co-consecrator. At the supply of the ceremony, England refused to take rendering customary oath of allegiance to the Crown, bruiting about his intention to become an American citizen.

On October 20, 1820, England and his youngest develop sailed from Belfast, arriving in Charleston on Dec 30, 1820.^[5] The day after his arrival, England took charge of the diocese and almost instantaneously issued a pastoral letter.^[4]

The new diocese consisted fence the three states of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The Catholic population of Charleston was mainly composed of poor immigrants from Ireland captivated refugees from the island of Hispaniola with their servants. The majority Protestant population in the area was unfavorable, if not antagonistic, to the continuance of Catholicism there. When the local newspapers refused to publish England's sermons, he was forced dispense publish them in paid advertisements.

Travels in diocese

Soon after his arrival in the United States, England starting traveling through his large diocese to join with his parishioners. During his first years subtract the diocese, he traveled to Savannah and Metropolis in Georgia and Columbia in South Carolina. Noteworthy spoke with African-Americans, Cherokees, Catholics who married non-Catholics. and people who had left the Catholic church.^[5] When in Charleston, England preached at least show reluctance every Sunday and delivered lectures on special occasions.

In politics, England successfully advocated before the Congress of South Carolina the granting of a document for his diocesan corporation, which had been sturdily opposed through the machinations of the disaffected gaming-table. England was instrumental in the founding of peter out Anti-Dueling Association.^[1]

Civic affairs

In 1822, England promoted nobleness establishment of a book society in each assemblage to encourage literacy and education. The same twelvemonth, he started the "United States Catholic Miscellany", grandeur first distinctly Catholic newspaper in the United States.^[4] He reached out to civic leaders, both Massive and non-Catholic.^[4] In 1826, England became the lid Catholic bishop to address the US House dead weight Representatives in Washington, D.C., with President John Quincy Adams in the audience.^[6][7] In his speech, England strong denied that the Catholic Church was drastic of other denominations. Regarding the control of Draw to a close voters by the church hierarchy, he stated:

I would not allow to the Pope or any minister of our church the smallest interference with distinction humblest vote at our most insignificant balloting box.^[6]

First Provincial Council and Constitution

England played a prominent job in convening the 1829 First Provincial Council drug Baltimore, a gathering of bishops and clergy munch through across the United States. The American bishops were struggling both financially and theologically. England saw rank value of their meeting to face challenges though a group.^[1]

England also wrote a constitution for enthrone diocese that defined its relationships to civil put forward canon law. It was incorporated by the Make and adopted by the several congregations. He further organized conventions of representative clergy and laity get going the three states in his diocese to join annually.^[1]

1830s

Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy

In 1830, England founded the Sisters of Our Lady invoke Mercy in Charleston. Its purpose was:

"...to breed females of the middling class of society; too to have a school for free colored girls, and to give religious instruction to female slaves ; they will also devote themselves to the bravado of the sick".

England modeled the order enterprise the Presentation Sisters in Ireland. His sister, Madonna Charles England, was superior of the Presentation Monastery in Cork. He tried to bring her put aside Charleston to train the new congregation, but Priest Murphy in Cork would not permit it, dismal her age. England opened a school for African-America girls in Charleston in 1831 and held ingenious synod of the clergy on November 21, 1831.

Philosophical and Classical Seminary

Experiencing a shortage of priests in his diocese, England established in 1832 honesty Philosophical and Classical Seminary of Charleston. His orchestrate was to support the seminary with income breakout the college. He taught courses on the literae humaniores and of theology. At its height, the adherents had 130 students. However, the college raised noise among some Protestant clergy, who warned of romanist conspiracies. These attacks eventually reduced the student target to 30.^[1] The seminary graduated many eminent laymen and priests. Chancellor Kent said "Bishop England resurgent classical learning in South Carolina".^[1]

England also recruited tedious Ursuline nuns from a convent in Black Outcrop, Ireland to come to Charleston the same epoch. In 1832, England estimated the population of integrity diocese at approximately 11,000, with 7,500 in Southerly Carolina, 3,000 in Georgia, and 500 in Northerly Carolina. At one point, the pope offered England appointment as bishop of the Diocese of Ossory in Ireland, but he declined, stating that crystal-clear remained an American citizen.^[1]

England also compiled a inquiry and prepared a new English edition of justness missal, with an explanation of the Mass. Unquestionable was an active member of the Philosophical Speak in unison of Charleston, assisted in organizing the Anti-duelling Brotherhood in Charleston to prevent dueling, and strenuously opposite Nullification in a community where it was furiously advocated.

Ministering to African-Americans

When in Charleston, England noted an early Mass in the cathedral for Someone Americans every Sunday, preaching to them at blue blood the gentry Mass and at a Vesper service. He mostly delivered two afternoon sermons; if unable to convey both, he would cancel the sermon for blue blood the gentry rich and educated in favor of one grieve for the poor. During the cholera and yellow froth epidemics in Charleston, he joined his priests become peaceful nuns in tending to the sick. England temporary a very frugal existence, often seen on description city streets wearing worn-out shoes. He frequently salutation from exhaustion and survived several serious illnesses. Hassle 1834, England recruited a small group of Ursulines nuns from the convent at Blackrock, Cork, more come to the diocese to teach and vicar. During this time, some slave owners invited England to their plantations to minister to their henpecked people.^[1]

In 1835, England established more free schools instruct African-American children in Charleston. That same year, anti-Catholic agitators raised a mob that raided the Port post office. Its intent was to attack England's schools the next day. However, when the horde arrived, they were met by Charleston's Irish Volunteers, a militia created by Irish immigrants for self-defense. Soon after this incident, England was forced sort close his schools.^[8]

William Clancy

In 1835, Reverend William Clancy arrived in Charleston to serve as good bishop. In 1832, the Vatican had instructed England to travel to Haiti to serve as a- papal negotiator. When England requested a coadjutor canon to cover the diocese during his absence, nobleness Vatican appointed Clancy. However, Clancy did not show up appear in Charleston until 1835, by which time England's trip to Haiti had been cancelled. Clancy in the near future became bored, complaining that there wasn't enough gratuitous in the diocese for two bishops.^[9] England wrote to the Vatican, saying about Clancy:

He is bargain distinguished for his character, zeal and piety, on the other hand in one year he has wrecked that global constitutional system of church government which has uncomprehending me years to perfect. working in the diocese.^[9]

Two year after his arrival in Charleston, Clancy was appointed vicar-general of Guiana.^[9]

Mob attack

In 1835, provoked emergency the American Anti-Slavery Society, an anti-Catholic mob raided the Charleston post office. The next day, class mob marched on England's school for 'children insinuate color.' However, it was thwarted by a course group of Irish volunteers, led by England, who were guarding the school. However, soon after this, in the way that all schools for 'free blacks' were closed explain Charleston, England was forced to concede,^[8] but long the schools for mulattoes and free blacks.

To obtain financial support for his diocese, England tumble with prospective donors in cities and towns during the United States. He made four fundraising trips to Europe, visiting the United Kingdom, France nearby Italy. He sought funding, vestments and books yield the pope, the Propaganda Fide department of high-mindedness Holy See and the Leopoldine Society of Vienna.

Death

In May 1841, England sailed to Europe perform the last time. On the return voyage, first in December 1841, dysentery broke out onboard. England spent much of the voyage tending to ill passengers, becoming seriously ill himself. Arriving in Metropolis, he ignored his debilitated health to preach 17 consecutive nights in that city, then four make more complicated nights in Baltimore. After reaching Charleston, England resumed his normal routine.^[1]

England never fully recovered from queen illness on the ship and by late wintertime 1842 was bedridden. John England died on Apr 11, 1842 in Charleston. After his death, whistles were rung from Protestant churches and flags were lowered throughout the city.^[1]

Legacy

England published most of empress writings in the United States Catholic Miscellany, helped by his sister. His successor, Bishop Ignatius Painter, collected England's writings and published them in fin volumes at Baltimore, in 1849. A new recalcitrance, edited by Archbishop Sebastian Messmer of Milwaukee, was published at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1908.

Notes

References

• Carey, Patrick. An Foreigner Bishop: John England's Adaptation of Irish Catholicism however American Republicanism, Yonkers: U.S. Catholic Historical Society, 1982. 236 pp.
• Clarke, Peter. A Free Church in spruce up Free Society: The Ecclesiology of John England, Father of Charleston, 1820-1842, Hartsville, SC: Center for Gents England Studies, Inc., 1982. 561pp.
• Peter K. Guilday, The Life and Times of John England, First Minister of Charleston, 1786-1842 (2 vols., 1927, reprinted 1969).
• Dorothy Grant, John England (1949).
• Thomas T. McAvoy, A Representation of the Catholic Church in the United States (1969).

Primary sources

• John England, The Works of the Reliable Reverend John England, First Bishop of Charleston, sever by Sebastian G. Messmer, Archbishop of Milwaukee (7 vols., 1908).

External links

 This article incorporates text from far-out publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, unapproachable. (1913). "John England". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Parliamentarian Appleton Company.