To Catholics the gift of St. Patrick's would be precious, as the restoration to them of a cathedral which from its traditions has surpassing claims to their veneration. Their present pro-cathedral is regarded only as a temporary one, and possesses no historical memories to stir the feelings of its congregation. The constitution of the Catholic diocese of Dublin follows the model of St. Patrick's as far as regards the number and titles of the prebendaries; and little, if any, change would be necessary to render that cathedral fully answerable to the requirements of Catholic worship. And very glorious, truly, are the memories and traditions which cluster around the spot whereon St. Patrick himself erected a church, and hallowed it by his name. Near it was the fountain in whose waters the apostle baptized Alphin, the heathen king of Dublin. Usher, the learned Protestant antiquary and divine, tells us that he had seen this fountain; that it stood near the steeple; and that, a little before the year 1639, it was shut up and inclosed within a private house. The temple, built by Archbishop Comyn, on the site of the ancient church of Patrick, was styled by Sir James Ware "the noblest cathedral in the kingdom." It was dedicated to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Patrick. It was the burial-place of many Catholic prelates. In it were interred Fulk de Saunford and his brother John, and Alexander de Bicknor. Richard Talbot, brother to the famous earl, had his last resting-place before the high altar. Near the altar of St. Stephen lay Michael Tregury. Three other Catholic archbishops, namely, Walter Fitzsimons, William Rokeby, and Hugh Inge, were entombed in St. Patrick's in the early part of the sixteenth century—the last-named prelate dying in the year 1528. When the Reformation came, and when Henry VIII. attempted to force it upon Ireland against the will of the hierarchy and people, the cathedral of St. Patrick became exposed to the hostilities of the English despot and of Archbishop Browne, his agent. The new doctrines were urged in vain by that prelate, who is described by Ware as "the first of the clergy who embraced the Reformation in Ireland." The king's commission was as little respected as the homilies of Archbishop Browne, who advised the calling of a parliament to pass the supremacy by act, and wrote to Lord Cromwell, in 1638, complaining that "the reliques and images of both his cathedrals took the common people from the true worship, and desiring a more explicit order for their removal," and for the aid of the lord-deputy's troops in carrying out his unpopular designs. The clergy of St. Patrick's made so vigorous a stand against the reforming archbishop, that many of them were deprived of their preferments, and the cathedral itself was suppressed for nearly eight years, during Browne's incumbency. On Queen Mary's accession, St. Patrick's again resumed its Catholic splendor and dignity, but only to lose them once more when her successor, Elizabeth, thought it necessary for the security of her throne to remove utterly, if possible, the Catholic faith from her dominions. Thus the fortunes of St. Patrick's cathedral were, in a measure, identified with those of the Catholic religion in Ireland.
"The name of no apostle or evangelist," as was well remarked by Dr. Manning, the Archbishop of Westminster, in his sermon at Rome on the anniversary of St. Patrick, "carries with it a wider influence than that of the Apostle of Ireland, if we except only St. Peter, the prince of the apostles. No apostle or saint—Peter excepted—has so many millions of spiritual followers as Patrick. The Catholic hierarchy in England owes its origin to Patrick, through the Irish immigrants into Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham, London, and other great manufacturing and commercial cities. The vast Catholic hierarchies in America, Australia, New Zealand, and other colonies of Great Britain, trace, in like manner, their spiritual lineage to Ireland and St. Patrick. Within the hall of the great Council of the Vatican St. Patrick counts more bishops for his children than any other saint, save Peter; for the prelates deriving their faith from Ireland are more numerous than those of any other nationality. And no apostle (Peter always excepted) has his anniversary celebrated in so many countries and with such demonstrations of joy as Patrick." Such indeed is the magic power, if the expression be permitted, which the very name of St. Patrick exercises over Irish Catholics in all parts of the world, that the restoration of St. Patrick's cathedral would be regarded by them as something far greater than the mere donation of a cathedral to the Dublin diocese. It would be received as a convincing sign that the demon of envenomed distrust has been exorcised, and that thenceforth English Protestants, as they have already long ceased to persecute Irish Catholicism by penal laws, would likewise abandon the indirect mode of persecution which consists in suspicion, falsification, and slander, in withholding cordiality, and in retaining, after the dog-in-the-manger fashion, what is useless to Protestants, for no apparent reason but to manifest a dislike to Catholics. It is with nations as with families or individuals. Two families, formerly at enmity and but lately reconciled, can hardly be said to enjoy a solid or thorough friendship so long as one of them causelessly keeps back the family pictures or sacred heirlooms of the other. France and England never could have entertained mutual sentiments of respect, if England had been so foolish or so malicious as to keep in St. Helena the body of Napoleon. The heirlooms whose restoration would have the happiest effect in bringing about amity between the English and Irish nations, are the ancient sacred places of Ireland.
A LEGEND OF THE INFANT JESUS.[164]
In a small chapel, rich with carving quaint
Of mystic symbols and devices bold,
Where glowed the face of many a pictured saint
From windows high, in gorgeous drapery's fold,
And one large mellowed painting o'er the shrine
Showed in the arms of Mary—mother mild—
Down-looking with a tenderness divine
In his clear shining eyes, the Holy Child—
Two little brothers, orphans young and fair,
Who came in sacred lessons to be taught,
Waited, as every day they waited there,
Till Frey Bernardo came, his pupils sought,
And fed his Master's lambs. Most innocent
Of evil knowledge or of worldly lure
Those children were; from e'en the slightest taint
Had Jesu's blood their guileless souls kept pure!
A pious man that good Dominican,
Whose life with gentle charities was crowned;
His duties in the church as sacristan,
For hours in daily routine kept him bound,
While that young pair awaited his release
Seated upon the altar-steps, or spread
Thereon their morning meal, and ate in peace
And simple thankfulness their fruit and bread.
And often did their lifted glances meet
The Infant Jesu's eyes; and oft he smiled—
So thought the children; sympathy so sweet
Brought blessing to them from the Blessed Child!
Until one day when Frey Bernardo came,
The little ones ran forth; with clasping hold
Each seized his hand, and each with wild acclaim,
In eager words the tale of wonder told:
"O father, father!" both the children cried,
"The caro Jesu! He has heard our prayer!
We prayed him to come down and sit beside
Us as we ate, and of our feast take share:
And he came down, and tasted of our bread,
And sat and smiled upon us, father dear!"
Pallid with strange amaze, Bernardo said,
"Grace beyond marvel! Hath the Lord been here?
"The heaven of heavens his dwelling—doth he deign
To visit little children? Favored ye
Beyond all those on earthly thrones who reign,
In having seen this strangest mystery!
O lambs of his dear flock! to-morrow pray
Jesu to come again to grace your board
And sup with you; and if he comes, then say,
'Bid us to thy own table, blessed Lord!'