Interesting post
over at the Contrarian. (Direct link is not working: See "The Honorable Pedigree of Leftist English Catholics" ) I haven't read the book, but I think Mr. Wilson is underestimating the amount of time Venerable Newman spent in ministry to the poor. Here is a quote from Bishop Ullathorne of Birmingham's letter to the Venerable, upon the publication of Apologia pro Vita Sua.
"The original plan of an oratory did not contemplate any parochial work, but you could not contemplate so many souls in want of pastors without being prompt and ready at the beck of authority to strain all your efforts in coming to their help. And this brings me to the third and the most continuous of those labours to which I have alluded. The mission in Alcester Street, its church and schools, were the first work of the Birmingham Oratory. After several years of close and hard work, and a considerable call upon the private resources of the Fathers who had established this congregation, it was delivered over to other hands, and the Fathers removed to the district of Edgbaston, where up to that time nothing Catholic had appeared. Then arose under your direction the large convent of the Oratory, the church expanded by degrees into its present capaciousness, a numerous congregation has gathered and grown in it; poor schools and other pious institutions have grown up in connexion with it, and, moreover, equally at your expense and that of your brethren, and, as I have reason to know, at much inconvenience, the Oratory has relieved the other clergy of Birmingham all this while by constantly doing the duty in the poor-house and gaol of Birmingham.
More recently still, the mission and the poor school at Smethwick owe their existence to the Oratory. And all this while the founder and father of these religious works has added to his other solicitudes the toil of frequent preaching, of attendance in the confessional, and other parochial duties. "
The same man who wrote magnificent prose and defended the Faith with such passion also spent a lot of his time doing pastoral work among desperately poor Irish immigrants.
over at the Contrarian. (Direct link is not working: See "The Honorable Pedigree of Leftist English Catholics" ) I haven't read the book, but I think Mr. Wilson is underestimating the amount of time Venerable Newman spent in ministry to the poor. Here is a quote from Bishop Ullathorne of Birmingham's letter to the Venerable, upon the publication of Apologia pro Vita Sua.
"The original plan of an oratory did not contemplate any parochial work, but you could not contemplate so many souls in want of pastors without being prompt and ready at the beck of authority to strain all your efforts in coming to their help. And this brings me to the third and the most continuous of those labours to which I have alluded. The mission in Alcester Street, its church and schools, were the first work of the Birmingham Oratory. After several years of close and hard work, and a considerable call upon the private resources of the Fathers who had established this congregation, it was delivered over to other hands, and the Fathers removed to the district of Edgbaston, where up to that time nothing Catholic had appeared. Then arose under your direction the large convent of the Oratory, the church expanded by degrees into its present capaciousness, a numerous congregation has gathered and grown in it; poor schools and other pious institutions have grown up in connexion with it, and, moreover, equally at your expense and that of your brethren, and, as I have reason to know, at much inconvenience, the Oratory has relieved the other clergy of Birmingham all this while by constantly doing the duty in the poor-house and gaol of Birmingham.
More recently still, the mission and the poor school at Smethwick owe their existence to the Oratory. And all this while the founder and father of these religious works has added to his other solicitudes the toil of frequent preaching, of attendance in the confessional, and other parochial duties. "
The same man who wrote magnificent prose and defended the Faith with such passion also spent a lot of his time doing pastoral work among desperately poor Irish immigrants.
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