_St. Patrick’s Cathedral: How it was Restored._ By a Catholic
Clergyman. Dublin: Duffy, 1865
Even in the days of St. Augustine, Catholic eyes had to behold scenes
somewhat similar to the one in view of which this pamphlet has been
written. Within churches once Catholic, Donatist bishops at that time held
high festival, in the midst of solemn pomp, with mystic rite and sacred
song. From episcopal chairs erected in opposition to those of the prelates
in communion with the Roman Pontiff, “_that is to say_”, explains St.
Cyprian, “_with the Catholic Church_”, intruded bishops counterfeited the
preaching of the lawful pastors, and with many a text from Holy Writ, and
with a plentiful use of holiest names, made a brave show of belonging to
those whom the Holy Ghost has placed to rule the Church of God. But the
make-believe was not successful. One glance at the religious system of
these men and at the Catholic Church was enough to reveal the hollowness
of their pretensions, notwithstanding the ecclesiastical air they so
studiously cultivated. Hence St. Augustine thus writes about Emeritus, a
Donatist bishop (for whom, perhaps, some worthy layman, not averse from
proselytizing poor Catholics in the wild Numidian country about
Cethaquenfusca, had restored one of the old cathedrals), “Outside the pale
of the Church (Emeritus) may have everything except salvation. Honour he
may have, a sacrament he may have, he may sing _alleluia_, he may answer
_amen_, he may have the Gospel, he may both hold and preach faith in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; but nowhere save
in the Catholic Church shall he be able to find salvation”—(_Epist._
clii.). And yet, at least in the beginning, the Donatists were but
schismatics; their heresy was of somewhat later growth. How much stronger,
then, becomes St. Augustine’s argument when applied to the Established
Church of our times, in which heresy and free-thinking have ravaged
whatever schism had spared! The pamphlet under notice in reality does but
reëcho the holy Doctor’s remarks. An outline of St. Patrick’s life and
faith, drawn from unimpeachable authorities, sets before us most clearly
that the ancient Catholic Church of Ireland differed far more from the
Church now usurping St. Patrick’s Cathedral, than the ancient Catholic
Church of Africa from the Donatist body. The personal history of our great
apostle, his early training, his call to preach, his ecclesiastical
studies, his mission from Rome, his doctrine about the Holy See, his
essentially Catholic teaching, are all plainly and forcibly Set forth, and
contrasted with the peculiarities of modern Protestantism. No candid mind
can for a moment hesitate to conclude with the writer, that the
restoration ceremony was “a ghastly spectacle of _unreality_. It was a
joyous revel over a _lifeless_ form: the body was there, but not _the
soul_. The beauty of early years, which is oftentimes observed to resume
its place, in death, upon the face from which it had been long driven by
weeks, or months, or, perhaps, years of pain, the beauty of graceful
outline, and delicate feature, and placid, gentle expression—all that had
come back; and the church seemed as if but yesterday finished. But the
spirit of St. Patrick was not there; the creed which he taught was not
there; the _true faith_, which is the soul, the animating spirit of
religion, was far away”.