St Vincent Seminary - Symposium Yearbook (Latrobe, PA)

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--- mmummr eau 5 3 . . . . . I , . . 1 . . . . r . . . . 0 1 .. Y ,f'X li III Q Ill gl able location With this purpose in mind he visited Virginia, in October 1629 The acting governor, however, of that province John Pott and other officials, including Clayborne, immediately demanded that he take the Oath of Supremacy. Truly, this de- mand was outside the realm of their authority. Calvert, indeed never expected such bigotry and hostility. Before leaving New- foundland he wrote to King Charles I for a grant of land in Virginia there to enjoy the same privileges as at Avalon. He was interested in Virginia and evidently was striving to build up that Colony. The attitude of the Virginia officials clearly in- dicated that it would be impossible for Catholics to live in peace there He therefore decided to seek another province. Returning to England he applied to the King for a new grant. His wish was fulfilled Charles I bestowing on him a new charter for territory south of Virginia. Clayborne was secretary of that Province and prejudicially said it was dangerous for Virginia to have Catholic subjects, but that this danger was trivial compared to having a colony controlled by Catholics at the very border. Due to this vehement remonstrance the recently-granted charter was revoked. Lord Baltimore thereupon asked for territory to the northward. His wish was again granted and he gained posses- sion of the land north of the Potomac to the fortieth degree, together with a portion of the eastern shore of the Chesapeake, lying opposite and extending to the ocean. This was called Mary- land in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria. This charter for Maryland clearly demonstrated Lord Bal- timore's long experience and his political wisdom The King even renounced for himself and his successors the right to impose any tax on the people of Maryland. Calvert deserves to be ranked among the wise and benevolent lawgivers of all ages He was the first in the history of the Christian world to seek for religious security and peace by the practice of justice and not by the exercise of power' to plan the establishment of popular institutions with the enjoyment of liberty of conscience to ad- vance the career of civilization by recognizing the rightful equality of all Christian sects. Before the charter passed the Great Seal of England Lord Baltimore died April 5th 1632. His son Cecil hon ever obtained the same concession and proceeded, to carry out his fathers plans chief of which were to convert not extirpate the natives and to send the sober not the lewd as settlers looking not to the present but the future expectation. Bancroft History of the U. S. fia iliilillllllll : : - 'J .. gillllllillll 7 7 EIIII ' ' alll slim- gllilll . . I 5 . . . . Y Y . . . ,, ,K 7 7 I 7 K Y , . . , . H . 7 Y Y 9 7 5 Y 34 C ll' Y . tllllllllllllll: I-5 gmnmun I 5 - . .. - . - :llls 'Ill - . - 5-mm-.mi ' ' :mummu Ns! izep

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.mnulnmu 2 : : E ,lllls , - mumlmr: ' XX ' I 7 7 7 7 7 ! X destroyed and churches filled with new clergymen performing strange rites The faithful naturally could not participate in this The Mass was and IS the only divine worship to be offered by duly ordained priests Being thus deprived of the use of their churches Catholics were compelled to hear Mass secretly. - Elizabeth intended to crush them and to force them into the Church established by her Parliament. Although her penal laws were most bloody they nevertheless, failed to sway the major portion of the Catholic population. Defense of the Pope's juris- diction brought a heavy fine. A second offense meant death. Elizabeth not content enacted new laws making it treason to declare her a heretic to use any document from the Pope, or to give or receive absolution. Any Catholic Heeing England to evade the law and failing to return within six months suffered confiscation of his property. These laws were soon enforced, whereupon the gallows took their deadly toll. Conditions being such, eminent Catholics began exercising their inliuence at the Royal Court of Elizabeth, and later of James I, toward procuring a refuge for their oppressed brethren. Although valiant efforts were exerted by others, it remained for the Calverts to bring about the success of such a project. Sir George Calvert was Secretary of State under James I. Although not as yet a Catholic, nevertheless, he studied religious affairs seriously. The Separatists, Puritans, and Presbyterians were proselytizing a large body of dissenters from among the ignorant classes. In the Puritan school he perceived only a men- ace to both civil and ecclesiastical governmentg while in the Anglican denomination he recognized a feeble effort to retrieve a wrong step. He decided, therefore, to enter the Ancient Church. Consequently, in 1624, having resigned as Secretary of State, Cfor the law tolerated no Catholic to fill any public oflicej, he embraced the Catholic faith. King James however created him Baron of Baltimore Ireland for his long and excellent service Evidently anticipating his entrance into the Church Calvert obtained a charter for the province of Avalon in Newfoundland making him Lord Proprietor He intended to make Avalon his residence and above all to establish here a refuge for oppressed Catholics Accompanied by his little flock of colonists Lord Baltimore set out from England and arrived at Ferryland July 23 1627 Unfortunately however this settlement proved un successful failure being caused by the severity of the weather and the depredation of the neighboring French Lord Baltimore consequently decided to seek a more favor ZS k..f ill L alll - K-4. 1 M 'PB llllllllllllllll .llls l 0 , , n ! ! ' , i , ' v . . 7 v ' . ' 1 r ,' I . Huillllllllll ff- . I 3 . ' . E : ' A A x 1, . P - . . .E ' , , ' ' ' ,lg ' ' g,M,, - :mumn H2511 -

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QIIIIIIIIIIIIU gllli : : illllllllmi ill 4 jlllll:a r..l . . . . . . . Y . . . . . . . . Y Y . - . Y . . . . . . . . . Y . . . . Y . . . ' Y . . ' Y Y ' Y . . . . ll . . Y Y . . Y . . Y Y . Y . . . 1 , 1 Y Y . . . . Y v Jllllllllllllg . . - - I ' 2 P luuE nu my , it The project of finding a home in America for persecuted Catholics was soon to attain successful results. Because of the hostility toward Catholicism in England, Calvert's object in Maryland was not openly proclaimed. Conditions required great precaution in managing an undertaking such as this. - In June 1632, the charter was received and Cecil immediately undertook to fulfill his father's wishes. The future colonists 'were assembled Smce all were not Catholics, Calvert permitted the Protestants 1n his flock to choose their own ministers. It is a significant fact 1ndeed that they were quite indifferent in doing so Four Jesuits were selected as the spiritual guides for the Catholic portion To these, Calvert regretfully made it known that he could offer no means of support. This fact, together with the unpleasant proximity of Virginia and New England, should certainly have discouraged the good priests. This was not the case however for they cheerfully accepted their new office. Cecil Calvert thinking 1t would be to the interest of the colony for him to remain in England, appointed his brother Leonard governor The expedition was unfortunately delayed in reaching 1tS destination for Calvert's enemies, realizing that the object of his colony was a religious one, falsely charged that his ships sailed without formal permission. The vessels were thereupon brought back but the accusations were soon disproved and the expedition again proceeded with as much determinat1on as be- fore Several weeks later the ships glided peacefully up the Chesapeake Bay to the territory embraced within the charter of Maryland The Catholic character of the territory is immediately man1- fest Thus for example the Potomac River was consecrated to St Gregory and the Heron Islands dedicated to Sts. Clement Catherine and Cec1l1a They anchored near the Island of St. Clement On the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the year 1634 we celebrated the first Mass on that Island never before had it been offered in that region. After the Holy Sacr1fice bearmg on our shoulders a huge cross which we had hewn from a tree we moved in procession to a spot selected the Governor Commissioners, and other Catholics, and erected it as a trophy to Christ our Saviorg then humbly kneeling, we recited with deep emotion the Litany of the Holy Cross. T , Thus on March 25 1634, Catholicity was planted in the Eng- lish Colonies in America. Peace and promises of warm friendship were made with the neighboring Indians. The governor then TRelalio ad Marglandiam Baltimore, 1894. gnnmuuu. :Ill glnnlg anus illlilllllllill' :Ill :IIIIII :Ill 'I ll I