The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

526 GENERAL PROPAGANDISM.supremacy of the globe. The conversion of Britain to theCatholic faith is, and for some years past has been, the onegrand object of the papal policy. Since the restoration ofthe Bourbons, at least since 1820, the Jesuits have beenprosecuting this object with consummate craft, immensevigour, and very considerable success. They commencedoperations in Ireland. Let us go back to the period precedingthe passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act. Thefirst step was to mission Dr Kenry, who had been broughtup at the Jesuit College of Palermo, to Ireland, in the capacityof provincial head of the Jesuits. This man's taskwas to bring the educated laity, the men of influence in Ireland,under the Jesuit influence. For this purpose the Collegeof Clongows was instituted. It was filled with Jesuitprofessors, and received the youth of the middle and upperclasses. The next step was to reduce the priests of Irelandunder the Jesuit influence. This could be done onlyby seizing upon the College of Maynooth, where the Irishpriesthood was trained. The president of that institutionbecame unable to fulfil his duties. He selected Dr Kenry,the able head of all the Irish Jesuits, to supply his place.Although the thing had been pre-arranged(as doubtless itwas) between Genei*al Roothan at Rome, Dr Kenry, andthe president of Maynooth, it could not have happened betterfor the designs of the Jesuits. By and by Jesuit professorsbegan to be transferred from Clongows to Maynooth; a Jesuit confraternity was established among thestudents, termed the Sodality of the Sacred Heart ;a Jesuitcommentary on the Scriptures was introduced, which all thestudents were enjoined to study ; and in this way was thecollege, and through it the whole Irish priesthood, broughtunder the Jesuit dominion. The people were under the dominionof the priesthood, the priesthood under that of DrKenry, the head of all Irish Jesuits, and Dr Kenry underthat of General Roothan, the head of Jesuitism throuffhoutthe world. The political agitation that arose,—the resultthat crowned it, and which gave free admission to Roman