aggressiveness of opponents, he felt bound in conscience to lay a
plain statement of the case before the Supreme authority. The
Bishops of Quebec had admitted their inability to supply priests for
the outer missions. This is justification sufficient for his action,
were it needed. In a short time all his suggestions somewhat
modified were carried out. Even then Rome saw their wisdom,
and apparently called him to Rome from London. This appears
to be implied in a letter written by him in Rome, December i2th,
1815, addressed to the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda.*
Whilst in Rome he wrote, doubtless at the request of Propa-
ganda, for it was subsequent to the session in which the congregation
first treated of the separation of Nova Scotia from the Diocese of
-Quebec, another report on the state of religion in the English colonies
of North America. After having named the Maritime Provinces,
and given some idea of their civil state, he says: "In these
provinces in which there are a large number of Catholics, there are
only ten or eleven priests, and not even one Catholic school, so
that many live and die without spiritual succour. Amongst the
Indians, who are all Catholics, there is not one priest. The Bishop
of Quebec has never been able to find in his Seminary enough of
priests to fill the places that become vacant in the centre of the
Diocese, that is in Lower Canada. Hence he is obliged to leave
many missions without priests. The laws forbid the incoming of
foreign clergymen, and the Bishop, who does not dare do anything
without the consent of the Governor General, as he himself and all
the religious communities are at the discretion of the Government,
Archives of Propaganda.
109
gives faculties to such priests only who can produce a passport from
the Minister of State, a thing that is rarely granted. Hence it
happens that English speaking priests as well as foreigners are ex-
cluded. In the meantime the societies in London send over a
crowd of preachers with a corrupt version of the Bible, and innum-
erable pamphlets in which the Catholic faith is distorted, and the
Church and the Pope calumniated in the most atrocious and in-
decent manner.
" Against all these evils there is only one remedy, that is, to
withdraw the above mentioned provinces from the spiritual juris-
diction of Quebec, so as to lay them open to English speaking
priests, who according to the laws can now enter, and who could
exercise their ministry without the consent of the Government, as
they do in England."
We see from this that religion was languishing because Quebec
-could not supply priests from her seminary, and the Bishop, not to
give cause of quarrel to the Government, would not receive even
English subjects unless they had its approval.
Well might Father Burke add : " It is, therefore, an absolute
necessity for the good of religion, to erect these provinces into
Prefectures, immediately subject to the Holy See. But to avoid
all outcry and contention * * it would appear opportune to
establish them one after the other, installing as Prefects simple
priests with the necessary jurisdiction who could build up schools
and seminaries as time goes on. There is even now a house in Halifax
provided with all the necessaries for a seminary, and for the support
of which ample means have been secured. Being the funds of an
individual the Government cannot lay hands on them, and they
may be held in perpetuity by passing them from hand to hand, as
the Jesuits and other communities do in England and Ireland."*
This letter which delineates with a master hand what is now the
Dominion of Canada, lays bare its spiritual needs, and suggests
such opportune remedies, is dated at Rome, i2th February, 1816.
* Archives of Propaganda.
8
110
We have deemed the above extracts of sufficient importance to
warrant their reproduction.
Towards the end of April Father Burke left Rome, spent a short
time in France, and reached Halifax at the end of July, having been
absent a year and a few days.
The Church has encountered and overcome many enemies ; she
has been beset by innumerable dangers which to all human seem-
ing meant her utter destruction ; but the promise of Christ never
failed, and the hand of the Omnipotent brought her forth not only
triumphantly, but with increased numbers from the conflict
Napoleon at the height of his power and military strength after
having made thrones his footstools, and kings his boding pages,,
measured himself against the weak and worn old Pontiff Pius VII.
The incarnation of physical strength and brute force was pitted
against an aged man who owned no cannon, and commanded no
armies. He was, moreover, a prisoner, and deprived of his
counsellors. But he represented the spiritual force, he was the in-
carnation of conscience and religion. The contest between him
and Napoleon was the most complete duel between the natural
and the supernatural that the world has ever witnessed. But the
world has a short memory ; it forgets that Pius VII vanquished the
warrior, and that in 1816 he was reigning in Rome whilst Napoleon
was chafing his life away on the rock of St. Helena. But perhaps
greater dangers were threatening the Church even then. To show
how great they were in the eyes of men we will quote from a letter
written to Bishop Plessis by Father Burke, August 2nd, 1816 :
" I have just arrived after a long passage without any accident, and
with robust health which before was failing. * * Passing
through France I saw with my own eyes the fulfillment of the
prophecy of Sister of the Nativity, three hundred thousand strange
soldiers scattered through the country, and living at their ease at
the expense of the French, whose fields are laid waste by the horses
of the troops. Never has one seen a people so humiliated ; but are
they converted? I dare not be sure, but at least religion is out-
wardly re-established by the care of the king who is woiking
seriously to that end. Perhaps God never before permitted such
Ill
an evil beast as Bonaparte to ravage his fields ' a singular beast
hath destroyed it.' * * * Religion has suffered much in Italy,
though not to the same extent as in France. Nevertheless the
Holy Father finds himself grievously embarrassed ; first by the
Emperor of Austria, who has come to an understanding with the
Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia to form a common
religion, and consequently has forbidden his subjects to have re-
course to the Court of Rome ; secondly, by the King of France, who
dates his reign from the death of Louis XVII, and therefore takes no
account of the Concordat made with Bonaparte. Then the King
of Portugal has sent an energetic protest against the re-establish-
ment of the Jesuits ; and the Irish are dissatisfied with His
Holiness (on account of the action of his minister regarding the
Veto) and some of them threaten a schism. I had almost for-
gotten the Flemish, who com plain bitterly of some arrangements
made by the Pope's minister with their new king."
This is a list of difficulties sufficiently formidable ; yet the
brave old Pope who had not bowed to Napoleon, was not to be
disconcerted, or turned from his purpose by lesser opponents. As
when the frightened disciples awoke the Saviour in the storm-
tossed ship lest they should perish, so the Pontiff now invoked the
aid of his Divine Master, that the " gates of hell should not prevail"
against his Church. Again showing His Almighty power the Lord
stretched forth his hand, the tempest subsided : the Pope carried
out his designs, and ended peacefully a long and glorious pontificate
eight years later, We shall only add here that whilst in Rome
Father Burke attended a consistory and " postulated " for the
Pallium for the second Archbishop of Baltimore .
CHAPTER XVII.
VICAR APOSTOLIC.
was not to be expected that the authorities in Rome should
take no notice of Father Burke's " Relation '' on the state of
religion in these parts. They knew of his zeal and eminent
qualities both from the Bishops of Quebec and the Arch-
bishop of Dublin. Then they had him in Rome for several months
and were enabled to guage his character and capabilities. Propa-
ganda had recognized the cogency of his reasons for the subdivision
of the immense Diocese of Quebec away back in 1797 and even
before 1794, had felt that his remarks regarding Upper Canada
called for action on their part. We know how the whole world had
been in confusion from that date until the end of 1815. Once
peace had come, and order had been restored, the Congregation
resumed its work, and one of the first objects of its care was this
country of ours. Nova Scotia was practically cut off from Quebec
December nth, 1815, although owing to the difficulties of
communication it was not until May 1817 that it was technically
released. As the Church of Nova Scotia is the oldest in America
outside of the Spanish possessions, and as it was the first in what is
now Canada to secure autonomy, by being disjoined from Quebec,
it is of importance to give an ordered account of the various steps
which led up to the happy result. We shall thus have history, and
>not highly colored efforts of the imagination, or what we might
wish had been. We shall also be able to award praise, or blame,
intelligently. Our method of quoting documentary evidence of the
most undoubted character will be followed.
In the transactions of the Congregation of Propaganda for 1817
we have under the heading Articolo X Halifax Nella Nuova
Scozia the whole history of the affair set out for our perusal, be-
ginning at No. 56 to No. 59 inclusive. It says : "In thegeneral Session
113
of the Sacred Congregation of nth December, 1815, the dismem-
berment of Nova Scotia from the too extensive Diocese of Quebec,
for the very solid reasons brought forward by the Priest Edmund
Burke, Vicar General of Quebec, at Halifax, and the erection of
Nova Scotia into a Vicariate Apostolic, and to constitute this same
Burke, who has deserved so well of these Missions, a Vicar with
title and Episcopal character, was resolved on, provided the Bishop
of Quebec should consent thereto. For this purpose a letter was
written to that Prelate on i6th April, 1816, notifying him of the
resolution taken, and asking him if he were satisfied with this dis-
memberment, as he had several times said he was not able to bear
the burden of such a vast Diocese, and that it was altogether
necessary to effect a division. This letter was consigned to Mr.
Burke.
(C On his arrival in Halifax, Mr. Burke forwarded at once the
letter of the Sacred Congregation to the Bishop of Quebec ; and
although he imagined that the Bishop would not have consented
to the project, he found that that Prelate gave his full adhesion, for
he replied to Mr. Burke in these terms : ' I shall willingly sub-
scribe to the project of the Sacred Congregation, viz., to erect the
peninsula of Nova Scotia into a Vicariate Apostolic, and to propose
you for the position. I should have preferred that the Holy See had
made it a titular bishopric. * * In any case, and in whatever
way the affair is arranged, I find it much to my advantage, that is, to
have one Province less on my conscience ; and I am doubly
pleased in reflecting that it will be under the jurisdiction of a man-
whose capacity and merit I well know. Propaganda will soon re-
ceive my full consent to that effect.' Mr. Burke in making this
known to the Congregation, forwarded also the original letter of
Bishop Plessis, dated at Quebec loth September, 1816, and which
is undoubtedly from the Bishop's hand. The letter which that
Prelate promises to write to the Sacred Congregation, has not yet
arrived, or it has been lost. Nevertheless since his consent is
sufficiently apparent from what he has written to Mr. Burke, and
from what he had already declared, it appears that the Decree of
nth December, 1815, should be put into execution, by constituting
114
Mr. Burke Vicar Apostolic of Nova Scotia, with a title and
Episcopal character." Paragraphs 58 and 59 speak of the spiritual
desolation of Bermuda and the Bahamas, in the former of which
Father Burke said it was certain that no priest had ever been ; that
Father Burke had agreed to endeavour to find a priest to visit Ber-
muda at least once a year, but did not wish to have it incorporated
in the Vicariate. Then follows the usual list of questions to be
decided in the Session. Number 12 is "Shall Mr. Burke (pp
56, 57) be appointed Vicar Apostolic of Nova Scotia with title and
Episcopal character ?" To this the Cardinals reply " affirmatively "
and submit their decision to the Holy Father through their secretary.
This was in the General Congregation of i9th May, 1817.*
It can be seen from Bishop Plessis' letter to Father Burke, that
his Lordship wished for titular Bishops, that is, Vicars General
of his own with Episcopal consecration. This, whilst holding all
power centralized at Quebec, would have simply perpetuated under
a more irritating form, the ever languishing state of religion out-
side of Lower Canada, and effectually frustrated the plan for
procuring Missionaries without seeking the consent of Govern-
ment. The auxiliary Bishop would have no more power of initi-
ative than had Father Jones, or Father Burke, He and the
Acadians might time and again petition the Bishop of Quebec for
a French speaking priest, only to be told, as Father Jones had
been told, that there was no resource for Nova Scotia, save in the zeal
of Irish and English priests who might wish to come and serve under
him ; and that the Acadians must accustom themselves to English
speaking priests. Thanks to the prompt action of Propaganda,
grasping as it did the full import of Father Burke's enlightened
policy, Nova Scotia was emancipated ; and although both before
and after Dr. Burke's death the Bishop of Quebec endeavoured to
have the new Vicariate suppressed, it would not make a retrograde
movement,
On July 26th, 1817, the Prefect of Propaganda wrote to Father
Burke, notifying him of the action of the Pope in erecting the
*( Archives of Propaganda/
115
Vicariate of Nova Scotia, immediately subject to the Holy See,
and appointing him Bishop of Zion, and Vicar Apostolic of Nova
Scotia. The letter also says : " I have learned that Prince Edward
Island is in nearly the same necessity (as Nova Scotia), so that the
Sacred Congregation is thinking of constituting a Vicar Apostolic
there also, for which office Rev. ^Eneas McEachan has been
mentioned. But as we do not know everything about that priest
we beg your Lordship to send us accurate information regarding
him, and whether he is really worthy to be placed over that
Mission."
Unfortunately for Prince Edward Island, the policy of Bishop
Plessis of having auxiliary Bishops, either in the fear lest he should
offend the Government, or from a belief in the efficacy of central-
ized power, prevailed for a time.
When Dr. Burke received the Bulls authorizing his consecration,
he deemed it too late in the season to proceed to Quebec. Hence
it was only on 5th July, 1818, that he received Episcopal consecra-
tion at the hands of Bishop Plessis, in Quebec. From the
moment, however, that he had been officially notified of his
appointment, he began with his usual energy to make provision
for the spiritual needs of his Vicariate. With a view to the found-
ing of a Trappist Monastery, as well as to provide for the Acadians
and Indians in eastern Nova Scotia, he sent Father Vincent to
assume charge of Tracadie, Harbour Boucher and Cheticamp.*
The project which Dr. Burke had in view, and which he outlined
in a letter to the Bishop of Quebec was to have a Trappist Monas-
tery at Tracadie, which should serve as a centre of religious life for
the neighboring missions, and around which the Micmacs of Cape
Breton and the adjacent localities might congregate at certain
periods. Although he did not live to see the full realization of
this project, he is nevertheless entitled to a large share of the credit
of having been the chief promoter of the first Trappist Monastery
established in Canada.
'See memoirs of this holy Monk, translated and edited by Miss A. M.
Pope.
116
In August, 1817, Rev. Mr. Mignault, who had been three years
in Halifax, returned to Quebec, and afterwards went to Chambly,
founded a college, and died at the ripe old age of 84, in Montreal,
in the year 1868. He was succeeded in Halifax by Rev. Philip
Larrisey, who, however, remained only for a brief period in Nova
Scotia.
In 1817 a Rev. Mr. Doucet, of the Diocese of Quebec, who
had made a novitiate with the Trappists, arrived in Halifax, and
Dr. Burke secured his services for Nova Scotia. For two years
or more he laboured in Halifax, and in the autumn of 1819 he
was sent to assist the Abbe Sigogne in the Western Counties, where
he laboured some years. He died at Tracadie 1825.
Dr. Burke also sought out young men suitable for the
ministry, and in a short time had made a most promising beginning
for supplying his Vicariate with well trained missionaries.
CHAPTER XVIII.
HIS EPISCOPAL LABOURS.
S already stated, Dr. Burke was consecrated on 5th July,
He was in the sixty-sixth year of of his age, and had lived
a laborious life ever since his advent to Canada, in 1786.
At his age, after such a career, the average man would feel desi-
rous of laying down the burden borne so long ; but Bishop Burke
was considerably more than the average man. Hence he bravely
took up the load of the Episcopate, grasped the crozier with a
strong hand, and with all his old time energy and devotion to
duty, went forth to his new and increased responsibilities. We
cannot form a true estimate of a character, nor take the measure
of its capabilities, until we see the individual following, without
let or hinderance from another, plans of his own initiation. In
Western Canada, and in Halifax, Dr. Burke had responsibility
without power the most irksome and galling of positions. He
could only suggest ; and whilst we -believe his suggestions were
excellent, we cannot try them by the touchstone of success, for
they were never acted on. Now in his declining years he was able
both to initiate, and to carry out.
His first care was, as we have seen, to ensure a supply of zealous
priests for his Vicariate. He wisely resolved to educate a clergy
for himself, rather than accept the services of those from other
Dioceses who might present themselves for adoption. He says:.
u I do not wish for any subjects except those which I shall have
formed here myself, or at Quebec." So energetically did he labour,
that in September of 1818, he could write: "I have at present
four young men studying theology," and he hoped in a few weeks
to open his seminary,
To provide suitable education for the little ones of his flock,
was another duty which engaged his fatherly solicitude. The olck
118
presbytery which had been built in 1785, was removed to another
site, and fitted up as a school for girls. The Catholic women of
the congregation formed a society to provide funds for the payment
of teachers. The boys had class rooms in tbe Glebe House,
which also served as a residence for Bishop Burke, his assistant,
and a college. Thus was planted the fruitful germ of Catholic
education in Halifax. In September, 1820, there were one
hundred and ninety-three girls, and about one hundred boys
attending these pioneer Catholic educational establishments. And
Bishop Burke could write : " The number of boys is daily increas-
ing in my school, * * and I shall soon have them all away
from the Methodist schools." As already noted, the female
teachers were paid through the care of the ladies' society. In the
old Glebe House this is how the boys' school was provided for :
" I have," writes the Bishop, " two ecclesiastics under Mr. Carroll,
who is a priest now ; one of the two is in minor orders. They
eat at my table, and I clothe them. This is more than the fees
from the school * * Should it happen that my successor
should be unknown to me, I shall put the schools almost on an
independent footing."
How successful was his brilliant, but, alas ! too short adminis-
tration, is set forth in a letter from Rev. Mr. McEachan, afterwards
Bishop of Charlottetown. Writing from Halifax to the Cardinal
Prefect of Propaganda, in November, 1819, Father McEachan,
who had then passed twenty-nine years as missionary in P. E.
Island, says : " Now that the Rt. Rev. Dr. Burke, Vicar Apostolic
of Nova Scotia, can act for himself, he is placing and will place
these numerous and extensive missions, hitherto neglected, on a
respectable footing. He has ordained three priests this year, and
has three more almost ready for Holy Orders. He himself teaches
in his own house, in which he has also a school for the Catholic
boys of this city. He will establish in the course of next summer
a seminary at St. Margaret's, as shown on the enclosed map.
This will provide not only for the wants of his Lordship, but will
also be an advantage to us, on account of its proximity to our
island and to Cape Breton. * * Whatever funds the Almighty
119
may be pleased to put at the disposition of this learned Prelate,
will be faithfully employed for their proper uses. Had he been
made Vicar Apostolic fifteen years ago, these missions would now
be provided with a sufficient number of priests, and I, at my time
of life, and in an island one hundred and sixty (?) miles long, and
indented by great bays and rivers, would' not be depending on one
Canadian priest."*
This testimony of one who was perfectly cognizant of all the data
of ecclesiastical life in the Maritime Provinces, is of much import-
ance. It bears witness to the success of Dr. Burke's administration;
it confirms the accuracy of his prevision, as to results, and the
wisdom of his action, in seeking to have these provinces separated
from the Diocese of Quebec ; and it endorses what has been said
about the scanty provision made since the conquest, for the spiritual
succour of Acadia.
A word as to the three priests whom Bishop Burke had ordained
during 1819. One was Rev. James Grant, an Irish ecclesiastic,
who came from Quebec with Dr. Burke, when returning after his
consecration. He laboured many years in eastern Nova Scotia.
Another was Rev. Thomas Rice, who assisted in Halifax from
June, 1819, to October, 1820. Failing in health he visited France
to recruit, but went to an early grave in that fair country. The
third was the Rev. Denis Geary, who filled up forty-three years of
active ministry, dying in Dartmouth in 1862.
In the spring of 1820, Bishop Burke ordained two priests, the
Rev. Mr. Dunphy, known later on as Dean Dunphy, and the Rev.
John Carroll, a nephew of his own. Father Carroll remained in
Halifax until the end of 1827, served some time on the mission in
St. John, N. B., and later on in the Diocese of Toronto. He only
died in 1889.
Bishop Burke being himself a student, although an active mission-
ary as well, was desirous that the clergy should be, as a body, learned
men. Frequently in his letters this idea holds a foremost place, and is
very clearly expressed in one to Archbishop Murray of Dublin.f
*Archives of Propaganda. f24th May, 1817.
120
He is giving his reasons for opposing the " Veto," of which he
says : " You know I think it a measure ultimately destructive of
the Catholic religion, in Ireland, and I believe intended for that
purpose." He proceeds to show how it would have that effect,
and how by suppressing foreign colleges, and accepting only those
who had been educated at Maynooth, the sphere of knowledge
would be restricted, and " ignorance and its companion vice would
follow," and adds : " I know well it must not be expected that all
the clergy should be men of science, but I know it is necessary
that some should study and write, and that they should have the
means " of so doing. The breadth of view and comprehensiveness
of mind which characterized the man, are very manifest in this
letter.
The visitation of the various missions of Nova Scotia was no
light task in those days. True a bi-weekly coach had been running
between Halifax and Windsor since 181 6, and for six dollars, Isaiah
Smith would take you back or forth. But it was a long tiresome
journey from Windsor to St. Mary's Bay, a good one hundred and
forty miles, and fifty more from Church Point to Eelbrook. Should
one prefer to go by water, there was no trim steamer to bear one
quickly over the moaning waves ; not even a regular packet in
which some slight accommodation might be found. No ; one must