on the popularity; that no sufficient opportunity of exposing its character could be expected from individual, or official application; and that it was necessary to direct the public mind to bear upon the matter, in order to compel an enquiry. The Waterford Chronicle indeed, on 28th January, with disinterested and just indignation, had denounced the cheat, as they stated " authority of a friend who visited the scene." But this was only individual opinion, on hearsay evidence, unaccompanied by detail or proof; and treated as such by the clerical authorities who presided and conducted the affair. The Protestant people of Youghal shocked at the blasphemy, disgusted with the grossness of the cheat, and roused to indignation at the attempts that were made to turn it into an engine for proselytising the ignorant or the sentimental, demanded that it should be brought to light. With perfect unanimity among the Ministers, and general approbation of the people, the following document was published and extensively circulated, dated 6th of February. THE MIRACLE PUT TO THE PROOF. "We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being the PROTESTANT MINISTERS of various denominations in Youghal, have learned with regret that a portion of our dear Roman Catholic friends and neighbours have been deceived by the exhibitions which have been made in the cases of the persons marked with wounds similar to those of our Blessed Redeemer; they having been persuaded by interested persons that these wounds have been inflicted by THE ALMIGHTY, and that the affair is a MIRACLE confirmatory of the Roman Catholic faith in general, and giving a DIVINE SANCTION to those establishments in particular with which it is associated. "Now we, being influenced by compassion for their delusions, a sincere desire for their welfare, a love of the TRUTH, and a jealousy for the honor of our beloved SAVIOUR whose sufferings are thus mimicked, do declare that we are fully satisfied that these pretended miracles are referable to other rather than to Divine Origin. And we hereby demand, in the name of Truth and religion, and on behalf and at the desire of OUR CONGREGATIONS, that a rigid scrutiny into this alleged Miracle be institutedThat the matter be put without delay to a PUBLIC TEST, under the arrangement and direction of disinterested persons, Protestant as well as Roman Catholic ;-Medical and Surgical gentlemen on both sides to examine and report thereon: in order that the public mind may be disabused, imposition detected, and the impostors, whosoever they may be, ascertained; when it will rest with the authorities of the land to deal with them. "And further, we thus publicly protest against the assertion contained in a letter signed J. FOLEY, in the Cork Examiner of February the 3rd, that "it rests with the Bishop of the Diocese, or those whom he shall depute to examine if there be fraud, impiety or hypocrisy here," in as much as, the deepest and most solemn feelings of the Christian, which are associated with THE AGONY AND BLOOD, THE CROSS AND PASSION, THE PRECIOUS DEATH AND BURIAL of the Saviour have been grievously wounded by this exhibition of a profane representation thereof; and we cannot rest the vindication of those feelings on the authorities and proceedings of a Church, which in her records and authentication of similar delusions, and in the position she has taken with reference to them, as proving her exclusive claims, has incapacitated herself from being admitted as an unprejudiced witness, far less a satisfactory arbiter and judge. And because, a reference having been made to ROME, (as appears by Mr. Foley's published letter), we cannot permit imposture to flourish undisturbed during the indefinite period that may be occupied by frivolous delay, or the official forms dictated by THE CHURCH OF ROME in the proceedings of the Congregation of Rites. "We deem the present demand both just and reasonable, and such as our Roman Catholic brethren should require for themselves. And we beg to add, that in case of refusal, or frivolous delay, it will be undeniable that these pretensions cannot endure the light and consequently must be universally denounced as A DARING AND BLASPHEMOUS FALSEHOOD, got up from Mercenary motives, and to delude the ignorant and superstitious. JOHN ALDWORTH, Rector of Youghal. WILLIAM WAKEHAM, Curate of Kinsalebeg. SAMUEL LARMONIE, Primitive Wesleyan Minister, Youghal "February 6th, 1843." The only direct replies to this, consisted in anonymous ribaldry, and mean disreputable personality, unworthy of notice. It might have appeared from the postponement of the visit of the Roman Catholic Bishop, which was promised for the 16th, and the suspension of the exhibitions at the Castle, that the matter was to be allowed to die away. But suddenly ;-Priestly, authenticated denunciation of the fraud appeared. The Rev. Mr. Scully, of Phibsboro', beheld the danger to which even delay in exposure, far more the implied sanction of the imposture, would subject his Church; and as it appears, contrary to the remonstrance of the principal spiritual adviser of the Roman Catholic people of Youghal, in opposition to the usual practice of his Church, to the annihilation of the Miracle, the confusion of its concoctors and managers, and the probable dissolution of the establishments with which it was associated, he unrelentingly tore aside the veil which cloked its hideous deformities, in the following letter appearing in the Cork Examiner, of Monday Evening, February 13, 1843. TO THE EDITOR OF THE CORK EXAMINER. "Sir, I have just seen in one of the Dublin Papers, a letter copied from yours, and signed J. Foley, Youghal, in which the "Wonders" of the Castle, or Asylum, are announced to the public at large, with a challenge to all gainsayers to refute them; and the incredulity of certain gentlemen who lately visited the place, from a pious curiosity and desire of satisfying themselves of their authenticity, is rather sharply censured. May I take the liberty, as one of the unbelievers in question, to request of the good people of Cork and elsewhere who have perused J. Foley's letter, or otherwise heard of the "Miracle" in question, to suspend their judgment, and spare themselves the trouble of a visit to Youghal, 'till the case or cases (for there are more than one) have been better investigated, and an opinion pronounced by a competent tribunal. "I visited the Addolorata about three weeks since, in company with another clergyman of your city, and a very intelligent Englishman, Mr. Lucas, the Editor of the Tablet, and after an examination of above four hours (a pretty long peep you will allow) we came to the conclusion from a variety of circumstances we witnessed, and with which I am unwilling to trouble you at present (as they will probably appear in next week's Tablet) that the whole affair was a gross fraud-which opinion we immediately communicated to the Rev. Mr. Sheehan, P.P. In stating this, I need not say, that we, totally acquitted the good Father Foley of any part in the "humbug;" but it appeared to us that his simple piety suspecting no guile; especially in a near relative of his own, has been imposed on; and that he has been duped by the "Artful Sisterhood." I regret this exceedingly, for his own sake, as well as of the establishment over which he presides.-I regret still more that he has been induced to publish facts which should have been buried in oblivion, and thus given a handle to the enemies of our faith to deride or deny real Miracles, and 66 blaspheme" what they know non talibus defensoribus. "The Catholic Church needs no such "ingenious devices" to prove its Divinity. It is too firmly established to want the aid of "pious frauds" of any description-And after the exhibition of the wonderful Bernard Cavanagh of fasting notoriety, we should be very cautious of introducing any "Miraculous personages" to the public notice. "I am, Sir, "Your obliged servant, "EDMOND SCULLY, "St. Peter's Catholic Church, Phibsboro', Dublin. "Friday, February 10, 1843." This striking document, associating as it does the authority of the Rev. writer, and that of the Rev. Mr. Russell, late Prior of the Dominicans, in Cork, ("the other clergyman of your city," and referred to in the article in the Tablet-infra) with the circumstances narrated by Mr. Lucas, is very important. It is no less so, as eliciting the reply of Rev. Maurice Sheehan, Parish Priest of Youghal, in which is developed the fact, that had the matter been allowed to take its course, and the sentiments of witnesses withheld from the public, until "a tribunal competent to decide the question" had pronounced thereon, the apprehension of the Protestant Ministers in their manifesto would have been abundantly realised, and "" IMPOSTURE WOULD HAVE FLOURished undisturbed, during the INDEFINITE PERIOD OCCUPIED BY FRIVOLOUS DELAY, AND THE OFFICIAL FORMS DIC TATED BY THE CHURCH OF ROME IN THE CONGREGATION OF RITES." The searching inquiry at the earliest possible convenience, ordered by the venerable Bishop of the diocese, has yet made no progress, nor if we adopt your Lord ship as authority for the practice of your Church, can the period of that earliest possible convenience arrive during the lifetime of the Estatica.* THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. TO THE EDITOR OF THE CORK EXAMINER. "Youghal, Feb. 15, 1843. "SIR-Is it not passing strange that whilst the Rev. Mr. Scully deprecates, on the part of others, hasty conclusions respecting the “Addoloratas" of Youghal, he assumes to himself, and exercises too, a right to pronounce on them a rather decisive judgment! Not content with having "authorised the Dublin Evening Post to give to its readers the benefit of his opinion on these cases, his zeal has prompted him moreover to caution the good people of the South, through the columns of the EXAMINER, against these "pious frauds" and " ingenious devices." A little modesty would have become the Rev. Gentleman, and reminded him that his warning voice from Phibsboro' may be considered rather obtrusive, inasmuch as it does not appear quite evident that there were not persons somewhat more immediately interested in these matters, and from their position more likely to obtain correct information, than could be acquired by casual visitors, and may I add, not at all backward to detect and expose imposture, and yet who deem it quite consistent with their duty to suspend the expression of their opinion, simply because they do not consider themselves duly authorised to publish them to the world. "'Tis true indeed, as Mr. Scully states, that I had the full benefit of all the light which he and his companions could throw around the subject, after their short visit to the Castle. But with due deference to their superior intelligence and discrimination, I could not recognise in them, either individually or collectively, a tribunal competent to decide the question. Hence, I recollect distinctly, having pressed on them the propriety of withholding their sentiments from the public, until the whole affair should be investigated by the proper authority. It is to be regret * See page 122 of his Lordship's Letter to Ambrose Phillips, Esq. ted that this reasonable suggestion was not attended to, and that harsh and hasty expressions of condemnation were not left with other parties, who seem forward enough to record a verdict of "guilty," without trial or investigation. "I have only further to observe, that the venerable Bishop of the Diocese having ordered a searching inquiry into the case in question, at the earliest possible convenience, it is but fair and just that all further public discussion respecting it, be suspended, until the result shall have been duly notified. "Mr. Editor, you have to charge the Rev. Mr. Scully's unauthorised introduction of my name into his letter, with the trespass I venture to make, very reluctantly, I assure you, on your valuable space. "I remain, Sir, your obliged &c., &c. "M. SHEEHAN."* The following letter of the Rev. Mr. Scully, is also of importance, as personally authorising the statement which we shall find to be made by Mr. Lucas, of the detection of the imposture; and affording the weight of Priestly authority to the indignant denunciations therein contain ed. But it is no less worthy of notice, as bearing on the question, how far Protestant interference had influence in inducing (not the detection indeed, but) the blasting exposure of the iniquity. All the Romish authorities agree in acknowledging the premature character of that exposure, previous to Episcopal enquiry. Mr. Sheehan reproves Mr. Scully for it. Mr. Scully vindicates himself by Mr. Foley's published letter, which the message of Mr. Foley to me on 2nd February, justifies us in assuming to be (in part at least) a public reply to the communication of 27th January, from Mr. Drew, and myself, avowedly of a public character. THE ESTATICA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN EVENING POST. Phibsboro' Feb. 15th, 1843. "SIR,-I beg leave to refer your anonymous Youghal Correspondent, and others who feel an interest in the Youghal miracles, to the next FROM THE CORK EXAMINER OF THE SAME DATE. Profession of Two Nuns at Youghal. "On Thursday, the 16th instant, this imposing ceremony took place in the Chapel of the Presentation Convent, when Miss CURREEN, and Miss WHEALAN, both of the County of Waterford, received the black veil. In the absence of the venerable Bishop, Mass was said, and the vows received by the Rev. M. SHEEHAN, P.P., in the presence of a large number of clergymen from the surrounding parishes." N.B. This was the day on which Mr. Foley promised Mr. Drew that the Bishop should investigate the Miracle. |