chapter vi Cardinal Wiseman and St Edmund’s 1850-1865 n 1850 the Hierarchy was restored in England and Wales, and the system of dioceses with Iordinary bishops replaced the tired system of apostolic vicariates. Nicholas Wiseman was created Archbishop of Westminster and Cardinal. Bright opportunities existed alongside the inevitable practical problems; the division of the old vicariates into dioceses led to much discussion about the distribution of finances and jurisdiction. Many bishops hoped that each diocese would eventually have its own seminary, as the Council of Trent envisaged, and that the old Douay system of educating laics alongside clerics would soon come to an end. Moreover, while large Colleges such as St Edmund’s continued to train priests for several dioceses , the question arose of which bishop was in charge. It was a vexed question and in 1863 Rome eventually decided that the bishop in whose diocese the College was situated had spiritual jurisdiction and responsibility for the students’ care. Temporal matters, on the other hand, were the remit of the local bishops, which in St Edmund’s case meant Westminster and Southwark. Cardinal Wiseman had spent much of his life in Rome first as a student and then Rector of the Venerable English College. He had little sympathy with the conservatism of many ‘old’ English Catholics and wanted to introduce ‘Roman’ principles into his new diocese. In 1851 William Weathers was appointed President at St Edmund’s. The Cardinal wrote to Mgr Talbot, the Above: Cardinal Wiseman. English-born confidante of Pius IX, that with Cox’s departure St Edmund’s had been ‘cleared of Left: Wiseman Receiving Relic 1853. its terrible obstruction’; now, ‘the whole system will be reformed, and a sound, high-toned ecclesiastical spirit will be introduced.’ 67 Weathers seemed to be of sounder sympathies and knew the College well, having been there since 1828. As part of Wiseman’s strategy, W. G. Ward was appointed lecturer in moral philosophy in 1851 and, the following year, dogmatic theology. The fact that a married lay convert had such a prominent position, effectively in charge of the intellectual formation for the next generation of southern priests, caused much opposition. Moreover, he was zealous in his Ultramontanism and later became editor of its chief organ, The Dublin Review. One priest refused to have a ‘Wardite’ as his assistant; even the President seems to have fallen out with him over a theological point. Archbishop Errington, who became Wiseman’s coadjutor in 1855, was also staunch in his opposition; he was generally suspicious of converts and more ‘English’ than ‘Roman’ in his outlook. When he made a visitation of the College shortly after he moved to Westminster, he tried to limit Ward’s teaching. Ward promptly resigned; Wiseman reinstated him; and Errington retired temporarily to the diocese of Clifton as administrator. The matter even reached the ears of the pope, who made the famous statement that ‘it is a novel objection to any one engaged in the work of God that he has received one Sacrament of Holy Church which neither you [the English prelate to whom he was speaking] nor I could possibly receive’. Ward had been tactful enough to refuse the title of ‘professor’ but his cause was helped when the pope awarded him an honorary doctorate of philosophy in 1854. Chapter VI: Cardinal Wiseman and St Edmund’s | 0 Away from such controversy, there were many changes within the College under Weathers. Those who remember that day speak of the moving effect of the ceremonial amid surroundings Most obvious to the beholder was the 1858 extension, known for many years as the ‘New so different from those to which they were accustomed, and the force with which this was brought Wing’, which included a large refectory (taking up most of the ground floor) and above rooms before their imagination when the long procession wended its way from the sacristy and for professors and (on the top floor) a dormitory. Meanwhile, changes in the internal life of the antechapel up the choir to the sanctuary. Many visitors came down to assist at the ceremonies, College became collectively known as ‘the new Rules’: new forms of prayers in the morning and possibly the day was all the more joyful because it had been so long deferred. Conspicuous and evening based on Roman models, new arrangements for play days and a revival of the old among them was the familiar figure of Dr Cox, who while he was still at the College had longed Douay ‘pedagogue’ system, which had fallen into disuse thirty years previously. As Ward to see that day, and now rejoiced to see his hope at last fulfilled, and the church he had taken so explained, ‘the boys used to be with their “Pedagogues” during the “hours” – i.e. six till great a share in building at length ready for use. 71 half-past-seven – at which time the professors had their dinner; but the arrangement was not successful, and a few years later the “Pedagogues” were once more abolished and the professors The same year Wiseman obtained from Bishop Bernadou of Sens a major relic of St Edmund: dined again in the middle of the day.’ 68 his left fibula. Brought to the College for veneration soon afterwards, it took time for Edward Welby Pugin to design and construct an appropriate reliquary and so it was not until Opposite top: Sociis natoque penatibus et Talking of food, a minor change occurred under Weathers which saw puddings introduced at St Edmund’s Day 1861 that the relic returned to the College to be solemnly enshrined. To mark magnis dis parturient montes the end of dinner in place of the currant pudding, colloquially known as a ‘Cart-wheel’, which the occasion, Wiseman wrote the hymn O Beate mi Edmunde, familiar to all Edmundians. There Opposite below: nascetur ridiculus mus. used to be served as a sort of starter. Another sign that times were changing was when Weathers it remained, except for its presence in the Roman Court at the Great Exhibition and its occasional discontinued the practice of singing Mass in powdered hair. This policy change, we are told, visits to the sick and dying. Before the construction of the Shrine Chapel in 1905, it was kept Below: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, con created ‘a painful impression.’ 69 in the Lady Chapel. sectetuer adipiscing elit. The Opening of the New Chapel Weathers inherited the task of completing Pugin’s chapel, though he was reluctant, as Cox had been, to put the College into debt. In his Treatise on Rood Screens (1851) Pugin lamented the on-going delays with the ‘great Chapel,’ which though ‘very nearly complete, yet lingers on in an unfinished state, when a little effort might render it available for divine service, and, in the meantime, many students must quit the College without that true love of ecclesiastical art that is only imparted to the soul by a devout assistance at the functions of religion in these solemn edifices.’ 70 A final fundraising effort in 1852, helped by the convenient appearance of several legacies, meant that the chapel was ready to be opened the following year. Sadly, it was too late for the architect, who died at Ramsgate on 14 September 1852. The work at St Edmund’s continued DONEC PEDE JUSTO, under his son, Edward. FRINGILLA VEL ALIQUET The magnificent new chapel was consecrated by Cardinal Wiseman on Whit Monday, 15 May NEC VULPUTATE EGET ARCU. 1853 – quite an achievement since churches could only be consecrated when they were free from debt and, in the case of parish churches, this often took years if not decades. The ceremony IN ENIM JUSTO RHONCUS was highly complex and took five hours. The Cardinal consecrated the High Altar, while Bishop UT IMPERDIET A, VENENATIS Grant took care of the two screen altars. That evening, once everyone had recovered, Benediction VITAE JUSTO. of the Blessed Sacrament was held, using the new Pugin monstrance. The following Thursday (19 May) the chapel was formally opened. Bishop Grant celebrated Pontifical Mass and the Cardinal preached. The choir, which was directed by the Vice President, sang Haydn’s ‘Nelson’ (or ‘Imperial’) Mass. After lunch the community gathered again in the chapel for Pontifical Benediction, given by Bishop Wareing of Northampton, and the singing of Crookall’s new Te Deum. Bernard Ward later noted that: 0 | Chapter VI: Cardinal Wiseman and St Edmund’s Chapter VI: Cardinal Wiseman and St Edmund’s | 0 Course of Studies he course of studies was essentially that passed down from Douay and similar to the widely- Tused Jesuit Ratio Studiorum (1599). The teaching was based on ‘schools’, with separate classroom and master, rather than ‘forms’, which in many institutions implied just one bench in a large room of other ‘forms’. The course of studies traditionally involved: Rudiments I-III – study of first principles of Greek and Latin, together with passages from Scripture and secular authors (eg Cicero) and the Catechism (this was studiously read in all classes up to Rhetoric). Grammar – emphasis on Cicero, Aesop, Lucian, Cornelius Nepos, Quintus Curtius and Justin Syntax – work on Greek New Testament, Caesar, Sallust, Florus and more Cicero Poetry – Virgil as well as Ovid, Claudian, Statius and various Greek authors. History and geography was also studied. Rhetoric – work on Cicero, Horace, Seneca, Terence, Juvenal, Herodian, Isocrates, Demosthenes Above: New Wing 1876 and Xenophon. Between 1869 and the introduction of the House System, St Edmund’s was organised into two separate Divisions, each with differing status, bounds and rules. First Division students had more A further addition was made in 1857 in the form of the Crimean Window, erected in honour Above: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, con liberty, often acted as Prefects and used the Poets’ playroom and front field.