Father Hand, Founder of All Hallows Catholic College for the Foreign Missions (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. AN INSPIRATION. Contents.--Father Hand's inspiration to establish a College for the education of Missionaries to minister to Irish Catholics abroad--His plan of carrying out this project--He is pronounced rash by those from whom he expected encouragement--His earnest confidence won the support of Archbishop Murray--He is sent to the National Board Normal School, Marlborought Sreet, to give religious instruction to the Teachers in Training--A distinguished writer is deeply impressed by his method of teaching the Catechism--His interview with Archbishop Murray--His letter to every Bishop in Ireland on his proposed College. About the year 1838, the Rev. Mr. O'Toole, a learned and earnest Irish priest, who had been educated on the Continent, arrived in this country from France. He was instructed with the mission of recommending to the Catholics of Ireland, the Association for the Propagation of the Faith, and Dr. Murray, the Archbishop of Dublin, gave him a most cordial reception. The work of the Association soon prospered, and among the first to establish a branch of it were the Fathers of the Congregation of the Mission, in their little church at Phibsborough. Father Hand took charge of this, for time was developing in him day by day new springs of action, and the years as they rolled on were extending the field of his marvellous zeal. The Annals of the Association kindled all the enthusiasm of his nature, and as he often read them far into the night, the martyrs, who left a crimson-stain on many a heathen land in the East, passed before him, wearing their crowns and waving their palms. Turning to the perilous wanderings of the missionaries in the great lone land of the West, he thought of the scattered children of his own...