The next important movement in advance was the change from the missionary status of government by vicars-apostolic to the normal government by territorial bishops. The agitation for this was an old one, but it only acquired sufficient driving force to win after 1830. A temporary half-way measure was the division of the four districts into eight, made by Gregory XVI. in 1840, but other developments were to follow, and at length after much discus sion and consultation, an ecclesiastical hierarchy was ordered by Pius IX., on Sept. 29, 1850. It comprised an archdiocese of Westminster and twelve episcopal sees. Nicholas Wiseman (1802-1865), a Roman scholar of wide repute, son of an Irish merchant in Seville, and descended from an old Essex family of recusants, became the first archbishop, and was made cardinal. In the course of the next year or two the other sees were filled as well as circumstances allowed. Moreover, the new dioceses were gradually organized, and provincial councils were held at Oscott in 1853, 1855 and 1859, and at Ware in 1873. Following on the Irish Famine of 1847, immigration on a large scale from Ireland led to a phenomenal increase in the number of the flock, and provided new energy and vigour for the work of the Church. For whereas in 1814 the bishops returned their people as about 160,000 in all, and in 1837 as about 400,00o, in 1851 the census pointed to not less than 800,000.
The "Oxford Movement" (1833-1845) proved to be a power ful help in providing many cultured leaders and preachers for the advancement of the Church. At first, confined to the Church of England, it found an issue for many of its most illustrious sup porters in submission to the Holy See. Such was the case with John Henry Newman, Ward, Oakeley, Faber, Coffin, Coleridge, Lockhart, Brownlow, Northcote and a host of others. Beginning with it, a stream of converts, clerical and lay, has flowed from the Established Church, now greater now less, but never inter rupted even to the present time. It was an accession small in numbers compared with the influx from Ireland, but important on account of the learning, influence and character of its members.
At Wiseman's death, one of the chief Oxford converts, Henry Edward Manning, was chosen to succeed him, and he governed the see for 27 years (1865-1892), being made cardinal in 1875. It is not solely for his life-long struggle to provide a Catholic education for the poor, nor for his foundation of the Oblates of St. Charles, nor his attempt to found a Catholic university, but for his championship of social reform and justice for the workers that Manning won a remarkable position of trust and veneration as one of the leading men in the England of his day. Herbert Vaughan, bishop of Salford, founder of the Mill Hill Missionary college, was next called to the see of Westminster and the car dinalate (1892-1903). He obtained a reversal of the policy of the Holy See forbidding Catholics to attend the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and was a party to the arrangement by which the elementary schools, while provided by the contribu tions of the faithful, were to enjoy full maintenance by the State, according to Balfour's school act of 1902. He also built a noble Cathedral at Westminster designed for him by J. F. Bentley, which has taken a place in the life of London that has fully justified his courageous forecast. In 1903 he was followed by Bishop Francis Bourne of Southwark, who was raised to the cardinalate in 1911. Much progress has been made since. Three archbishoprics have been established, namely, at Liverpool, Birmingham and Cardiff, while the number of diocesan sees has also been increased. The number of converts from other religious bodies, which was about 7,000 in Vaughan's time, has risen to about 12,000 a year. There has been a notable multiplication of
churches, schools, clergy, institutions and religious houses. More over, though thoroughly reliable figures cannot be had, because of the lack of a government census of religions, there is every reason to believe from conversion, difference of birth-rate and emigration, that the number of Catholics has greatly increased. From what can be gathered from baptisms, schools and private enumeration it should seem that the total is now at least 2,500, 00o. As one factor in the situation, Catholic infant baptisms average one tenth of the births in England. The number of priests exceeds 4,000.
George Browne, an Augustinian of Blackfriars, London, was appointed by Henry VIII., to the see of Dublin without any reference to the pope (I534)• Acts drawn up"by the Privy Coun cil for the royal supremacy, against the authority of the bishop of Rome, for the first fruits to the king, etc., were passed by the Dublin parliament (1536), but other acts against the power of the pope and the tax of the twentieth on benefices were passed only when the votes of the ecclesiastical proctors were with drawn. Browne, impeded by dissensions in the Council of Ire land and by opposition from the clergy, was a failure as a re former. But he burned shrines within the Pale and the staff of Jesus (St. Patrick's Crozier) in Dublin. On the sole ground that the religious houses were addicted to "superstitious cere monies" and the "pestiferous doctrines of the Romish Pontiff" tney were suppressed (1539). Leases and grants of the temporali ties and spiritualities were made to obedient lords and officials, many of whose descendants owe their titles and lands to these confiscations. The plate, jewels, and ornaments were reserved for Henry. There were about 556 religious houses, many possessed of immense wealth derived from grants. In Dublin alone the annual revenue amounted to £2,600 (about £40,000 in 1914 value). In all cases the surrender was made to appear volun tary, small pensions were granted to the heads of the houses but the other members were sent adrift penniless. The Irish princes now made their surrender to Henry, renouncing the Pope's jurisdiction by oath, and in return received back their lands and titles. To make Henry's position more secure, parliament (1541) conferred on him the title "king of Ireland" in the presence of two archbishops, twelve bishops, Anglo-Norman earls, lords, and barons, and some Irish noblemen. Though it is beyond question that the majority of the Irish bishops temporised and accepted the Supremacy, yet their action had practically no effect on the clergy and people. Under Edward VI. the "Order of Communion" (1548), attached to the Latin Liturgy, the First Book of Common Prayer (1551), and the Second Book (1552) were introduced, but the bishops as a body refused to use them as they were sub versive of the mass. The priests abstained from the churches, and celebrated mass and preached to the people in private. The reform then depended mainly on Browne, Staples of Meath, and the new married bishops. Deputy Sentleger arrived in Dublin (Nov. 1553) with instructions from Queen Mary to restore the old religion, but to grant liberty of worship to all. The Reform bishops who submitted were continued in their sees, but the mar ried ones were deprived of theirs (155'4). Mary renounced the title "Head of the Church in Ireland" but she was confirmed by Pope Paul IV. as queen of Ireland. There was, however, no res toration of religious houses (except the Hospitallers, Kilmain ham), or persecution of Protestants.