"Fight Between Pastor and Flock"
For my research question, I'm looking into something along the lines as to what the role of the Roman Catholic Church was during the Victorian Era.
Two men who identified as Roman Catholic, Patrick and Michael Doyle, were charged by Reverend Bernard Hughes for they "willfully interrupted and prevented the complainant in the performance of Divine service in the Roman Catholic Chapel at Decomet" (IPN). It seems as if the two were causing a disturbance during mass. My first initial question is as to why they would cause such a scene in their own religious home. It appears that earlier on, in late May, the Reverend made a statement saying any person who chooses to leave the church from here on out will be catechized as to their religious opinions. This means that they will be interrogated on their beliefs before exiting. The Doyle's did not agree with this sort of examination so they challenged it by making a scene almost a month later, in June 21st.
Patrick Doyle initiated the scene by calling the Reverend a liar and a hypocrite" (IPN). The Reverend explained how he could not allow such words to be spoken abruptly during a ceremony, and if the noise did not stop, he would have to arrest him. Towards the end of mass, Patrick decided to leave the church.
After his exit, he was then cross examined by multiple sources who asked him to reinstate what had happened in the church and his story changed every time. For clarification, they also questioned his brother Michael about what happened. Michael claimed that Patrick did not call the reverend a liar.
This makes me question what really happened. Did Patrick call the reverend a hypocrite or was this story made up for a different reason. Is the church trying to protect itself? If I take this route with my research, I would want to study what internal and external problems the church was having. Is it possible that Patrick was questioning his faith for the Reverend created a story to get him prosecuted? I know for a fact that the Church was powerful during this time. I truly am not positive if problems between the church and state. This is something I would want to look into to be able to further develop stories like this and find where I stand amongst it all.
FIGHT BETWEEN PASTOR AND FLOCK .
The Illustrated Police News etc (London, England), Saturday, July 11, 1868; Issue 230. British Library Newspapers, Part I: 1800-1900.
Two men who identified as Roman Catholic, Patrick and Michael Doyle, were charged by Reverend Bernard Hughes for they "willfully interrupted and prevented the complainant in the performance of Divine service in the Roman Catholic Chapel at Decomet" (IPN). It seems as if the two were causing a disturbance during mass. My first initial question is as to why they would cause such a scene in their own religious home. It appears that earlier on, in late May, the Reverend made a statement saying any person who chooses to leave the church from here on out will be catechized as to their religious opinions. This means that they will be interrogated on their beliefs before exiting. The Doyle's did not agree with this sort of examination so they challenged it by making a scene almost a month later, in June 21st.
Patrick Doyle initiated the scene by calling the Reverend a liar and a hypocrite" (IPN). The Reverend explained how he could not allow such words to be spoken abruptly during a ceremony, and if the noise did not stop, he would have to arrest him. Towards the end of mass, Patrick decided to leave the church.
After his exit, he was then cross examined by multiple sources who asked him to reinstate what had happened in the church and his story changed every time. For clarification, they also questioned his brother Michael about what happened. Michael claimed that Patrick did not call the reverend a liar.
This makes me question what really happened. Did Patrick call the reverend a hypocrite or was this story made up for a different reason. Is the church trying to protect itself? If I take this route with my research, I would want to study what internal and external problems the church was having. Is it possible that Patrick was questioning his faith for the Reverend created a story to get him prosecuted? I know for a fact that the Church was powerful during this time. I truly am not positive if problems between the church and state. This is something I would want to look into to be able to further develop stories like this and find where I stand amongst it all.
The Illustrated Police News etc (London, England), Saturday, July 11, 1868; Issue 230. British Library Newspapers, Part I: 1800-1900.
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