Only accession to the throne remains as an impediment to full participation in public life for in England today Catholics today, whereas 400 years ago it was a treasonable offence to celebrate or attend Mass, punishable by the death penalty.   Fr Doolan gives a summary of the main clauses of the several Catholic Relief Acts which passed into British law between 1788 and 1976, together with the background leading to these changes in legislation. He details successively the First Catholic Relief Act of 1788, the Second of 1791, the Third of 1829, and further acts of 1926 and 1976.  A fascinating insight into the legal restrictions on Catholics in England which held for over 200 years after the Reformation, and only gradually diminished during the next 200.

HOW TO LISTEN TO THIS TALK     Playing time 38 minutes

Dr Johnson outlines the situation for English Catholics on the eve of emancipation experienced from the point of view of the clergy and seminarians in the exiled colleges in Europe, principally the Lisbon College. The mid 18th century was the nadir of English Catholicism at home and abroad.  It saw the collapse of the English College at Douai and all missionary colleges in Europe with the exception of Lisbon College.  Without the influence of external events such as the French Revolution and Irish immigration the English Catholic community may well not have survived.  Dr Simon Johnson is Keeper of the Archives and Library at Downside Abbey, Somerset.   He is the present authority on the history of the Lisbon College, and this was the subject of his doctorate.  He is Chairman of the ECHA and a Director of the Catholic Record Society.  This talk was given in 2010.

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Bishop Brownlow  was born the son of an Anglican clergyman.  He was influenced by evangelical preaching and then was drawn towards Catholicism.  He corresponded with John Henry Newman, and wrote numerous books and pamphlets on the Catholic faith after his conversion.  As a priest in the diocese of Plymouth, and as Bishop of Clifton he preached and worked tirelessly for the spreading of the Gospel.  This is a fascinating introduction to this Victorian Catholic gentleman and priest who deserves to be better known.  Dr Giles Mercer KSG is  a trustee of the Clifton Diocese, and a former Headmaster of Stonyhurst and Prior Park. His full biography of Bishop Brownlow will appear in 2014.

HOW TO LISTEN TO THIS TALK     Playing time 53 minutes

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