BIRTH OF BISHOP PATERSON—SUB-PRINCIPAL OF HIS COLLEGE BEFORE HIS STUDIES WERE FINISHED—HIS FIRST MISSION, TOMBAE—IN GREAT HONOUR THERE—DEVOTED TO THE POOR—FOUR YEARS LABOUR AT PAISLEY—COAD­JUTOR—CONSECRATED AT PAISLEY—DEPUTED TO RECOVER THE SCOTCH PROPERTIES IN FRANCE—HIS SKILL IN NEGOTIATION FINALLY PREVAILS— RECOVERS ALSO FOR THE IRISH COLLEGE—TRANSFERS THE TWO COLLEGES TO BLAIRS—SUCCESS OF BLAIRS—THREE DISTRICTS IN PLACE OF TWO— BISHOP PATERSON RETAINS THE EASTERN DISTRICT, WITH RESIDENCE AT EDINBURGH—IN 1828 SUCCEEDS BISHOP CAMERON—THE SAME YEAR CONSE­CRATES REV. ANDREW SCOTT—RECOVERS THE FUNDS IN FRANCE OF THE SCOTCH MISSION—PROMOTES EDUCATION— “CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION”— DEATH OF BISHOP PATERSON—THE EX-KING AND ROYAL FAMILY OF FRANCE, CARDINAL LATIL, BISHOPS SCOTT AND KYLE, TOGETHER WITH OTHER DISTIN­GUISHED ECCLESIASTICS, ATTEND HIS FUNERAL—APOSTOLIC CHARACTER OF DECEASED BISHOP—BISHOP RONALD M’DONALD—SUCCESS OF HIS EARLY STUDIES—SUCCEEDS BISHOP AENEAS CHISHOLM—HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS— RELIC OF IONA—IONA.

BISHOP PATERSON
Was one of those distinguished ecclesiastics whom the mission owed to the Catholic Enzie. He was born at Pathhead, in that country, in March, 1766. In his youth he spent a year of study at the Seminary of Scalan. At the age of thirteen he entered the College at Douai, and remained there till that house was broken up by the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1793. The great ability of which Mr. Paterson gave proof and the unexceptionable conduct which graced his early years won for him the favour of his seniors; and he was appointed sub-Principal of the College before he reached the end of the time usually allotted to study. On returning to Scotland he was stationed at Tombae, Banffshire, and remained there till 1812. In the remote district which became the scene of his labours, he was looked upon as nothing less than an oracle, by the Protestant as well as the Catholic community. More than this, he ever showed himself the friend and protector of the poor. In this relation he was powerful, and accomplished much good, having great influence with the Duke of Gordon and other local proprietors. Paisley, where missionary duty was onerous in the extreme, was his next mission. He had been there only four years when he was nominated Bishop of Cybistra and coadjutor, with right of succession to Bishop Cameron. The consecration took place at Paisley. The French Revolutionists, not satis­fied with breaking up the Scotch Colleges at Paris and Douai, seized and confiscated all the properties connected with them. It was hoped that under the rule of a more regular government those properties might, in a great measure, be recovered. Here was a field for the diplomatic ability of the learned Bishop. In the year 1821, accordingly, he repaired to Paris and commenced the difficult work of negotiation. He was vigorously opposed by a board consisting of both French and Irish members. But with all their ingenuity and cunning contrivances, they were no match for the skill and diplomatic power of the Bishop. They were completely baffled; and the greatest success possible in the circumstances was achieved on behalf of the mission. All the confiscated property of the Scotch Colleges in France that had not been sold under Revolu­tionary Governments was recovered. On the same occasion the Bishop bestowed his efforts in regaining for the Irish College its confiscated property, and with the like success.

Bishop Paterson conceived the happy idea of uniting the two Colleges of the Highlands and the Lowlands, in order that there might be one thoroughly efficient College. He lost no time in taking measures for carrying out this laudable design, and he was cordially and ably seconded by the late John Menzies, Esquire, of Pitfodels. This Catholic gentleman liberally presented the fine estate of Blairs, in Kincardineshire, six hundred acres in extent, and beautifully situated on the right bank of the river Dee, six miles from Aberdeen. The mansion house was enlarged and adapted for the purposes of a College. There remained only to transfer to it the establishments of Lismore and Aquorties. This was happily done; and a Seminary for all Scotland was at once in full operation. It was prosperous at its commencement; and it continues to prosper. Two Bishops and an Archbishop have already sprung from the ranks of its alumni, together with others who have won distinction in their ecclesiastical career.
It is said to be an evil to multiply princes. But this saying does not apply to the princes of the Church, who are the shepherds of the flock, appointed to guard them and lead them into whole­some pastures. The more they are multiplied, therefore, the better are the sheep of the fold protected and sustained by the salutary food of sound doctrine. Such considerations as well as the actual necessities of the mission called for the presence in Scotland of a third Bishop. With this end in view, the country was divided into three missionary districts. These divisions were termed, respectively, the Eastern, Western and Northern Vicariates Apostolic. In 1826 the Bishop visited Rome in order to obtain Papal sanction for this arrangement and the appointment of a Bishop. In February, 1828, he succeeded the deceased Bishop Cameron as Vicar-Apostolic of the Lowland district. In September of the same year he consecrated the Rev. Andrew Scott, who became Vicar-Apostolic of the Western district in succession to Bishop McDonald, the Rev. James Kyle appointed Vicar-Apostolic of the Northern district, and reserved for himself the Eastern and not least important division of the country. On occasion of his visit to Rome he was appointed a domestic chaplain to His Holiness the Pope.

The French revolution of 1830 caused the students of the Scotch mission who were pursuing their studies at Paris to return home. Bishop Paterson, regardless of personal danger, proceeded to Paris in September of the same year, in order to save if it were possible the college funds belonging to the Scotch mission from alienation. His success was great, beyond all expectation; so much so that he obtained from the existing Government the same management of the funds in question that he had exercised under the reign of Charles X. In consequence of this arrange­ment the students were enabled to return to Paris and recommence their studies. During the last three years of his life the Bishop resided chiefly at Edinburgh. Notwithstanding the various occupations that necessarily claimed his time, he was able to keep the Church in good repair and even add to its decorations. The cause of education had its clue share of attention. None under­stood better how advantageous sound education was to the Catholics of his charge and the rising Church of his country. At the period of his untimely death he was engaged in devising measures for the improvement of the Catholic schools and establishing them in a state of greater effi­ciency and respectability.

The final deliverance of the Catholics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from almost all the remaining legal disabilities took place during the pontificate of Bishop Paterson. The “Catholic Emancipation Bill,” as it was called, passed through both Houses of Parliament and received the Royal Assent, after having surmounted all the difficulties that were thrown in its way, by the still existing bigotry of the country. It was at last conceded to the fears, rather than granted by the liberality and good will of Parliament. The words of the Duke of Wellington leave no doubt as to this unpleasant historical fact. In moving the second reading of the bill in the House of Lords, the Duke of Wellington said: “My Lords, I am one of those who have prob­ably passed a longer period of my life engaged in war than most men, and principally, I may say, in civil war; and I must say this, that if I could avoid by any sacrifice whatever, even one month of civil war in the country to which I am attached, I would sacrifice my life in order to do it. I say there is nothing that destroys property and prosperity and demoralizes character to the degree that civil war does; by it the hand of man is raised against his neighbour, against his brother and against his father; the servant betrays his master, and the whole scene ends in confu­sion and devastation. Yet, my lords, this is the resource to which we must have looked, these are the means to which we must have applied in order to have put an end to this state of things if we had not made the option of bringing forward the measures for which I hold myself respon­sible.” The eminent statesman, Sir Robert Peel, in his memoirs, corroborates the testimony of the immortal Wellington: “I can with truth affirm, as I do solemnly affirm in the presence of Almighty God, ‘to whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid,’ that in advising and promoting the measures of 1829, I was swayed by no fear except the fear of public calamity, and that I acted throughout on a deep conviction that those measures were not only conducive to the general welfare but that they had become imperatively necessary in order to avert from interests which had a special claim upon my support, the interests of the Church and of institutions connected with the Church—an imminent and increasing danger.”

The great change, with its accompanying circumstances, must now be recorded. On Friday, 28th October, 1831, Bishop Paterson left Edinburgh for Dundee, in order to conduct the services in the latter city on occasion of a contribution being raised towards the funds of the Infirmary of that place. On the following Sunday the Bishop celebrated and preached after Mass. The Church was crowded, many respectable Protestants being present. The Bishop’s dignified appearance in his gorgeous episcopal robes, together with his earnest words, produced a most favourable impression. His text was from that passage of the prophet psalmist; “Blessed, is he who consid­ereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” He made a powerful appeal to the feeling of his audience in favour of the excellent Institution in behalf of which he was preaching. Speaking of the liberality which distinguished the management of this institution, he said: “Thanks to the liberal enactments of our Legislature the day has now gone by when it was enquired of our suffering fellow-brethren, whether they were Protestant or Catholic.” In another part of his sermon, as if anticipating what was so soon to happen, he said: “Let not your hearts be deluded by the love of that wealth which perisheth, let not your eyes be dazzled by the glit­tering of gold or silver. All these shall soon pass away. You and I shall soon have to appear before the tribunal of the Sovereign judge to give an account of the use which we have made of the mammon of this world; and nothing shall remain except what we shall have employed in relieving the miseries of the distressed.” Towards the close of his discourse, which was about three-quarters of an hour in length, his voice began to falter. Nevertheless, he was able to conclude with a glowing eulogium of the Infirmary, and insisted on the necessity of contributing towards the relief and comfort of those who, though now laid on a bed of sickness, had perhaps seen better days. He withdrew from the pulpit a little after one o’clock. On entering the vestry, he complained of a violent pain in his head, and a few moments later he exclaimed: “O God, I am dying! O God, have mercy on my soul.” In five minutes more, he was speechless. A physi­cian was speedily called, who bled him profusely; but the bleeding gave him no relief. The Sacraments of the dying were then administered; and at twenty minutes past four o’clock he expired, thus departing to his reward, whilst humanely and charitably labouring to promote the relief of the poor and afflicted.

In compliance with the wish of the deceased Bishop’s friends, his remains were conveyed to Edinburgh, with the purpose of being laid at rest in his own church. An apartment of the Epis­copal residence was appropriately prepared; and there, according to the rites of the Church, the body lay for some time, arrayed in pontifical robes with mitre, cross, ring and crosier. Among the numbers who came to pay a last tribute of respect to the departed. were the ex-King, Charles X., and the Royal Family of France. The funeral service was performed in St. Mary’s Church; and so great was the desire to be present that it was found necessary to issue tickets of admis­sion. His Eminence Cardinal Latil and the Right Rev. Bishops Scott and Kyle participated in the solemn obsequies. The Rev. William Reid, assisted by the Rev. John Murdoch, afterwards Bishop in the West, and the. Rev. James McKay, who died lately at a very advanced age, cele­brated the Mass of Requiem. The Rev. Alex. Badenoch, with the fine feeling for which he was remarkable, delivered an appropriate funeral discourse; and when all the ceremonies prescribed by the Ritual were concluded, the body was reverently consigned to its final resting place.

It is but justice to Bishop Paterson to say that he assiduously employed his abilities, which were of a high, if not, perhaps of the very highest order, in promoting the good of the Church and the welfare of his fellow-Catholics. He was of the strictest principle, and never swerved from what he believed to be true and just. He generally formed his resolutions with exquisite judgment and carried them out, not unfrequently in the face of formidable opposition, with unflinching firm­ness. His negotiations in regard to the Scotch property in France, which proved so successful, showed that he was possessed in no small degree of diplomatic skill. At home the simplicity of his life, his kindly manners and truly apostolic character, gave him an influence which nothing could resist. He was an enemy to controversial disputation, which seldom results in conviction, but, on the contrary, widens the breaches, already unhappily existing between Christians. Such discussions are scarcely ever conducted with that coolness and regard to charity, which alone could render them useful and instructive. Hence, the venerable Bishop believed that they mili­tated against that mutual forbearance and good-will among all classes and denominations which he constantly preached.

RANALD M’DONALD, (1820-1832).
This Prelate, although born at Edinburgh, was of Highland parentage. In very early life he was sent to the Scotch College of Douai. He there passed through the usual course of study in a most creditable manner, becoming an excellent classical scholar. As soon as his studies were completed he was ordained priest and returned to his native country. From this time (1782), till he was raised to Episcopal dignity in 1820, he ceased not to discharge with exemplary zeal and more than ordinary ability the onerous duties of a missionary apostolic. His first station was in Glengairn, Aberdeenshire, where he laboured for a few years and was thence transferred to Glengarry. His next mission. was in the Island of Uist, where there was a numerous and scat­tered congregation. On the demise of Bishop Aeneas Chisholm he was nominated Bishop of Aeryndela and Vicar-Apostolic of the Highland district. The Briefs appointing him were issued in autumn, 1819, and he was consecrated Bishop by Bishop Paterson at Edinburgh towards the end of February, 1820. During his Episcopate he led a very secluded life; but never lost that grace of manner which distinguishes the Christian gentleman. Although remote from what is called Society, he possessed more true refinement than many of those who spend their lives in the highest circles. His attainments as a scholar were of the highest order; and, even in his old age, he could write and speak Latin with the utmost facility, purity and elegance. It was due to his literary acquirements that he was frequently called upon to act as secretary at the meetings of the clergy. Although it adds nothing to the merit of the accomplished Bishop, it is, neverthe­less, illustrative of his time that he possessed a relic of Iona—Iona, that was so long the abode of the Apostolic Saint Columba, and whence he so often went forth to preach the Gospel to the barbarian Picts; Iona, that for centuries spread the light of religion, like a glory, over the surrounding lands; Iona, where for many generations were sepulchred the Kings of Scotland, and where lesser potentates, the Kings of the Isles, were often laid at rest with all the honours usually clone to royalty; Iona, that, impervious to time and war, survived the depredations of the heathen Dane; Iona, the very thought of which and its holy associations so moved the critical mind of Doctor Johnson that he exclaimed: “That man is little to be envied whose devotion would not grow warmer amid the ruins of Iona!” Iona, the odour of whose centuries of excel­lence still hangs around its ruined walls; Iona, a place of pilgrimage, to which repair devout Catholics in order to offer up their prayers and renew their fervour at the fallen temple and the broken shrine; Iona, the scattered stones of, which, as if endowed with the eloquence of Columba, proclaim aloud the long discarded truth to an unbelieving nation.