Royal veto of the appointment of bishops facts for kids
The royal veto of bishop appointments was a big idea discussed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland between 1808 and 1829. It was part of a larger movement called Catholic Emancipation. This movement aimed to give Catholics more rights.
The idea of the veto was simple: if the Catholic Church wanted to bring back its full system of bishops in the UK, the British King or Queen (the Crown) should have the power to say "no" (veto) to any bishop they thought might be involved in political actions against the country. This rule would apply to the Catholic Churches in England, Ireland, and Scotland.
While some similar veto powers existed in other parts of Europe, and even some church leaders in the UK were okay with it, many Irish Catholics strongly opposed it. Especially the growing middle class did not want the British government to control who became an Irish bishop. They preferred that the Pope in Rome directly approve their bishops. In the end, Catholic Emancipation passed without this veto condition.
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Why the Veto Idea Started
Towards the end of the 1700s, strict laws against Catholics, known as penal laws, were still in place in Ireland and Britain. However, these laws were not enforced as harshly as before. Several reasons led to this change.
First, Catholics made up most of the population in Ireland. The British government worried that Irish Catholics might support France, which was a rival at the time. The government also knew that Catholic bishops and priests had a lot of influence over the people. They thought that if they could control who became a bishop, they could ensure the loyalty of the Catholic population.
When Maynooth College, a seminary for training priests, was being set up, the Irish bishops were asked important questions. They were asked if they would agree to the government appointing the college's leaders. They were also asked if they would let the king appoint bishops. Finally, they were asked how they would advise the Pope about such a proposal.
On February 17, 1795, the bishops said "no" to the first two ideas. For the third, they said they would advise people "not to agree to his Majesty's nomination if it could be avoided." But if it was unavoidable, they suggested the king could choose one person from a list of three recommended by other bishops.
Later, in 1799, as part of plans for the Union (joining Ireland with Britain), William Pitt wanted to pass a law to help Catholics. He asked Lord Castlereagh to make sure the king, George III of Great Britain, would be happy that no disloyal priest would become an Irish bishop. Ten bishops, who were trustees of Maynooth College, met and discussed this. They agreed that the government should be able to check the loyalty of anyone chosen to be a bishop. They suggested that the name of the chosen priest could be sent to the government. The government would then have a month to say if they suspected the person's loyalty. However, the bishops also said that any agreement must not harm the Catholic Church's rules or reduce the bishops' religious influence. They also made it clear that any agreement needed the Pope's approval.
The Pope's View
These ideas from the ten bishops in 1799 were not official decisions of all Irish bishops. They were just an opinion given under pressure. The Pope's office in Rome, called Propaganda, heard about these discussions. In June 1799, Cardinal Stefano Borgia wrote to Archbishop John Troy of Dublin, asking for the facts.
Archbishop Troy replied in August 1799, saying that no plan had been officially agreed upon. He explained that the bishops wanted to avoid the proposal but felt they could not. He also said they aimed to protect the Church's rights.
In 1800, Archbishop Troy wrote that the bishops felt stuck. He said, "We all wish to remain as we are." But he explained that if they completely refused the proposal, they would be seen as rebels. If they agreed without asking Rome, they would be seen as going against the Church. He famously said they were "between Scylla and Charybdis," meaning they were caught between two dangers.
From then on, the Irish bishops officially rejected any idea that would let the British government interfere with choosing Irish bishops.
The Veto Becomes Public
In 1805, Charles James Fox and Lord Grenville tried to get Parliament to remove the legal disadvantages faced by Irish Catholics. During the debate, the idea of "securities" for Catholic loyalty was mentioned publicly for the first time.
Then, on May 25, 1808, Henry Grattan, a politician, said he was allowed by Catholics to suggest that "no Catholic bishop be appointed without the entire approbation of His Majesty." Two days later, Lord Grenville made a similar proposal in the House of Lords. This is when the "veto" became a clear public issue in Ireland and England.
Strong Reactions
The Irish bishops reacted strongly. Bishop John Milner wrote that they "universally disavowed" what had been said about the veto. On September 14, 1808, they met and officially protested against the veto.
In 1810, a group called the English Catholic Board held a meeting in London. They passed a resolution that supported the veto. However, Bishop Milner, who represented the Irish bishops, was the only one who disagreed. The Irish bishops quickly condemned this resolution.
This showed a clear difference between most Irish Catholics, led by their bishops, and English Catholics, who were more open to the veto.
The 1813 Bill
In 1813, Grattan, George Canning, and Castlereagh introduced a new Catholic Relief Bill. This bill had a condition that would practically give a board of commissioners, chosen by the king, control over bishop appointments. It also said that anyone receiving documents from the Pope without this board's approval would be breaking the law. Even with these conditions, an amendment was added to the bill that would still stop Catholics from sitting and voting in Parliament.
The bill failed. The Irish bishops had said they could not accept it "without incurring the guilt of schism" (meaning a split from the Church). A few days later, Daniel O'Connell, a famous Irish leader, suggested thanking the bishops. Even though some Catholics disagreed, the motion passed by a large majority.
The Quarantotti Letter
Those who supported the veto were disappointed when the 1813 bill failed. They thought that if they could get the Pope's approval, the Irish bishops would no longer see the veto as a "schism." So, they told the Pope's office that Catholic Emancipation would greatly benefit the Catholic religion. They also said that the veto conditions were harmless.
Because of these reports, a church official named Mgr. Quarantotti issued a letter in February 1814. While he rejected some parts of the bill, he said that allowing the government to check the loyalty of bishops might be acceptable. This letter was not an order but a permission, allowing Catholics to accept or refuse the conditions.
However, this letter caused a huge uproar in Ireland. The Irish bishops sent two representatives, Murray and Milner, to the Pope. They explained that the letter was dangerous as it was. Pope Pius VII, who had been a prisoner when the letter was written, said that Mgr. Quarantotti "ought not to have written that letter without authority from the Holy See." The Pope then set up a group to study the issue.
A New Proposal from Rome
In April 1815, Cardinal Cardinal Litta, another church official, sent a letter outlining conditions under which Catholics could safely accept Emancipation. This letter rejected all previous arrangements. It stated that the government's demand to examine communications between Catholics and the Pope "cannot even be taken into consideration."
Regarding bishop appointments, the letter said that the Catholic oath already ensured loyalty. But to satisfy the government further, it allowed church leaders to give the king's ministers a list of candidates for bishoprics. However, it insisted that if the government found any name "obnoxious or suspected," they must say so "at once." Also, enough names must remain on the list, even after government objections, for the Pope to choose from.
Irish Catholic leaders sent people to Rome to tell the Pope how they felt. The Pope sent two replies, one to the bishops and one to the people. He stood by Cardinal Litta's letter, explaining why it was reasonable. This letter from Cardinal Litta was the last official document from the Pope on the veto question. However, the debate between those for and against the veto continued for some time.
The Veto Ends
The fight for Catholic rights seemed hopeless for a while. In December 1821, Daniel O'Connell even showed a kind of veto plan to a church leader to get his opinion.
But soon, things looked brighter. O'Connell started the Catholic Association in 1823. Through this group, he successfully campaigned for Catholic Emancipation. Six years later, the Catholic Emancipation Bill was passed for Catholics in Ireland and Britain. Importantly, it passed without the veto condition.
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