Above : Pope Pius VII, Pope At That Time

The circumstances of Ireland were, however, peculiar, and the Irish Bishops soon made their position clear. In 1808, they issued an official declaration that they did not hold it expedient that there should be any change in the present mode of electing bishops, and, as the question of State-payment of the clergy had also been raised, they added that they desired that they and their priests should remain, as heretofore, dependent for their revenues on the voluntary offerings of their people.