Above : Painting Of The Czar Of Russia, One Of Influence In Episcopal Appointments

By the closing decades of the eighteenth century, it had become sufficiently clear to the Government authorities that the attempt to sever the connection of the bulk of the Irish people with the Church of Rome might, for practical purposes, as well be abandoned. This being so, the prudent course appeared to be to endeavour to establish such relations between the State and the Catholic clergy as would induce these to exercise their great influence over their flocks more or less in the Government’s favour.

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.