Manning's prophetic instinct proved correct. Pius IX. paused, reflected, took advice, and ultimately, not however without considerable misgivings, set aside all three of the Chapter's nominations, and on his own authority appointed Manning.[1] Now Manning led the English Ultramontanes in the Council of the Vatican.
But the task of Romanising the English Catholics was no easy thing. The literature of the Roman Communion in England and Ireland during the eighteenth and early nineteenth century shows how thoroughly saturated they were with Catholic as contrasted with Ultramontane convictions. It is difficult to obtain that literature in its genuine and original form to-day; for of course all works reprinted since 1870 have been altered into conformity with Vatican ideas. In some cases the process of reducing to conformity was begun at an earlier date. It is therefore with works printed before 1870 that we are now concerned.
1. For example, in the well-known Roman manual of theology by Berrington and Kirk, entitled the Faith of Catholics, confirmed by Scripture, and attested by the Fathers of the first five centuries—with St Vincent's maxim on the title-page ("that which has been believed always everywhere," etc.)—we find the following teaching on Infallibility:—
"It is no article of Catholic Faith to believe that the Pope is himself infallible, separated from the Church, even in expounding the Faith: by consequence, Papal definitions or decrees, in whatever form pronounced, taken exclusively from a General Council or acceptance of the Church, oblige no one under pain of heresy to an interior assent."[2]
This teaching, found in the edition of 1830, now disappears.
