Every Popish Person: The Story of Roman Catholicism in Nova Scotia and the Church of Halifax 1604–1984 by J. Brian Hanington (review)

REVIEWS 447 of generalMaritime history.We need to know the overallstructureof economy, society, andreligioninthe•79ø- •83operiodtobeabletolocate on thegeneral terrainthesenewcontourlinesthattraceouttheoriginsof the Baptist movement. Oncethatisdone,thewholelandscape oftheperiodwillbe bathedin newlight. •;ORI•ON STEW.•RT Michigan StateUniversity Every Popish Person: The Story ofRoman Catholicism inNova Scotia and the Church of Halifax•6o4-•984. j. Ba•.•N •iAm•m•;Tom. [Halifax]:Archdiocese of Halifax 1984.Pp.272,illus.$18.95 Written primarily to commemoratethat 2ooth anniversaryof the legal establishment of RomanCatholicism in NovaScotia, thisbookmightbetter havebeentitled'EveryPopish Prelate.' The authorprovides a generaloverviewofchurch development withintheprovince butthetextfocuses primarily onthetenmenwho,since1842,haveserved asbishop andthenarchbishop of Halifax.Unfortunately, sostrong anemphasis hasbeenplaced ontheroleand personality ofafewleading clerics thatthereaderobtains littleinsight intothe largercharacter of Halifax Catholicism. The problems inherentin thisbiographical andelitistapproach tochurch history are repeatedly demonstrated in Hanington's book.For example,in describing theeruptionofanti-Catholic sentiment duringthe185os, nothing is saidaboutitsrelationship to ethnicandclass tensionwithincolonial society. Instead,the authorsimplyattributes the crisisto opportunistic politicians, most notably Joseph Howe,aboutwhomwearetoldlittle,otherthanthatthe bishop thoughtHowetobe'themostunintelligent person hehadevermet.'A parallel lack ofanalysis occurs whenHanington discusses thechurch's reponse, earlyinthetwentieth century, totheproblems generated byurban-industrial expansion. Theexistence ofliberal orsocialist opinions amongst eitherthelaity or lesser clergyisignored,presumably because enthusiasm for social reform did not exist within the bishop'spalace.The net effect of Hanington's approach istoleaveunanswered ahost ofmajorquestions abouttheinstitution he haschosen to study. Despite thenarrowhorizons withinwhichit operates, thisbookhasseveral strengths. Aboveall, it clearlyestablishes the Irish characterof Halifax Catholicism. The bonds ofethnicity reinforced those ofdenominationalism in such awayastocreate oneofthemajorpowerbases existing withinVictorian Canada. Nooneexploited thepotential ofthesituation morevigorously than did ThomasL. Connolly,archbishop from 1859 to 1876.This aggressive cleric, whoplayed aroleinthecarrying ofConfederation, creation ofseparate schools in Halifax, and articulationof opposition to the doctrineof papal infallibility at the FirstVaticanCouncil,is the majorheroof Hanington's study. The pitfalls ofhagiography are,however, avoided. Connolly, welearn, 448 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW was egotistical, self-indulgent, and'worldly' tothepointofscandalizing several of hiscontemporaries. Moreover,theauthorisrelatively frankwhendiscussingdisputes which ragedfromtimetotimewithinthediocese, moreoftenthan notinvolving women, academics, orAcadians. Overall,Hanington insists that theVictorian erawitnessed theemergence ofapowerful arrayofeducational, health,and welfareinstitutions withinthe Catholiccommunity of Halifax. Thus,by•9•4,thechurch leadership hadexchanged marginality foraposition of prestige andpower. Hanington's treatment ofthe postwar period is relatively summary but one getsthe impressionthat this was a time of mounting crisisfor Halifax Catholicism. Leadership cameto be exercised by anachronistic men,who equated churchvitalitywithcostly buildingprojects, suchasa newpalace for thearchbishop anda moderncampus for StMary's,thelocalinstitution of highereducation forCatholic males. By•95• thelatterproject hadcarried the archdiocese to the verge of bankruptcy.Althoughfinancialdisaster was ultimately averted, thenexttwodecades broughtnewadversity intheformof secularism andadecline ofreligious commitment. Renewal eventually arrived in thewakeof Vatican•, butbythenthepowerandinstitutional presence of theVictorianchurchhadlargelydisappeared. Wellwrittenand lavishly illustrated, thisbookis likelyto appealto the general reader.Scholars willbedisappointed byitsnarrowfocus andshallow analysis, but criticism shouldbe temperedby the realization thatthisisan ambitious andpioneeringeffort. If hisworkstimulates further research into thestudy of Halifax's Roman Catholic community, thenHanington willhave madea usefulcontribution toNovaScotian historiography. DAVm St•THEa•D Dalhousie University Les D•buts delamission dans leNord-Ouest canadien :Mission et•glise chez Mgr.Vital Grandin, o.m.i. (•829-•9o2).CI•At•DE CI•M•'•G•. Ottawa: Lesl•ditions de l'Universit• d'Ottawa•983. Pp.•76. $•o.oo Le but de l'•tude de ClaudeChampagneestmoinsde tracerl'histoiredes missions dans leNord-Ouest canadien quede,,comprendre laconception dela mission etlavision del'Eglise • hpartirdes•critsdeMgr VitalGrandin,o.m.i. (•8•9-•9o•). L'auteur situesonanalysedansla perspective de la nouvelle probl•matiquede l'histoiremissionnaire - l'exportationdes modulesde christianisme europ•en- tellequed•finieparl'•quipedeJacques Gadilleen France. L'ouvrage, qui estreproductiond'uneth•sede doctorat,suitun plantr•s classique. Le chapitrepremierrappelle,,la preparation/•l'actionmissionnaire ,,requeparGrandindanssonmilieuetpendantses •tudesth•ologiques. Un deuxi•me chapitreg•n•ral d•crit ,,le champmissionnaire ,, o• oeuvre Grandinet son•volution pendantla carri•re de l'Oblat. Trois chapitres ...