Walsh, Thomas

WALSH, THOMAS. - Bishop, b. in London in Oct. 1777, d. there on 18 Feb. 1849. Left fatherless at a tender age, his mother - who was a Protestant - entrusted him to the Anglican College of St-Albans; but an uncle had him transferred to the Catholic one of St-Omer.

This measure made W. one of the champions of English Catholicism, for the young man embraced the ecclesiastical state and for half a century, from his ordination (1800), devoted himself entirely to the spread of Catholicism among his fellow countrymen. Secretary, from 1801, of one of the apostolic vicariates into which England was then divided, namely that of the Midland District, for a full quarter of a century he carried out tireless missionary work with notable successes. A true apostle by temperament, he distinguished himself by his speech and by his writings, until he was consecrated titular bishop of Cambysopolis in 1825, and assigned as coadjutor to the apostolic vicar Msgr. Milner. The following year, upon Milner's death, he in turn became vicar of the Midland, which he governed for fourteen years, linking his name to the construction of the cathedrals of Birmingham and Nottingham, of the College of St. Mary and of numerous other churches and religious houses. In years when the progress of Catholicism was regarded as a threat to the national institutions, Msgr. W. did not let himself be discouraged by the obstacles of every kind that opposed his activity, multiplying the number of conversions and preparing in the seminaries a numerous and learned clergy: his glory was having foreseen the future greatness of Wiseman, whom he made his own secretary and then his most faithful coadjutor. In 1840, when his vicariate was split into the two districts of the Centre and the East, he reserved the first for himself, whence he was transferred in 1848 to govern that of London. Meanwhile the reconstitution of the Catholic hierarchy in the United Kingdom was being prepared, and W.'s transfer to London foreshadowed his appointment as head of the reborn Church of England when death overtook him; but Pius IX, in creating Wiseman archbishop of Westminster and cardinal, declared expressly that in him he was also honoring his great teacher.

Renzo U. Montini.