|
Father Charles Neale, S.J., (1751-1823) was a leader of the Jesuit mission in America. He was born in the Catholic colony of Maryland to a prominent family, descended from Captain James Neale, who had settled in the colony in 1642 with a royal grant of land of two thousand acres. The family traced its origins to the noble O'Neill family of Ireland, from whom came the kings of Ulster. Among his direct descendants were Oswald Neale〔(Carmel in America, Chapter 5:The New World )〕 (grandfather to Charles) and his brother, Father Bennett Neale, S.J., one of the first Jesuits in the English colony. Charles' siblings included Father William Chandler Neale, S.J. (1743-1799), who left America to enter the Jesuit order in Flanders and spent his life ministering to the Catholics of England, where he died. The next two brothers also took this step, but both died before they were able to complete their training. Charles was among the youngest three sons, all of whom also became Jesuit priests. They were Father Francis Neale, S.J., the president of Georgetown College, and the Most Reverend Leonard Neale, S.J., who also served as president of Georgetown and later became the Archbishop of Baltimore.〔(St.Joseph Mission SJ Parish Records 1747 )〕 One sister, Anne, became a nun of the Order of Poor Clares in France.〔Carmel in America〕 The other children of the family included another sister, Eleanor, who married a John Holmes, and a brother Ralph, who was the only son to marry. On September 7, 1771, Charles Neale entered the same Jesuit novitiate as his older brothers. Two years later, however—before he was able to take religious vows as a Jesuit—the worldwide suppression of the Society of Jesus was authorized by the Pope. Due to his poor health, Charles was then advised to join with other former members of the Society and to continue his seminary studies in Ghent, where he was ordained around 1780. Shortly after his ordination, he was persuaded by the prioress of an English community of Discalced Carmelite nuns in Antwerp. The prioress, Mother Mary Margaret of the Angels, O.C.D., born Mary Brent in Maryland, was Neale's cousin through his grandmother, the wife of his grandfather, Oswald Neale. Over the ten years Neale served this community, he maintained contact with his friends and colleagues back in Maryland. Through this dialogue, the nuns were encouraged to attempt a foundation in the new nation, the United States of America, which had emerged from the American Revolution during that period. The decision was made and Neale offered to accompany the women on their return voyage to their native land. Initially, the intention was to have his cousin, Mother Mary Margaret, lead the new foundation; her death in 1784 precluded that. The small community was to be led by Mother Bernardina Teresa Xavier of St. Joseph, O.C.D. (born Ann Teresa Matthews), who was to serve as prioress. (Her older brother was also a former Jesuit priest still serving the Maryland Mission, who died one month before her return.) She was accompanied by her nieces, Sisters Mary Eleanora of St. Francis Xavier, O.C.D., and Mary Aloysia of the Blessed Trinity, O.C.D. (Susana and Ann Teresa Matthews). The final member had been chosen by Mr. Neale himself, Sister Clare Joseph of the Sacred Heart, O.C.D. (born Frances Dickinson), who was an Englishwoman.〔''Carmel in America, Chapter 6〕〔(Chronicles of Baltimore )〕 ==The Voyage== The small contingent sailed from the port of Texel on May 1, 1790, on a ship called "The Brothers", commanded by one Captain MacDougal, a Scotsman. Though the captain had advertised New York as the destination, he failed to advise the passengers that he was carrying cargo destined for the Canary Islands, which was a detour of some two thousand miles. The voyage was a difficult one, due both to the weather, and the lack of provisions, from the captain's unwillingness to provide adequate food for either the crew or passengers. Additionally, according to the account by the nuns, when they landed in Tenerife to drop off the cargo, local church authorities heard reports bandied about by the captain that the women were fleeing their monastery in order to marry the priests. Another priest on the ship, one Mr. Plunkett, went to the authorities to scotch the rumor. Nevertheless, Neale and the nuns stayed on board out of fear of being arrested by the Spanish Inquisition〔"Carmel in America" Chapter 8: The Voyage"〕 The ship finally arrived in New York on May 31. They stayed in the city for a month, sailing out on the Fourth of July, for Norfolk, Virginia, where they landed five days later. They then transferred to a sloop, for the final leg of the journey to Maryland, where they arrived on July 10. They then stayed for a week at the home of the brother of the late Mother Mary Margaret and Mr. Neale's cousin, before proceeding to Port Tobacco, St. Mary's County, the county seat, where Neale built them a house at his own expense. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Charles Neale」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|