Financing the faith : Scottish Catholicism, 1772-c.1890
This thesis considers the financial development of the Catholic Church in Scotland between 1772 and circa 1890. In 1772, the Church was heavily reliant on external, normally insufficient sources of income. The dangers of this over-reliance became clear when the progress of the French Revolution destroyed the Church's foreign financial bases and saw the loss of its continental colleges. Consequently, and for the first time, the Church turned to the Catholic laity for financial support. This represented a significant cultural shift for a community which was unaccustomed to providing such support. But recognising the Church's financial needs, the laity responded generously to this appeal and in many places raised additional funds to support their priests. Very quickly this financial necessity was subsumed into a larger narrative of religious duty and idealism, so that to financially support the Church was now also crucial to an individual's spiritual and temporal well-being. By the early decades of the nineteenth century, financial voluntarism was well embedded in the Catholic community and ordinary Catholics had assumed responsibility for financing many of the Church's activities. As the century progressed,
Tierney, Darren
Catholic Church
Financing the faith : Scottish Catholicism, 1772-c.1890. This thesis considers the financial development of the Catholic Church in Scotland between 1772 and circa 1890. In 1772, the Church was heavily reliant on external, normally insufficient sources of income. The dangers of this over-reliance became clear when the progress of the French Revolution destroyed the Church's foreign financial bases and saw the loss of its continental colleges. Consequently, and for the first time, the Church turned to the Catholic laity for financial support. This represented a significant cultural shift for a community which was unaccustomed to providing such support. But recognising the Church's financial needs, the laity responded generously to this appeal and in many places raised additional funds to support their priests. Very quickly this financial necessity was subsumed into a larger narrative of religious duty and idealism, so that to financially support the Church was now also crucial to an individual's spiritual and temporal well-being. By the early decades of the nineteenth century, financial voluntarism was well embedded in the Catholic community and ordinary Catholics had assumed responsibility for financing many of the Church's activities. As the century progressed,
financing faith scottish catholicism considers financial development catholic_church scotland circa church heavily reliant external normally insufficient source income danger over reliance become_clear progress french_revolution destroy church foreign financial base saw loss continental college consequently first_time church turn catholic laity financial support represent_significant cultural shift community provide support recognise church financial need laity respond generously appeal many place raise additional fund support priest quickly financial necessity subsume large narrative religious duty idealism financially support church also crucial individual spiritual temporal well_being financial voluntarism well embed catholic community ordinary catholics assumed responsibility finance many church activity century progress