George Leo Haydock

George Leo Haydock was born on 11 April 1774 in Cottam, Preston, Lancashire,[1] the heart of Catholic resistance to the Penal Laws that the English government used to enforce Anglicanism.

He and his father were namesakes of an illustrious ancestor, Blessed George Haydock (1556–1584), a martyred "seminary priest" during the Elizabethan persecution, beatified in 1987.

[2] There was an unsettled period while English Catholic bishops made hasty provision for the continuing education in England of the many refugees from Douai.

He promptly repaired and improved the existing execrable 1768 thatched roof structure that served as a Catholic chapel and shortly thereafter began planning for a new one.

Haydock's tenure at Ugthorpe came during a critical period when the long era of persecution of English Catholics was finally drawing to a close.

To perpetuate religious disabilities, episcopal charges have been published, meetings of the clergy have been held, and petitions from dioceses, colleges and arch-deaconries have been poured into both houses of parliament.

Since interpretations of Scripture were a significant part of the anti-repeal effort, Haydock set out to complete what would become his Magnum Opus: commentary for a new edition of the English Catholic Bible.

It was revised and newly annotated in the 18th century by Richard Challoner (1691–1781), a scholar at University of Douai and then Vicar Apostolic of the London District, and later by Father Bernard MacMahon (1736?–1816).

As Haydock states in his Preface, "To obviate the misinterpretations of the many heretical works which disgrace the Scripture, and deluge this unhappy country, has been one main design of the present undertaking."

If the sources of the Ganges, Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates, be not now changed, and if these be the rivers which sprung from the fountains of Paradise, (both of which points are undecided), the garden must have comprised a great part of the world."

Given the enormous scope of annotating the entire Bible, he was unable to maintain the demanding production schedule in addition to his pastoral duties at Ugthorpe.

Different copies have general title pages dated 1811, 1812, 1813 or 1823,[7] showing variously Thomas Haydock's Manchester or Dublin locations.

English Catholics enthusiastically welcomed this impressive volume that symbolized a reinvigorated Catholicism on the verge of winning its long fight to repeal the Penal Laws.

This wide-ranging work includes, among other things, a detailed list of the duties expected of a contemporary Catholic priest as follows: "We have frequently to say Mass and the Divine Office, which occupies two hours every day, we are bound to attend to the work of the ministry, to catechize the ignorant, to instruct converts and strayed sheep both in public and in private, to attend for many hours in the cold confessional ( a delightful employment!

some dissolute but ignorant people would suppose,) to visit the sick, even those affected with the plague or the most contagious diseases, some of whom live at the distance of 30 or 40 miles from us.

After going through a course of education at the College for about 12 years, which costs annually between £40 and £50, we have to furnish a house and provide the necessary ornaments for the altar; wine, candles, books, &c. at our own charge, being debarred of any advantages from speculations in trade, or from Matrimony, that our thoughts may be wholly consecrated to the Lord and to the good of our people."

Prior to this, Haydock had disputed the transfer of a £300 donation originally intended for his Whitby mission to the recently established Ushaw College, Durham.

Given the generosity Haydock had shown in providing financial support from his own funds to his assigned missions, as well as the history of generous donations by his family, he felt ill-used by these actions.

), understanding too well her brother's temperament, later admonished him, "...keep quiet and silent in regard of your Bishop for I see plainly you will have nothing but vexation and no redress [;] beware of scandal by publishing your sentiments of him".

He began maintaining detailed baptismal records, providing fascinating insights into the social conditions of the time and the hardships facing his flock.

Irish immigration, especially resulting from the catastrophic Great Famine beginning in 1845, brought a large influx of these to the Penrith area, which was enjoying a wave of railroad construction.

The obvious potential for hostility came to a head in February 1846, when conflicts between gangs of Irish and English navvies required intervention by local authorities.

At one point, Haydock is credited with dissuading an Irish gang from a planned attack against these authorities, apparently using influence earned from his pastoral work.

He continued working zealously at the mission and began construction of a new church, a red sandstone gothic structure named for St. Catherine.

It includes his family motto: (Latin: "Tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium," meaning "Your sorrow shall be turned to joy") from St John 16:20.

It would remain continuously in print until at least 1910 with a long series of publishers in England and in America, where copies would be purchased by the Irish immigrant families of two American Presidents.

The following history of editions shows how the Haydock Bible with its changes over the years has made a continuing contribution to Catholic apologetics: Beginning with the ca.

However, modern historian Michael A. Mullett has pointed out they were a significant part of a liturgical renewal taking place among the growing Catholic recusant population on the verge of winning Emancipation.

Haydock also wrote lengthier works paraphrasing the Psalms and Canticles of the Roman Office and began a series of Biblical Disquisitions intended as a supplement to his Bible.

His publications also include an 1809 table entitled The Tree of Life, depicting a summary of Church history from Adam to the current time.