By James Tarbox

Henry Edward Manning – Cardinal of the Catholic Church, scholar, orator, theologian and pastor, one of the dominant figures of English speaking Catholicism. He has been, according to a man in a unique position to know, badly treated – even ignored – by history.

“Cardinal Manning’s life and contributions to the Catholic Church have either been ignored or misinterpreted,” according to Dr. Channing Jeschke, Librarian of the Pitts Theology Library at Emory University. “Manning’s contributions to the First Vatican Council and his work with the poorer members of England’s Catholic community have been somewhat ignored since his death in 1892.

Jeschke’s interest in Manning started in 1974 when the Pitts Library happened to purchase 800 volumes from Manning’s private library and the library of the oblates of Saint Charles, a religious order Manning founded at Saint Mary of the Angels Church in England.

“That first group of 800 books was an excellent collection, a fine start,” Dr. Jeschke said, “and we got them for a great price too - $4,900.”

The first purchase of books from the library of Cardinal Manning was the start of an interest in Manning that would culminate with Emory University holding the largest single collection on Manning in the world.

“We believe that we have the principal Manning collection in the world, anywhere,” said Dr. Jeschke, “but putting it together has taken some time.”

After the initial purchase of 800 works in 1974, things were pretty quiet until the spring of 1977 when Anthony Garnett, an English immigrant, contacted Emory and told Dr. Jeschke that he had most of the remainder of the Manning library in his possession.

“It turned out that he had 5,000 items,” DJ said, 3,500 books and 1,500 manuscripts. They included Manning’s personal collection of books, going back to his college days, sermons, notes on the Vatican Council, devotionals, everything. I knew we had to have it.”

Initially it was Garnett’s hope that a Catholic school would show an interest in the collection but surprisingly none did. At that point Garnett and Jeschke entered into serious negotiations using Benjamin Weinreb as a go-between.

“Negotiating something like this borders on the Byzantine,” smiled DJ. After rounds of talks Emory managed to secure the entire collection at a compromise price of $63,190 – “a steal” according to Jeschke.

Manning has been a long neglected figure in the Catholic Church. Linked forever in the minds of many with his contemporary, John Henry Newman, Mannings, contributions to the church have fallen out of the public eye.

“Manning spoke to the same issues that confront Catholics today,” Dr. Jeschke said. “The question of authority in the Church – particularly the subject of papal infallibility – and the need to develop a real social awareness were two of the dominant issues in his life as a Christian.”

It is true; Manning is as contemporary as today’s religious controversies.

Born into a comfortable family, Manning became an Anglican clergyman but, quite early on, became disillusioned with the Anglican Church.

Active in what came to be known as the Oxford movement, an attempt to make the Church of England more “Catholic” by renewing its liturgy and commitment to the poor. Manning left the Anglican Church in 1851 and became a Catholic.

It was only a matter of months before he was ordained a priest and became active in pastoral work.

Less than 15 year later Pope Pius IX appointed Henry Edward Manning Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.

“The appointment was a stroke of genius,” according to Dr. Jeschke, “In Manning, Pope Pius IX gained a strong voice supporting papal authority and a spokesman for the poor as well.”

While it is true that Manning led the fight to establish Irish immigrants in the industrialized areas of England, (a fact many either forget or choose to overlook), the English prelate is best remembered for his role at the First Vatican Council.

“Manning was the leader in the debate on papal infallibility,” Dr. Jeschke said. “It was his presence at the Council that insured its adoption.”

Though Manning favored, and fought for, the doctrine of infallibility, it must be understood that he believed authority was the only way for the Church to respond to the strong challenges of nationalism and secularism sweeping Europe.

“Manning’s strong defense of papal authority has obscured his human side,” believes Dr. Jeschke, “He strongly supported a parochial school system in England (that failed because English schools finally admitted Catholics) and really alienated the aristocracy due to this championing the Irish cause.”

It is Dr. Jeschke’s hope that the Pitts Theology Library will become a “Manning Center,” leading to a renewal of interest in the cardinal.

“Right now Newman has the interest of most scholars,” Dr. Jeschke said. “It’s about time that Manning had his moment.”

Criticized for being an authoritarian, a cold and aloof man, almost inhuman, Manning’s reputation now rides on a vast collection of works at Emory’s Theological Library. Scholars, for those are the ones who will have clearest access, wait and bide their time.