Abstract
Reviewed by: Kirsteen M. MacKenzie, Aberdeen, UK
Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in early modern British and Irish Catholicism which has examined its many different aspects both in Britain and Ireland and Europe. It has developed into a large specialized subgenre within early modern studies. Confessional Mobility and English Catholics in Counter-Reformation Europe allows scholars the opportunity to step back and take a wider perspective on an increasingly crowded and specialized area. This monograph examines the fortunes of English Catholics who travelled in and between England and Europe from c.1660 to c.1720. The central emphasis of the book is the mobility of English Catholics, both as an inward journey of self-discovery and as external travel between England and Europe. In doing so it aims to break down national borders and traditional structural approaches to the subject, shifting focus from Catholic seminaries, councils and churches to a more people-centred approach revealing the interconnecting social circles and informal support structures which English Catholics used both at home and abroad to uphold the English Catholic faith. Corens gives a solid overview of underappreciated aspects of English Catholic networks which sustained English Catholicism during a period of disruption and dislocation.
The book is structured in three parts, all with the aim of highlighting the dynamic and fluid nature of contacts between English Catholics at home and abroad moving away from the traditional narratives of lonely exile, martyrdom and isolation. It emphasizes that exile is not necessarily a negative choice, indeed as Corens argues it allowed Catholics to reinforce their faith and improve their lives for the better. Corens examines Catholics in the widest possible sense, both clergy and laity, men and women, revealing layers of active English Catholic sorority. Part I focuses on efforts by exiled English Catholics to remain connected to their homeland whether it be through theological reflections on exile and return, or the staging of plays with themes of homecoming or supporting the Catholic mission in Northern Europe. Corens convincingly argues there were many different degrees of loyalty between Catholic subjects and their monarch by examining the swearing of oaths and the granting of travel passes. This leads to key questions about identity, citizenship and loyalty in a confessionally divided Europe.
Part II focuses on personal journeys taken between Europe and England for educational and devotional purposes, highlighting experiences which brought English Catholics together. From the outset it is argued that education abroad was a positive experience, opening new horizons but also preparing English Catholics for their return home. Catholic scholars were taught how to mentally protect themselves from torture and persecution and promote the Catholic faith. Key to this process, as Corens argues, is the forming of social networks which created a common sense of purpose that transcended national boundaries. Significantly Corens highlights that Catholic education did not take place in isolation; indeed, it formed one part of a wider cultural education through ‘Grand Tours’ allowing Catholics to mingle with Protestants who were also travelling through Europe. The travels of English Catholics were also internal journeys which shaped and changed how they viewed the world. Central to this was pilgrimage. Corens emphasizes the transnational processes such as the sharing of portable relics and the distribution of Catholic printed books throughout England and Europe.
Part III examines how the universal Catholic Church adapted itself to fit specific local and national circumstances creating mutual channels of exchange between Catholics in England and English Catholics abroad. Corens offers key examples such as observing English saint days and contributions to the English mission whilst using universal approaches to prayer and mass. Again, Corens emphasizes the place of informal kinship-based fraternities in this process, with the aim of returning England to the Catholic faith. Corens strongly and convincingly argues that the written record was an essential thread which wove together the past with the present, Catholic institutions with informal networks and English Catholics across the globe. Corens raises key points about how English Catholic historical scholarship could unite the faithful and promote the Catholic faith in the face of Protestant hostility. Corens shows that these histories provided an alternative history and source of identity which sustained the Catholic faith both at home and abroad.
Overall, Corens has presented an excellent case for a more fluid approach to early modern English Catholicism which recognizes the ongoing exchanges between Catholics in England and their counterparts on the European mainland. This book is a timely reminder that it was people rather than institutions who sustained English Catholicism in times of trouble.