498:
leader of the Irish community and was not shy about taking on the local
British establishment, much as his friend and countryman Daniel O'Connell was doing at home, especially since he felt threatened by the Church of England's attempts to counteract growing Catholic influence. The struggle spilled over into inflammatory newspaper editorials, and lawsuits between increasingly bitter rivals. Tensions were made worse by the actions of partisans on both sides of the divide. Fleming intervened to get particular men elected, raising in the Tory minds the specter of a "priests' party" dominating the Assembly. From this point, church influence remained a dominant factor in Newfoundland politics from the 1830s onward.
44:
507:
613:
213:
252:
512:
620:
On 9 September 2005, the 150th anniversary of the consecration of
Fleming's cathedral, a plaque was unveiled by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada designating Fleming as a person of Canadian National Historic Significance. At the time of its consecration, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of
497:
Because of his deliberate political influence, Fleming, himself an "Irish nationalistic", was viewed by many
English and Protestants as a disruptive force in Newfoundland politics, and by many of his supporting Irish congregants as a constructive force in Newfoundland politics. He saw himself as the
493:
for Irish
Catholics in Newfoundland in 1832. In addition, with the parallel granting of Representative Government for the colony, Fleming was outspoken in the political process, lending support to candidates, both Catholic and Protestant, who furthered the rights and privileges he felt were important
596:
to come to teach girls and to help create a
Catholic middle class. Through Fleming's influence, the Education Act of 1836 introduced the precedent of granting state funds to denominations for educational purposes. In 1847, Bishop Fleming recruited four brothers of the order of Irish Franciscasns to
566:
is the Patron Saint of
Fishermen and Scotland). This legend, its symbolism and origins, have all been disproven by historical evidence. In reality, the Newfoundland "pink, white and green" tricolour did not appear until at least 41 years after the inception of the Irish tricolour and was almost
457:
ideology, taking over control of the existing
Catholic institution the Orphan Asylum from its lay administrators, the members of the Benevolent Irish Society. Upon Scallan's death on 29 May 1830, he automatically succeeded him as Vicar Apostolic. He then embarked on a systematic expansion of
571:. There is no primary source documentary historical evidence contemporary to Fleming's time linking Fleming with the creation of the tricolour. Any such associations are purely fanciful, and can be seen to have largely originated in the writings of the entertainer and writer Paul O'Neill.
414:, Fleming was recruited to come and serve as a priest in the colony. From the outset, Fleming proved to be of a very different temperament from Scallan. His ideas about the place of the Irish and Catholicism in Newfoundland were informed by his experience of his close friend
541:
Irish used green banners. The threat of violence was such that Bishop
Fleming intervened, and persuaded them to adopt a common flag, on which the pink and green would be separated by a white stripe to symbolize peace. The pink symbolized the
494:
for the Irish
Catholic population in the colony. Whether in church administration, education or political activities, Fleming's bold actions and attitude marked a significant departure for the Catholic clergy in the Newfoundland colony.
458:
institutional
Catholicism in Newfoundland. This included the construction of new parish churches, the subdivision of existing parishes into new parishes, the recruitment of Irish priests, and the introduction of two religious orders of
597:
come to Newfoundland to teach at the Benevolent Irish Society's school. Through the 1830s, Fleming pursued a grant of land on which to build a cathedral. By 1838 the land was awarded, and construction began, continuing until 1855. The
591:
and opened a school for children. Within weeks the sisters were inundated with new pupils, the children of the Irish of St. John's, who saw education as the best means of economic and social advancement. In 1842, Fleming invited the
489:, and later as Bishop, he promoted the interest of the Irish Catholics in Newfoundland's political sphere. Through petitioning the governor and the Colonial Office, Fleming was instrumental in enforcing the
579:
Fleming's greatest domestic projects, the ones for which he became best remembered, were the recruiting of two orders of Irish religious women to work as teachers, and the construction of a new
325:. He was principally responsible for changing a small mission with several priests in four parishes into a large diocese with over 40,000 congregants and was the single most influential Irish
274:
768:
778:
322:
54:
35:
390:. His experience in helping to rebuild the Franciscan chapel there marked him at an early age as a "builder", and stood him in good stead for his later work in
763:
526:
773:
403:
733:
196:
788:
647:"Conflict and Culture in Irish-Newfoundland Roman Catholicism, 1829-1850", by John Edward FitzGerald, Ph.D. thesis, University of Ottawa, 1997.
743:
601:
was the largest building project in 19th century Newfoundland, and thereafter became the definitive icon of Newfoundland Catholicism.
338:
200:
421:
Despite their very different perspectives on many matters, Fleming was promoted by Scallan as his successor, and he was appointed
793:
783:
638:
748:
598:
580:
530:
334:
753:
758:
738:
178:
259:
450:
411:
318:
705:
685:
522:
463:
391:
330:
182:
490:
482:, and remaining in quarantine with them when no physician or other clergyman would go there.
370:, under a Protestant pastor. Encouraged by his uncle, Martin Fleming, O.S.F., he entered the
315:
311:
27:
43:
728:
723:
584:
387:
8:
415:
218:
107:
700:
264:
165:
537:
English marked their wood piles with the pink flag of the Natives' Society, while the
634:
665:
593:
559:
430:
422:
367:
359:
161:
103:
568:
521:
In popular legend, Fleming is credited with creating the "Pink, white and green"
486:
407:
379:
355:
157:
99:
88:
454:
186:
111:
453:
by Scallan in the Chapel in St. John's on 28 October 1829, he implemented his
717:
467:
459:
333:
in the 19th century. He was the principal force behind the creation of the
631:
Fire Upon the Earth: A Biography of Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming, O.S.F.
621:
St. John's was the largest Irish Neoclassical cathedral in the New World.
644:
The Story Of The Basilica Of St.John The Baptist by Susan Chalker Browne.
551:
506:
434:
612:
563:
543:
534:
383:
375:
363:
533:, considerable rivalry developed between the two groups involved. The
479:
475:
462:
women to teach young female children. He took pains to visit outport
426:
371:
326:
284:
658:
538:
471:
438:
362:, Ireland. As a boy, Fleming studied the classics for two years at
115:
525:
of Newfoundland. It is told that during annual wood hauls for the
382:
on 15 October 1815, after which he was assigned to the friary at
485:
Fleming's influence was not limited to the religious sphere. As
251:
588:
511:
466:, and during the winter of 1835 lived in a fishing room at
604:
Fleming died in 1850 and was buried in his cathedral.
679:
779:Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
769:Roman Catholic bishops of St. John's, Newfoundland
583:for St. John's. In 1833 at Fleming's request, the
715:
374:of the friars in Wexford, and then entered the
764:19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Canada
641:, Creative Press St. John's, Newfoundland.
397:
501:
310:– July 14, 1850) was an Irish-born
611:
505:
449:Soon after Fleming was consecrated as a
354:Fleming was born about three miles from
774:Irish expatriate Roman Catholic bishops
708:Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
378:seminary there. Fleming was ordained a
734:Christian clergy from County Tipperary
716:
666:"Representative Government, 1832-1855"
789:Roman Catholic missionaries in Canada
701:Newfoundland Heritage, Bishop Fleming
201:St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
418:'s nationalist politics in Ireland.
323:Diocese of St. John's, Newfoundland
13:
624:
474:vaccine to the whole community of
36:Bishop of St. John's, Newfoundland
14:
805:
744:Irish Roman Catholic missionaries
694:
335:Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
510:
250:
211:
197:Basilica of St. John the Baptist
42:
301:Michael Anthony Fleming, O.F.M.
275:Your Lordship / Your Excellency
402:In 1823, at the invitation of
141:by Thomas Scallan, O.S.F.
1:
651:
349:
304:
110:of Newfoundland (1829-1830);
102:of Newfoundland (1830-1847);
574:
344:
7:
794:People from Carrick-on-Suir
558:). The White is taken from
550:) and the Green symbolized
10:
810:
784:Newfoundland Colony people
587:came to Newfoundland from
433:on 10 July 1829, with the
410:for Newfoundland, and the
616:Plaque for Bishop Fleming
607:
444:
290:
280:
270:
258:
249:
236:
224:
206:
192:
172:
150:
145:
135:
127:
122:
95:
84:
76:
68:
60:
50:
41:
34:
26:Michael Anthony Fleming,
20:
531:Roman Catholic cathedral
412:Benevolent Irish Society
55:St. John's, Newfoundland
749:Franciscan missionaries
633:by Brother J.B. Darcy,
567:certainly based on the
515:Newfoundland Tricolour
398:Mission to Newfoundland
243:Michael Anthony Fleming
686:Newfoundland Tricolour
617:
554:'s Emblem of Ireland (
518:
502:Newfoundland tricolour
386:, where his uncle was
331:Colony of Newfoundland
183:Colony of Newfoundland
80:Thomas Scallan, O.S.F.
754:Canadian Friars Minor
615:
509:
316:Roman Catholic Church
585:Presentation Sisters
108:Apostolic Vicariate
759:Franciscan bishops
739:Irish Friars Minor
618:
560:St. Andrew's Cross
527:Anglican cathedral
519:
314:who served as the
265:The Right Reverend
166:Kingdom of Ireland
22:The Right Reverend
706:Biography at the
517:(flag ratio: 1:2)
298:
297:
232:
231:
801:
688:
683:
677:
676:
674:
672:
662:
594:Sisters of Mercy
514:
491:Emancipation Act
470:, administering
431:Pope Gregory XVI
423:coadjutor bishop
416:Daniel O'Connell
368:County Waterford
360:County Tipperary
309:
306:
291:Posthumous style
254:
244:
239:
234:
233:
217:
215:
214:
162:County Tipperary
146:Personal details
104:Coadjutor bishop
46:
18:
17:
809:
808:
804:
803:
802:
800:
799:
798:
714:
713:
697:
692:
691:
684:
680:
670:
668:
664:
663:
659:
654:
627:
625:Further reading
610:
577:
548:The Protestants
516:
504:
487:Vicar Apostolic
447:
408:Vicar Apostolic
400:
380:Catholic priest
356:Carrick-on-Suir
352:
347:
329:to come to the
307:
281:Religious style
260:Reference style
242:
240:
237:
212:
210:
177:
168:
158:Carrick-on-Suir
155:
140:
139:28 October 1829
131:15 October 1815
100:Vicar Apostolic
89:John T. Mullock
30:
24:
23:
12:
11:
5:
807:
797:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
751:
746:
741:
736:
731:
726:
712:
711:
703:
696:
695:External links
693:
690:
689:
678:
656:
655:
653:
650:
649:
648:
645:
642:
626:
623:
609:
606:
576:
573:
523:tricolour flag
503:
500:
455:Ultramontanist
446:
443:
406:, O.S.F., the
404:Thomas Scallan
399:
396:
351:
348:
346:
343:
296:
295:
292:
288:
287:
282:
278:
277:
272:
268:
267:
262:
256:
255:
247:
246:
230:
229:
228:Roman Catholic
226:
222:
221:
208:
204:
203:
194:
190:
189:
187:British Empire
174:
170:
169:
156:
152:
148:
147:
143:
142:
137:
133:
132:
129:
125:
124:
120:
119:
112:Titular bishop
97:
93:
92:
86:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
70:
66:
65:
62:
58:
57:
52:
48:
47:
39:
38:
32:
31:
25:
21:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
806:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
721:
719:
710:
709:
704:
702:
699:
698:
687:
682:
667:
661:
657:
646:
643:
640:
639:1-894294-59-9
636:
632:
629:
628:
622:
614:
605:
602:
600:
595:
590:
586:
582:
572:
570:
565:
561:
557:
556:The Catholics
553:
549:
545:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
513:
508:
499:
495:
492:
488:
483:
481:
477:
473:
469:
468:Petty Harbour
465:
461:
456:
452:
442:
440:
436:
432:
428:
424:
419:
417:
413:
409:
405:
395:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
342:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
317:
313:
302:
293:
289:
286:
283:
279:
276:
273:
269:
266:
263:
261:
257:
253:
248:
245:
235:
227:
223:
220:
209:
205:
202:
198:
195:
191:
188:
184:
180:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
153:
149:
144:
138:
134:
130:
126:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
98:
96:Other post(s)
94:
90:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
56:
53:
49:
45:
40:
37:
33:
29:
19:
16:
707:
681:
669:. Retrieved
660:
630:
619:
603:
578:
555:
547:
546:of England (
520:
496:
484:
464:Newfoundland
448:
420:
401:
392:Newfoundland
353:
300:
299:
271:Spoken style
241:
225:Denomination
176:14 July 1850
136:Consecration
72:14 July 1850
15:
729:1850 deaths
724:1792 births
552:St. Patrick
435:titular see
308: 1792
207:Nationality
118:(1829-1847)
77:Predecessor
64:4 June 1847
718:Categories
652:References
569:Irish flag
564:St. Andrew
544:Tudor Rose
535:Protestant
384:Carrickbeg
376:Franciscan
364:Stradbally
350:Early life
339:St. John's
312:Franciscan
179:St. John's
128:Ordination
69:Term ended
599:cathedral
581:cathedral
575:Expansion
480:Anglicans
476:Catholics
427:vicariate
372:novitiate
345:Biography
327:immigrant
285:Monsignor
238:Styles of
85:Successor
61:Appointed
539:Catholic
472:smallpox
439:Carpasia
388:guardian
116:Carpasia
91:, O.S.F.
671:29 June
425:of the
321:of the
219:Ireland
106:of the
51:Diocese
637:
608:Honors
589:Galway
451:bishop
445:Bishop
319:bishop
216:
193:Buried
123:Orders
28:O.F.M.
460:Irish
673:2010
635:ISBN
529:and
478:and
294:none
173:Died
154:1792
151:Born
437:of
429:by
337:in
114:of
720::
441:.
394:.
366:,
358:,
341:.
305:c.
199:,
185:,
181:,
164:,
160:,
675:.
562:(
303:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
