BCCCAP00000000000000000000862

484 BENEDICTVADAKKEKARA didates to priesthood had to be immediately placed on a sound footing, and a periodical had to be started far neutralising the tons of disinfarmation in cir– culation with the dissemination of true facts. To his mind, a long-range plan– ning far guaranteeing higher education far the Catholic youth of Bombay had to be urgently clone. Fr J.H. Gense sums up Mgr Hartmann's initiatives as he took heed of the signs of the times: The six years Bishop Hartmann spent in Bombay as Vicar Administtator (1850-1856) witness to his eamestness in the service of God for the salvation of souls. Catholic education was greatly indebted to him, the Bombay Seminary was saved by him from shipwreck, and the Catholic Press entered upon its course of useful instruction and Christian enlightenment. 27 · Tue new socio-political situation that gradually emerged in India on the heels of the tightening of the British colonia! grip aver the land had faund the Italian missionaries quite unequipped to rise to the occasion. It was taken as gospel truth that higher English education alone would provide the passport to a successful career in life far the millions of India's youth. Since only the very rich could affard to send their children to Britain far such studies, higher edu– cation as such appeared to be beyond the reach of the average Catholic family in India. Tue reputed educational institutions in India run by the Anglican Church too were out of bounds far them inasmuch as these had an articulated denominational slant. Thus opening more and more university colleges alone seemed to hold out hope of a future far the Catholic Church in India. And at the same time it was home truth that the Italian Carmelites then in the Vicariate were not in a position to take the lead in imparting higher English education. Admittedly, it was this handicap that had induced them a decade earlier to enter inta carrespandence with 11.e Jesuit Superiars in Rame far founding a college in Bombay. That th..! Carmelites did require outside help in arder to cape with the changed situation in Bambay is an aspect that also illu– minates Mgr Whelan's underpinning ill-disposition tawards his own confrères ftom Italy. Their inculpating him on his "excessive nationalism" was in fact a double-edged sword. It would not be many a moon before Mgr Hartmann would find himself at the receiving end of gratuitous indictment from the part of his Capuchin Fathers from Italy for his efforts to get the service of some r, Gense, The Chmr:h at the Gate111qy ojlndia, 222.