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Fire Upon the Earth: The Life and Times of Bishop Michael Anthony Fleming
A disastrous fire in 1846 destroyed most of the capital city of St. John's and, with it, much of Bishop Fleming's hopes.
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 27, 2026
The anecdotes of Bishop Fleming in McCarthy's "The Irish in Newfoundland" made me curious if the Bishop was as "primitive" and "incendiary" as some of his contemporaries described. This widespread impression, Darcy tells us, inspired the author to write this defense. It is not until the penultimate sentence in the book that the author reveals his true intention of writing not just a correction of the record, but a hagiography!
Nonetheless, this is a interesting book that shows Fleming deserves praise as a laborious and dedicated priest. The episodes of taking confession from the Mikmaq, quarrying stone from Kellys Island, and acting as foreman on the Cathedral all point to a brave and exciting life. The author's bias is most felt when we are told how the Bishop is forced to deal with the scurrilous complaints of slighted priests and bigoted governors, with scant reference or consideration of the content of these complaints. There is also a recurrent denunciation of administrators and merchants as "arch" and "high" conservatives, while the Bishop's own opposition to Newfoundland's home rule is glossed over.
Particularly in regards to the Bishop's exchanges with local politicians and newspapers, more primary sources would have been appreciated. It is not until late in the book that we learn the fire of 1846 destroyed much of the Bishop's personal letters and paraphernalia. The same problem exists in multiple references to Daniel O'Connell. We are told that O'Connell and the Bishop were great friends and allies, but without any quotes from The Liberator it is unclear if their close relationship was really so, and not an extension of Catholic solidarity, one-sided, or simply imagined. One also suspects that, while Fleming's work in Newfoundland may have improved the lives of his flock, his reputation abroad made Protestant Irishmen even more suspicious of his coreligionists.
Good local history, but left me wanting to read these uncritical histories reliant wholly on government sources to see why Darcy thought a revision was necessary.
Nonetheless, this is a interesting book that shows Fleming deserves praise as a laborious and dedicated priest. The episodes of taking confession from the Mikmaq, quarrying stone from Kellys Island, and acting as foreman on the Cathedral all point to a brave and exciting life. The author's bias is most felt when we are told how the Bishop is forced to deal with the scurrilous complaints of slighted priests and bigoted governors, with scant reference or consideration of the content of these complaints. There is also a recurrent denunciation of administrators and merchants as "arch" and "high" conservatives, while the Bishop's own opposition to Newfoundland's home rule is glossed over.
Particularly in regards to the Bishop's exchanges with local politicians and newspapers, more primary sources would have been appreciated. It is not until late in the book that we learn the fire of 1846 destroyed much of the Bishop's personal letters and paraphernalia. The same problem exists in multiple references to Daniel O'Connell. We are told that O'Connell and the Bishop were great friends and allies, but without any quotes from The Liberator it is unclear if their close relationship was really so, and not an extension of Catholic solidarity, one-sided, or simply imagined. One also suspects that, while Fleming's work in Newfoundland may have improved the lives of his flock, his reputation abroad made Protestant Irishmen even more suspicious of his coreligionists.
Good local history, but left me wanting to read these uncritical histories reliant wholly on government sources to see why Darcy thought a revision was necessary.
August 19, 2016
Whilst this could be argued to just simply be a selection of short stories (one particular person's name is repeated on 1 page that's its oddly easy to know where you are), this episodic plot structure shows one the greatest senses of community I've ever read in a novel, allowing insight into a whole new era and demographic I've had little interaction with in real life. There are so many suttle darker points to the society (I personally thought Moses had depression), yet their constant positivism in their common bonds reminds us that in any situation, friends can make everything better. 5 stars and a Favorite.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews