Peter Valesius Walsh

Background

Peter Walsh was born in 1618 near Mooretown, County Kildare.

Education

Peter Valesius Walsh studied at Leuven, where he joined the Franciscans and acquired Jansenists sympathies.

Career

In 1646 Peter Walsh went to Kilkenny, then in the hands of the rebel "confederate Catholics, " and, in opposition to the papal nuncio Rinuccini, urged, and in 1649 helped to secure, peace with the viceroy Ormonde.

Persecuted from this time by the irreconcilable supporters of the papal claims, and even in danger of death, after Cromwell's conquest of Ireland he lived obscurely in London and abroad.

For eight years he canvassed for signatures to this address, but in spite of considerable support the strenuous opposition of the Jesuits and Dominicans deterred the clergy and nearly wrecked the scheme.

From 1669 until his death he lived in London, much respected for his honesty, loyalty and learning. Excommunicated by the Franciscan chapter-general in 1670, he remained a devout adherent of his church, although he maintained friendly relations with the Anglicans, accepting their orders and attending their churches.

He made a full submission to Rome before his death, though the fact has been questioned. He wrote (1672 - 1684) a series of controversial letters against Pope Gregory VII 's doctrine of papal supremacy over princes.

Achievements

• Walsh wrote a series of controversial letters against Pope Gregory VII's doctrine of papal supremacy over princes in 1672-1684; a voluminous History of the Remonstrance (1674); Hibernica (1682), a history of Ireland; in 1686 a reply to the Popery of Thomas Barlow, the Bishop of Lincoln; and other works. In these writings he consistently upheld the doctrine of civil liberty against the pretensions of the papacy.

Religion

Peter Walsh always remained a devout adherent of the Catholic Church, although he maintained friendly relations with the Anglicans, accepting their Holy orders and attending their churches.

Membership

"Сonfederate Catholics"