The Laurentian Society is a society of Trinity College Dublin, named after Saint Laurence O'Toole (Lorcán Ua Tuathail in Irish),"Odd Situation at Trinity", The Windsor Star, Canada, 23 March 1964, p. 8. and concerned with relevant issues from a Catholic perspective.Website of Trinity College Central Societies CommitteeOdd Situation at Trinity, The Windsor Star, Canada, 23 March 1964, p. 8. and Much Ignored 'Ban' is Lifted, The Windsor Star, Canada, 6 July 1970, p. 8.. Reference to the Society has been made also in other foreign sources, such as the British newspaper The Tablet (Finola Kennedy, "When Dublin was the capital of Christendom", The Tablet, United Kingdom, 17 March 2012, p. 19). It was the Catholic society of Trinity College, and it existed with no interruptions between the academic years 1952–53 and 2001–02.See: Dublin University, The Dublin University Calendar 1953-4, Dublin, Hodges, Figgis & Co. Ltd., pp. 57* & 58*, and the following calendars up to the year 2001–2002. The Society appears in each one of them. During those years, the society held talks on various issues and was engaged in charitable activities. The society played a role in opposing the ban on Catholics entering Trinity College,The Irish Times, 4 April 1967, p. 1. and was also influential on other groups of the college, such as the G.A.A. club of Trinity.The Irish Times, 3 February 1965, p. 6. In September 2011, the society was revived, being granted provisional recognition by the Trinity College Central Societies Committee.Website of Trinity College Central Societies Committee The revived society was granted full recognition on 19 March 2013 at the Annual General Meeting of the same Societies Committee.
History The Laurentian was a society of Trinity College Dublin, created during the academic year 1952-3.Dublin University, The Dublin University Calendar 1953-4, Dublin, Hodges, Figgis & Co. Ltd., pp. 57* & 58*. Trinity News articles differ in the exact year in which it was founded, since one number says that it was created in 1952, whereas other says that it was created in 1953.Cf. Trinity News, Vol. XIV, No. 13, 13 April 1967 and Trinity News, Trinity Archive, 1 Nov. 2005, p. 20 The society celebrated its tenth anniversary in 1963.
This society was named after Saint Laurence O'Toole (Lorcán Ua Tuathail in Irish), a bishop of Dublin and an abbot of Glendalough. He was born in Ireland in 1128, and died in Normandy, 14 November 1180; he was canonised in 1225 by Pope Honorius III.
"The Laurentian Society was founded in 1953 as a social society for the 200 odd Roman Catholics attending Trinity".Trinity News, Trinity Archive, 1 Nov. 2005, p. 20 The reason for this small number of Catholics attending Trinity had a long history. During the time of the Penal Laws (17th and 18th centuries) Catholics were prevented from being educated in Ireland. Once these laws were abolished, "Catholics and Dissenters were excluded from Trinity College by the extension of religious tests in 1637. Even after their removal in 1773–74, students could not hold scholarships or fellowships without taking oaths which were anathema to the Catholic faith. Although Fawcett's University of Dublin Tests Act 1873 (36 & 37 Vict. c. 21) removed the requirement to take these oaths, the Catholic hierarchy denounced this measure as 'an act of secularisation', and continued to warn Catholic students against entering Trinity College".Senia Paseta, "Trinity College Dublin, and the Education of Irish Catholics", 1873–1908, in Studia Hibernica [Saint Patrick's College] No. 30 (1998/1999), p. 10. The Catholic Church required Catholics to have a special dispensation before being allowed to attend Trinity College, as this university was seen as a danger for their faith, a decision made by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid that generated much controversy. Even in 1969, "Irish Catholic students wishing to attend University in Dublin [were] directed to the National University, or UCD University College Dublin, as it is better known".
Objectives
Originally the object of the society was "to provide social facilities for undergraduates ( for ordinary membership) and also graduates and members of the staff ( for associate membership) who are members of the Roman Catholic Church."The Dublin University Calendar 1953-4, Dublin, Hodges, Figgis & Co. Ltd., pp. 57* & 58*. It is also said that its "ultimate aim" was to get a chaplain for college,Trinity News, Vol XIV, No. 13, 13 April 1967 but this society continued existing for a few decades after a Catholic chaplain was appointed in Trinity. Subsequently the object of the society was modified. Thus, in 1977–78, the society would be described as one "concerned with contemporary social and religious issues from a christian perspective".The Dublin University Calendar 1977–78.
As of 2017, the objectives of the society (as per its constitution) included: to contribute to the cultural and social enrichment of the college, to provide a forum for the exposition and discussion of historical and contemporary issues pertaining to Catholic culture from a Catholic perspective, to educate interested members of the campus community on aspects of Catholicism.
Society and controversy about "the Ban" Members of the Laurentian Society did not agree with the Ban imposed on Catholic students attending Trinity College, in operation since 1875."Much Ignored 'Ban' is Lifted", Windsor Star, Canada, 6 July 1970, p. 8. Besides the requirement of Catholics to obtain a dispensation for entering Trinity, the Ban meant that the Laurentian Society would "[have] no recognized chaplain and [had] generally found that it [could not] obtain the necessary ecclesiastical permission to sponsor meetings with priests as speakers within the college."The Irish Times, 14 April 1964, p. 4. This controversy was a national concern in Ireland, being even reported twice on the front page of the main Irish newspaper, "The Irish Times." This controversy subsisted even after Trinity College had its first Catholic Chancellor.John Horgan, "Boland to head Trinity College", The Catholic Herald, United Kingdom, 13 Dec. 1963. The Laurentian Society is named in this article. There were also some other smaller controversies between the President of the Laurentian Society, Donal O'Sullivan and Archbishop John Charles McQuaid, such as one arising in The Irish Times.Cooney, John, "John Charles McQuaid: Ruler of Catholic Ireland", Syracuse University Press, New York, 2000, p. 389 & 390.
On 2 March 1967, the secretary of the board of college made clear that Trinity College had long since been open to Catholics, and that offers had been made to the Catholic hierarchy to set up a school of theology within the College, to appoint a Chaplain and to have a chapel within College.Among other statements, the secretary of the board of college said: "In view of the great publicity which the question of Catholics in Trinity College is now receiving and the desire being expressed by many people to know what the facts are, the college wishes to make known the following: The college and university are, and have been since 1873, forbidden by the law of the land from discriminating on grounds of religious belief against anyone seeking or holding any office in the college. The only exceptions are the professors and other teachers in the Church of Ireland Divinity School why by law must be members of the Church of Ireland or a Church in communion therewith." This statement also gave several statistic about the number of Catholics in College. This statement also asserted: "Names of Catholic students are made available to the Laurentian Society, a college society for Catholics." The Irish Times, 3 Mar 1967, p. 1 & 4. On 3 April 1967, the Laurentian Society made a statement pointing out "that the controversy about the ban on Catholics attending Trinity College resulting from Hierarchial [sic] legislation had led to the assumption that the problem consisted of a conflict between the university and the Hierarchy. 'This is not the case. The problem is essentially a Catholic one."The Irish Times, 4 April 1967, p. 1. Furthermore, the society, which back then represented 880 Catholic students, stated that "Dublin University, both as constituted and functioning, does not in any way hinder the promotion of Christian activity—rather it encourages and subsidises the religiously orientated societies."The Irish Times, 4 April 1967, p. 1. It further stated: "We publicly renew our request to the appropriate ecclesiastical authorities to accept the invitation of our college, staff and students to appoint a resident chaplain and to establish a school of theology. We urge our fellow students, their parents and our pastors to consider the responsibility that is theirs to solve, the problems created by legislation."The Irish Times, 4 April 1967, p. 1. The Society continued pressing for the abolition of the "Maynooth Statutes, (the ban on Catholics attending Trinity College) and to actively support the campaign for the appointment of a Catholic chaplin [sic] to cater for Catholics attending T.C.D."The Irish Times, 26 April 1969, p. 9. In their lobbying against the Ban, the Society made submissions to different authoritiesCf. Johnston, Roy H. W., Century of endeavour: a biographical and autobiographical view of the 20th century in Ireland, Academica Press, LLC, Bethesda, 2003, pp. 211 & 212.
The efforts of the Laurentian Society met persistent opposition. For instance, in April 1969, answering a request made by the Dublin University Laurentian Society, the Archbishop of Dublin refused "for the fourth time in three years," to consider appointing a Catholic chaplain to Trinity College.The Irish Times, 25 April 1969, p. 13. The Archbishop did so even though at that time there were "over 1,200 Catholic [sic] in Trinity, by far the largest denomination in the college."The Irish Times, 25 April 1969, p. 13. Nevertheless, the Laurentian Society was persistent in its request. Indeed, The Irish Times records: "Before the June meeting at Maynooth of the Irish bishops, the Laurentian Society hope to send a letter to all Irish and British bishops, quoting the Vatican II document which states that all non-Catholic universities and institutions should have a Catholic chaplain, suitably qualified to deal with the problems of students. Since this document was passed by the bishops at the Council, it is presumed that it had the consent of the Irish hierarchy. Thus we seem to have the puzzling situation whereby the Irish bishops, while agreeing with the decree, are also opposing it. Perhaps the June meeting will decide to release Trinity from its exclusive position as the only university in the world that is 'out of bounds' to Catholics."The Irish Times, May 29, 1970, p. 10.
Finally, the pressure made by the Laurentian Society gave fruits. The bishops sitting in Maynooth decided that the ban would be promptly lifted."Much Ignored 'Ban' is Lifted", Windsor Star, Canada, 6 July 1970, p. 8. On 28 October 1970, Archbishop McQuaid nominated Brendan Heffernan as the first Dean of Residence for Catholic students, which was the first in the history of CollegeThe Irish Times, 28 October 1970, p. 11. (Dean of Residence is the name given to various chaplains at Trinity College).The Irish Times, 7 November 1973, p. 15.
Some activities of the society Ordinary activities The existence of this society is praised in the first number of issues of Trinity News, by saying that "[i]ts rooms in 5 Trinity College are a fine example of what can be done by a group of enthusiastic students and supporters. The rooms themselves have been furnished by contributions and are indeed modern and most comfortable."Trinity News. A Dublin University Weekly, First Issue, 28 October 1953, p. 4. The Laurentian Society's meetings and its charitable works were sometimes covered by Trinity News.