Vicar Apostolic of the Western District
Encyclopedia
The Vicar Apostolic of the Western District was the title given to the Roman Catholic bishop
who, between 1688 and 1850, headed the Church's ecclesiastical jurisdiction in England known as the Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District.
, the bishops of England were forced to choose between taking the Oath of Supremacy
, thus denying the authority of the Pope
, and losing their episcopal see
s. Those who chose to continue their allegiance to Rome were subsequently deposed and replaced in their sees by priests of the Church of England
. Most of the deposed Bishops were imprisoned in various locations and died in captivity over a period of years, though some left the country and continued their work overseas. The last of the deposed bishops was Thomas Goldwell
, Bishop of St Asaph
, who died in Rome
on April 3, 1585.
decided once again to provide a bishop with jurisdiction in England. So it was that Dr William Bishop was appointed, with the title of Vicar Apostolic of England. He died shortly afterwards and was succeeded by Dr Richard Smith, who in August 1631 was forced to resign and fled to France. The office then remained vacant until its revival in 1685 with the appointment of Dr John Leyburn
as Bishop.
. This structure remained in place until Dr Leyburn reduced the number from six to four. It was on the basis of these four areas that on January 20, 1688 Pope Innocent XI
increased the number of bishops in England to four. The territory of the former single Vicariate Apostolic was thereby reduced, becoming the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District. So it was that the Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District was created, along with the Vicariate Apostolic of the Northern District and the Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District.
OSB, who resigned in 1705.
The Vicariate included the six south-western counties of England
and all of Wales
. In 1840, a general redivision of the vicariates took effect. Wales became a new vicariate, and thenceforth the Western District consisted of the English counties in the south west only. Despite this last subdivision and intermittent persecution, a Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District continued in existence until on 29 September 1850 Pope Pius IX
issued the Bull Universalis Ecclesiae
, by which thirteen new dioceses which did not formally claim any continuity with the pre-Elizabethan English dioceses were created, commonly known as the restoration of the English hierarchy. Among them was the diocese of Clifton, which along with the new diocese of Plymouth
was formed from the territory of the former Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District.
, it was fitting that the last Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, Dr Joseph William Hendren (1791-1866), consecrated in 1848, should become the first Bishop of Clifton
. Thus the new Clifton diocese was in continuity with the old vicariate.
In the early period from 1850 the Clifton diocese was a suffragan of the Metropolitan See of Westminster, but a further development was the creation under Pope Pius X, on 28 October 1911, of a new Province of Birmingham, to which Clifton then was transferred.
The archives of the Western District, one of the most important sources of information for the history of the Church in England from 1780 to 1850 are deposited in the archives of the diocese of Clifton.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
who, between 1688 and 1850, headed the Church's ecclesiastical jurisdiction in England known as the Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District.
Background
Soon after the accession of Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, the bishops of England were forced to choose between taking the Oath of Supremacy
Oath of Supremacy
The Oath of Supremacy, originally imposed by King Henry VIII of England through the Act of Supremacy 1534, but repealed by his daughter, Queen Mary I of England and reinstated under Mary's sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England under the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or...
, thus denying the authority of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, and losing their episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
s. Those who chose to continue their allegiance to Rome were subsequently deposed and replaced in their sees by priests of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Most of the deposed Bishops were imprisoned in various locations and died in captivity over a period of years, though some left the country and continued their work overseas. The last of the deposed bishops was Thomas Goldwell
Thomas Goldwell
Thomas Goldwell was an English bishop, the last of those who had refused to accept the English Reformation.-Life:He began his career as rector of Cheriton in 1532, after graduating BA and then MA at All Souls College, Oxford.He became chaplain to Cardinal Pole and lived with him at Rome, was...
, Bishop of St Asaph
Bishop of St Asaph
The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph.The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of St Asaph in the town of...
, who died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
on April 3, 1585.
Restoration: The Vicar Apostolic of England
In 1623 Pope Urban VIIIPope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
decided once again to provide a bishop with jurisdiction in England. So it was that Dr William Bishop was appointed, with the title of Vicar Apostolic of England. He died shortly afterwards and was succeeded by Dr Richard Smith, who in August 1631 was forced to resign and fled to France. The office then remained vacant until its revival in 1685 with the appointment of Dr John Leyburn
John Leyburn
John Leyburn was an English Roman Catholic priest, who became Vicar Apostolic of the London District, and thus the senior Roman Catholic prelate in England, from 1685 to 1702. He was not only a theologian, but also a mathematician, and an intimate friend of Descartes and Hobbes.-Life:He was the...
as Bishop.
Geographical Organisation
In 1623 the first Vicar Apostolic, Dr Bishop, divided England into six areas and placed a superior at the head of each with the title of vicar generalVicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
. This structure remained in place until Dr Leyburn reduced the number from six to four. It was on the basis of these four areas that on January 20, 1688 Pope Innocent XI
Pope Innocent XI
Blessed Pope Innocent XI , born Benedetto Odescalchi, was Pope from 1676 to 1689.-Early life:Benedetto Odescalchi was born at Como in 1611 , the son of a Como nobleman, Livio Odescalchi, and Paola Castelli Giovanelli from Gandino...
increased the number of bishops in England to four. The territory of the former single Vicariate Apostolic was thereby reduced, becoming the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District. So it was that the Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District was created, along with the Vicariate Apostolic of the Northern District and the Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District.
Vicar Apostolic of the Western District
The first Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, with effect from 30 January 1688, was Bishop Philip Michael EllisPhilip Michael Ellis
Philip Michael Ellis was an English Benedictine, the first Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of England and Wales, and subsequently Bishop of Segni, Italy....
OSB, who resigned in 1705.
The Vicariate included the six south-western counties of England
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
and all of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. In 1840, a general redivision of the vicariates took effect. Wales became a new vicariate, and thenceforth the Western District consisted of the English counties in the south west only. Despite this last subdivision and intermittent persecution, a Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District continued in existence until on 29 September 1850 Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
issued the Bull Universalis Ecclesiae
Universalis Ecclesiae
Universalis Ecclesiae is the incipit of the papal bull of 29 September 1850 by which Pope Pius IX recreated the Roman Catholic diocesan hierarchy in England, which had been extinguished with the death of the last Marian bishop in the reign of Elizabeth I. New names were given to the dioceses, as...
, by which thirteen new dioceses which did not formally claim any continuity with the pre-Elizabethan English dioceses were created, commonly known as the restoration of the English hierarchy. Among them was the diocese of Clifton, which along with the new diocese of Plymouth
Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop of Plymouth is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth in the Province of Southwark, England.The diocese covers an area of and consists of the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset...
was formed from the territory of the former Vicariate Apostolic of the Western District.
Diocese of Clifton
Given that the Vicars Apostolic resided chiefly at Bath in SomersetSomerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, it was fitting that the last Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, Dr Joseph William Hendren (1791-1866), consecrated in 1848, should become the first Bishop of Clifton
Bishop of Clifton
The Bishop of Clifton is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton in the Province of Birmingham, England.The see is in the suburb of Clifton in the city of Bristol where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul...
. Thus the new Clifton diocese was in continuity with the old vicariate.
In the early period from 1850 the Clifton diocese was a suffragan of the Metropolitan See of Westminster, but a further development was the creation under Pope Pius X, on 28 October 1911, of a new Province of Birmingham, to which Clifton then was transferred.
The archives of the Western District, one of the most important sources of information for the history of the Church in England from 1780 to 1850 are deposited in the archives of the diocese of Clifton.
List of the Vicars Apostolic of the Western District
| Vicars Apostolic of the Western District | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1688 | 1705 | Philip Michael Ellis Philip Michael Ellis Philip Michael Ellis was an English Benedictine, the first Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of England and Wales, and subsequently Bishop of Segni, Italy.... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests... Titular Bishop of Aureliopolis in Asia |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 28 January 1688. Consecrated on 6 May 1688. Resigned as vicar apostolic in 1705. Afterwards appointed Bishop of Segni in Italy on 3 October 1708. Died on 16 November 1726. |
| 1705 | 1713 | District vacant | Andrew Giffard (brother of Bonaventure Giffard Bonaventure Giffard Bonaventure Giffard was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District of England from 1687 to 1703 and Vicar Apostolic of the London District of England from 1703 to 1734.-Life:... ) was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Western District and Titular Bishop of Centuriae on 7 September 1705, however, he refused to accept the appointement, and died on 14 September 1714. |
| 1713 | 1744 | Matthew Pritchard Matthew Pritchard (bishop) Matthew Pritchard, O.F.M. was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District of England and Wales from 1713 to 1744.... , O.F.M. Titular Bishop of Myra |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 20 September 1713. Consecrated on 9 June 1715. Resigned on 20 November 1744 and died on 22 May 1750. |
| 1744 | 1763 | Lawrence William York Lawrence William York Lawrence William York, O.S.B. was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District from 1750 to 1770.Born in London in 1687, he was ordained a priest of the Order of Saint Benedict in 1711... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests... Titular Bishop of Nebbi |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 13 May 1741. Consecrated on 10 August 1741. Succeeded vicar apostolic on 20 November 1744. Retired on 11 July 1763 and died on 14 April 1770. |
| 1770 | 1797 | Charles Walmesley Charles Walmesley Charles Walmesley Pastorino, O.S.B. was the Roman Catholic Titular Bishop of Rama and Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of England... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests... , Titular Bishop of Ramata (Rama) |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 15 June 1756. Consecrated on 21 December 1756. Succeeded vicar apostolic on 14 April 1770. Died in office on 25 November 1797. |
| 1797 | 1809 | William Gregory Sharrock William Gregory Sharrock William Gregory Sharrock, O.S.B. was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District from 1797 to 1809.... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests... , Titular Bishop of Telmissus |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 30 September 1779. Consecrated on 12 August 1780. Succeeded vicar apostolic on 25 November 1797. Died in office on 17 October 1809. |
| 1809 | 1829 | Peter Bernardine Collingridge Peter Collingridge Bishop Peter Bernardine Collingridge, OFM was Vicar Apostolic of Western District, England, Great Britain and Titular Bishop of Thespiae.... , Titular Bishop of Thespiae |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 13 January 1807. Consecrated on 11 October 1807. Succeeded vicar apostolic on 18 October 1809. Died in office on March 1829. |
| 1829 | 1843 | Peter Augustine Baines Peter Augustine Baines Peter Augustine Baines was an English Benedictine, Titular Bishop of Siga and Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of England.-Life:... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests... , Titular Bishop of Sigus |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 4 February 1823. Consecrated on 1 May 1823. Succeeded vicar apostolic on 3 March 1829. Died in office on 6 July 1843. |
| 1844 | 1845 | Charles Michael Baggs Charles Michael Baggs Charles Michael Baggs was a Roman Catholic bishop, controversialist, scholar and antiquary. He briefly served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Western District of England from 1844 to 1845.-Early life and family:... , Titular Bishop of Pella |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 9 January 1844. Consecrated on 28 January 1844. Died in office on 16 October 1845. |
| 1846 | 1848 | William Bernard Ullathorne William Bernard Ullathorne William Bernard Ullathorne was an English Roman Catholic bishop and a missionary in Australia.-Early life:William Ullathorne was born in Pocklington, Yorkshire, the eldest of ten children of William Ullathorne, a prosperous grocer, draper and spirit merchant, and his wife Hannah, née Longstaff... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests... , Titular Bishop of Cabasa |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 12 May 1846. Consecrated on 21 June 1846. Translated to the Central District on 28 July 1848. |
| 1848 | 1850 | Joseph William Hendren Joseph William Hendren Joseph William Hendren, O.F.M. was an English Roman Catholic bishop. He served three ecclesiastical jurisdictions, first as the Vicar Apostolic of the Western District , then Bishop of Clifton , and finally Bishop of Nottingham .Born in Birmingham on 19 October 1791, he was ordained a priest in... , O.F.M. Titular Bishop of Martyropolis |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop on 28 July 1848. Consecrated on 10 September 1848. Became the first Bishop of Clifton Bishop of Clifton The Bishop of Clifton is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton in the Province of Birmingham, England.The see is in the suburb of Clifton in the city of Bristol where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul... on 29 September 1850 when the district was divided. |
| In 1850, the Western District was divided between the dioceses of Clifton Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton The Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese centred around the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Clifton.... and Plymouth. |
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