Robert Aston Coffin
Encyclopedia
Robert Aston Coffin C.SS.R.
, D.D.
(born 19 July 1819 in Brighton
, Great Britain
, died 6 April 1885) was an English Redemptorist
and Bishop of Southwark
(25 May 1882-6 April 1885)
Coffin was born at Brighton
and educated at Harrow School
and at Christ Church, Oxford
(B.A.
1841, M.A. 1843). In 1843 he became vicar
of St. Mary Magdalene, Oxford, but resigned two years later, and was received into the Roman Catholic Church
on 3 December 1845. For a year after this he resided with Ambrose Lisle Phillips at Grace Dieu manor, and then he went with John Henry Newman to Rome
, where he was ordained priest in 1847.
He joined the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, and in 1848-9 he was superior of St. Wilfrid's, Cotton Hall, Staffordshire
. He entered the novitiate
of the Redemptorist Fathers at Trond in Belgium, and made his profession on 2 February 1852. In 1855 he was chosen rector of St. Mary's, Clapham
, and in 1865 appointed to the office of provincial, in which he was successively confirmed every three years until his elevation to the episcopate
. From 1852 to 1872 he was mostly employed in preaching missions and giving clergy retreats throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland.
In April 1882 Pope Leo XIII
nominated Coffin to the see
of Southwark, in succession to James Danell
. He was consecrated by Cardinal Howard
in the church of St. Alfonso, on the Esquiline, at Rome, 11 June 1882, and enthroned at St George's Cathedral, Southwark
, on the 27th of the following month. He died at the house of the Redemptorists at Teignmouth
.
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
, D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
(born 19 July 1819 in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, died 6 April 1885) was an English Redemptorist
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
and Bishop of Southwark
Archbishop of Southwark
The Archbishop of Southwark is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Southwark....
(25 May 1882-6 April 1885)
Coffin was born at Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
(B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
1841, M.A. 1843). In 1843 he became vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of St. Mary Magdalene, Oxford, but resigned two years later, and was received into the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
on 3 December 1845. For a year after this he resided with Ambrose Lisle Phillips at Grace Dieu manor, and then he went with John Henry Newman to 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...
, where he was ordained priest in 1847.
He joined the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, and in 1848-9 he was superior of St. Wilfrid's, Cotton Hall, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. He entered the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
of the Redemptorist Fathers at Trond in Belgium, and made his profession on 2 February 1852. In 1855 he was chosen rector of St. Mary's, Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
, and in 1865 appointed to the office of provincial, in which he was successively confirmed every three years until his elevation to the episcopate
Historical episcopate
The episcopate is the collective body of all bishops of a church. In the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Rite Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Old-Catholic, Moravian Church, and Independent Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East, it is held that only a...
. From 1852 to 1872 he was mostly employed in preaching missions and giving clergy retreats throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland.
In April 1882 Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
nominated Coffin to the 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...
of Southwark, in succession to James Danell
James Danell
James Danell was an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Southwark from 1871 to 1881....
. He was consecrated by Cardinal Howard
Cardinal Howard
Cardinal Howard may refer to:* Philip Howard * Edward Henry Howard...
in the church of St. Alfonso, on the Esquiline, at Rome, 11 June 1882, and enthroned at St George's Cathedral, Southwark
St George's Cathedral, Southwark
St George's Cathedral, Southwark, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the Archdiocese of Southwark, south London.The Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Province of Southwark which covers the Archdiocese of Southwark and the Dioceses of Arundel and Brighton, Portsmouth, and Plymouth...
, on the 27th of the following month. He died at the house of the Redemptorists at Teignmouth
Teignmouth
Teignmouth is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge in the English county of Devon, situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign about 14 miles south of Exeter. It has a population of 14,413. In 1690, it was the last place in England to be invaded by a foreign power...
.