Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District
Encyclopedia
The Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District (later the Central District) was the title given to the Bishop
who headed the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England
which was known as the Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District from 1688 and 1840, then the Central District from 1840 to 1850.
, 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.
as Vicar Apostolic.
at the head of each with the title of vicar general
. 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 20 January 1688 Pope
Innocent XI increased the number of bishops in England to four, with the result that the territory of the former single Vicariate Apostolic of England and Wales was reduced, becoming the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District. So it was that the Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District was created, along with those of the Northern and the Western Districts.
, who in 1703 was translated to become Vicar Apostolic of the London District
.
Notwithstanding intermittent persecution, a Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District continued in existence until in 1840 the existing four Vicariates were further divided. The Midland District was renamed, and its head took the title of Vicar Apostolic of the Central District. This new jurisdiction was to last only ten years, until on 29 September 1850 Pope Pius IX issued the Bull Universalis Ecclesiae
, by which thirteen new dioceses were created, commonly known as the restoration of the English hierarchy, among them the diocese of Birmingham, which replaced formally the previous Vicariate.
The last Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District was Bishop Thomas Walsh, who from 1840 till 1847 had the new title Vicar Apostolic of the Central District.
, who on 29 September 1850 received the new title of Bishop of Birmingham. On 28 October 1911 a new ecclesiastical province was created dependent on Birmingham, and the title became that of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Birmingham
.
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 headed the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which was known as the Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District from 1688 and 1840, then the Central District from 1840 to 1850.
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 VIII decided once again to appoint 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 LeyburnJohn 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 Vicar Apostolic.
Geographical organisation
In 1623 the first Vicar Apostolic, Dr Bishop, divided England into six areas and placed a superiorSuperior (hierarchy)
In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at a higher level in the hierarchy than another , and thus closer to the apex. It is often used in business terminology to refer to people who are supervisors and in the military to people who are higher in the...
at the head of each with the title of vicar general
Vicar 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 20 January 1688 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...
Innocent XI increased the number of bishops in England to four, with the result that the territory of the former single Vicariate Apostolic of England and Wales was reduced, becoming the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District. So it was that the Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District was created, along with those of the Northern and the Western Districts.
Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District
The first Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District, appointed with effect from 30 January 1688, was Bishop Bonaventure GiffardBonaventure 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:...
, who in 1703 was translated to become Vicar Apostolic of the London District
Vicar Apostolic of the London District
The Vicar Apostolic of the London District was the title given to the bishop who headed an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England, the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District, from 1688 to 1850.-Background:...
.
Notwithstanding intermittent persecution, a Vicariate Apostolic of the Midland District continued in existence until in 1840 the existing four Vicariates were further divided. The Midland District was renamed, and its head took the title of Vicar Apostolic of the Central District. This new jurisdiction was to last only ten years, until on 29 September 1850 Pope Pius IX 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 were created, commonly known as the restoration of the English hierarchy, among them the diocese of Birmingham, which replaced formally the previous Vicariate.
The last Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District was Bishop Thomas Walsh, who from 1840 till 1847 had the new title Vicar Apostolic of the Central District.
Bishop and Archbishop of Birmingham
Walsh was succeeded as Vicar Apostolic of the Central District by the Benedictine William Bernard UllathorneWilliam 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...
, who on 29 September 1850 received the new title of Bishop of Birmingham. On 28 October 1911 a new ecclesiastical province was created dependent on Birmingham, and the title became that of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Birmingham
Archbishop of Birmingham
The Archbishop of Birmingham heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Birmingham....
.
Vicars Apostolic of the Midland District
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 16871703 | 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:... Titular Bishop Titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place... of Madaurus |
Appointed vicar apostolic 25 November 1687 and confirmed 28 January 1688; also appointed titular bishop 28 February 1688 and consecrated Consecration Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups... 22 April 1688; moved to the London District Vicar Apostolic of the London District The Vicar Apostolic of the London District was the title given to the bishop who headed an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England, the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District, from 1688 to 1850.-Background:... 14 March 1703 |
| 17021716 | George Witham George Witham George Witham was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served firstly as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District, then the Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District.-Early life:... Titular Bishop of Marcopolis |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop 12 August 1702; consecrated 15 April 1703; moved to the Northern District 6 April 1716 |
| 17151756 | John Talbot Stonor John Talbot Stonor John Talbot Stonor was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District from 1715 to 1756.... Titular Bishop of Thespiae |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop 18 September 1715; consecrated 9 August 1716; died in office 29 March 1756 |
| 17561778 | John Joseph Hornyold John Joseph Hornyold John Joseph Hornyold was an English Catholic bishop, Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District, England, and titular Bishop of Phiomelia.-Life:... Titular Bishop of Philomelium |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop 20 December 1751; consecrated 10 February 1752; succeeded 29 March 1756; died in office 26 December 1778 |
| 17781795 | Thomas Joseph Talbot Thomas Joseph Talbot Thomas Joseph Talbot was an English Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District from 1778 to until his death in 1795.... Titular Bishop of Acone |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop 26 February 1766; consecrated in March 1766; succeeded 26 December 1778; died in office April 1795 |
| 17951798 | Charles Berington Charles Berington Charles Berington was an English Catholic bishop, Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District and Titular Bishop of Hiero-Caesarea.-Life:... Titular Bishop of Hierocaesarea |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop 2 June 1786; consecrated 1 August 1786; succeeded 24 April 1795; died in office 8 June 1798 |
| 18001802 | Gregory Stapleton Gregory Stapleton -Life:Born at Carlton, Yorkshire, he was seventh son of Nicholas Stapleton, by his third wife, Winifred, daughter of John White of Dover Street, London. He went to the English College, Douay, in 1762. Ten years later, then a deacon, he was appointed professor of music... Titular Bishop of Hierocaesarea |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop 7 November 1800; consecrated 8 March 1801; died in office 23 May 1802 |
| 18031826 | John Milner John Milner (bishop) John Milner was an English Roman Catholic bishop and writer who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District from 1803 to 1826.-Early life:... Titular Bishop of Castabala |
Appointed vicar apostolic and titular bishop 6 March 1803; consecrated 22 May 1803; died in office 19 April 1826 |
| 18261840 | Thomas Walsh Titular Bishop of Cambysopolis Cambysopolis Cambysopolis is the non-classical name of a Roman Catholic titular bishopric in the former Roman province of Asia Minor. The name is owing to a mistake of some medieval geographer.-Ancient and ecclesiastical history:... |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic and titular bishop 28 January 1825; consecrated 1 May 1825; succeeded 19 April 1826; through district rename, he became the vicar apostolic of Central District 3 July 1840 |
| Source: Catholic-Hierarchy - Archdiocese of Birmingham | ||
Vicars Apostolic of the Central District
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 18401848 | Thomas Walsh Titular Bishop Titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place... of Cambysopolis |
Hitherto vicar apostolic of the Midland District; became vicar apostolic of the Central District 3 July 1840; moved to the London District Vicar Apostolic of the London District The Vicar Apostolic of the London District was the title given to the bishop who headed an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England, the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District, from 1688 to 1850.-Background:... 17 July 1848 |
| (18401847) | Nicholas Wiseman, Titular Bishop of Milopotamus |
Appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic of the Midland District and titular bishop 22 May 1840; consecrated Consecration Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups... 8 June 1840; through district rename, he became coadjutor vicar apostolic of Central District 3 July 1840; before succeeding, he was appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic of the London District Vicar Apostolic of the London District The Vicar Apostolic of the London District was the title given to the bishop who headed an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in England, the Vicariate Apostolic of the London District, from 1688 to 1850.-Background:... 29 August 1847 |
| 18481850 | 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., Titular Bishop of Etalonia |
Formerly Vicar Apostolic of the Western District (1846–1848); appointed vicar apostolic of the Central District 28 July 1848; became the first Bishop of Birmingham Archbishop of Birmingham The Archbishop of Birmingham heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Birmingham.... when the district was elevated to a diocese 29 September 1850 |
| Source: Catholic-Hierarchy - Archdiocese of Birmingham | ||
See also
- Roman Catholicism in England and Wales