Apostolic Vicariate of the Western District (England and Wales) facts for kids

The Apostolic Vicariate of the Western District was a special area of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. It was like a temporary diocese, led by a vicar apostolic. This leader was a titular bishop, meaning they had the title of a bishop but didn't oversee a regular diocese. The Western District was set up in 1688. It was closed down in 1850 and replaced by two new church areas.

History

What Happened Before?

After Queen Elizabeth I became queen, Catholic bishops in England faced a tough choice. They had to either agree to the Oath of Supremacy, which meant saying the Pope had no power, or lose their church positions. Bishops who stayed loyal to the Pope were removed from their roles. Many were put in prison and died there. Some left the country to continue their work elsewhere. The last of these bishops, Thomas Goldwell, died in Rome in 1585.

A New Start: The Vicar Apostolic of England

In 1623, Pope Urban VIII decided to appoint a bishop for England again. Dr William Bishop was chosen for this role. He was called the Vicar Apostolic of England. He passed away soon after. Dr Richard Smith took over, but he had to resign in 1631 and fled to France. The position remained empty until 1685, when Dr John Leyburn was appointed.

How England Was Divided

When the first Apostolic Vicar, Dr Bishop, started in 1623, he divided England into six areas. Each area had a leader called a vicar general. Later, Dr Leyburn reduced these areas to four. Based on these four areas, Pope Innocent XI decided on January 30, 1688, to have four bishops in England instead of one. This meant the original single area was split up.

This is how the Apostolic Vicariate of the Western District was created. Two other new districts were also formed: the Northern District and the Apostolic Vicariate of the Midland District. The original area became the Apostolic Vicariate of the London District.

The Western District's Journey

The Western District covered several English counties. These included Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. It also included all the Welsh counties.

The first vicar apostolic for the Western District was Bishop Philip Michael Ellis. He started in 1688 and resigned in 1705. After a period without a leader, Matthew Pritchard became the next vicar in 1713.

In 1840, the districts were reorganized again. Wales and Herefordshire formed a new area called the Apostolic Vicariate of the Welsh District. From then on, the Western District only included the English counties in the southwest.

Despite these changes and some difficult times, the Apostolic Vicariate of the Western District continued until September 29, 1850. On that day, Pope Pius IX issued an important document. It created thirteen new dioceses in England. This event is known as the restoration of the English hierarchy. The Western District was then divided into two new dioceses: the Diocese of Clifton and the Diocese of Plymouth.

What Came Next: Clifton and Plymouth Dioceses

The leaders of the Western District often lived in Bath in Somerset. So, it made sense that the last vicar apostolic of the Western District, Dr Joseph William Hendren, became the first Bishop of Clifton in 1850. This meant the new Clifton diocese carried on the work of the old vicariate.

At first, the Clifton diocese was part of the larger Westminster area. But in 1911, Pope Pius X created a new church province in Birmingham. Clifton then became part of this new province.

Important historical records of the Western District are kept in the archives of the Clifton diocese. These records are a key source of information about the Church in England from 1780 to 1850.

The other part of the old Western District became the Diocese of Plymouth.

See also

• Catholic Church in England and Wales
• Roman Catholicism in England and Wales
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
• Catholic Church by country
• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Roman Catholic bishops