Charles Plowden facts for kids

Charles Plowden (born in Plowden Hall, Shropshire, England, in 1743; died in Jougne, France, on June 13, 1821) was an English Catholic priest, teacher, writer, and leader. He was a member of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.

Life of Charles Plowden

Early Life and Education

Charles Plowden came from a Catholic family, and he was a descendant of Edmund Plowden. He received his education at the College of St Omer. In 1759, he joined the Society of Jesus, a religious group known as the Jesuits. He became a Catholic priest in Rome in 1770.

Challenges for the Jesuits

In 1773, the Society of Jesus was officially stopped by the Pope. At that time, Charles Plowden was a leader at the College of Bruges. The government in that area, which was then part of Austria and Belgium, put him in prison for several months after the college was closed. He later wrote about how the college was shut down.

Return to England and New Roles

After being released from prison, Charles Plowden spent some time at the College of Liège. The local prince-bishop had offered this college to the English ex-Jesuits.

Later, he returned to England. He worked as a tutor for the Weld family and became a chaplain at Lulworth Castle. In 1790, he helped with the special ceremony where Bishop Carroll became a bishop. Charles Plowden gave the sermon at this event. He also wrote about the creation of the new See of Baltimore, which was an important Catholic area in America.

Leading Stonyhurst College

Father Plowden played a big part in guiding Stonyhurst College, which was started in 1794. When the Society of Jesus was allowed to restart in England, he became the first master of new members at Hodder. In 1817, he was chosen to be the Provincial, which is a major leader for the Jesuits in a specific region. At the same time, he also became the Rector (head) of Stonyhurst College, a position he held until 1819.

Unexpected End

In 1820, Charles Plowden was called to Rome for an important meeting to choose the new worldwide leader of the Jesuits. On his way back home, he suddenly died in Jougne, France, on June 13, 1821.

There was a misunderstanding about who he was. His assistant had mentioned that Father Plowden had been in Rome for business concerning a "general." The local officials in Jougne thought this meant he was a general in the British army. Because of this mistake, Charles Plowden was buried with full military honors, even though he was a priest.

Works and Writings

A Prolific Writer

Besides his many leadership duties, Charles Plowden was also a very active writer. He was involved in important discussions among Catholics before the Catholic Relief Bill was passed. This bill helped to remove some laws that were unfair to Catholics.

He wrote many publications, and some of his works in manuscript (handwritten) have been saved.

Correspondence with Bishop Carroll

Charles Plowden kept in touch with Bishop Carroll throughout his life. When Bishop Carroll died in 1815, Plowden wrote a special tribute to his friend. Many of the letters they exchanged, both originals and copies, are kept at Stonyhurst College and Georgetown College. They can also be found in the Catholic archives in Baltimore.