John Butler (Jesuit)

Styles of
NA
Styles of; NA
Reference style	TheMost Reverend
Spoken style	My Lord
Religious style	Bishop

John Butler, S.J.(8 August 1727 – 20 June 1786) was anIrish Roman Catholicpriest who was appointed asBishop of Limerickin 1778 and resigned the position in 1779 without ever being consecrated.

Biography

Father Butler was a member of the prominentButlerdynasty. he was related to James Butler the thenArchbishop of CashelandMetropolitan.This was a source of controversy as Father Butler was unknown in Limerick and it was thought that the Archbishop was using his position to gain an ecclesiastical office for a relative.

Butler joined theSociety of JesusatLiège1745 and was ordained priest in 1753 (or 1758, sources differ). With theSuppression of the Jesuitsin 1773 he moved to England where he was appointed priest inHerefordwhich was then in theApostolic Vicariate of the Western District.Father Butler was very surprised to be nominated and initially refused the position.^[1]After rejecting the office Fr Butler received another letter informing him that his name had been sent to Rome for approval with the backing of three archbishops and twelve bishops, the Catholic peers of Ireland along with support from several prominent ecclesiastics and Catholic laymen from France. Approval had also been given by his ownOrdinary Charles WalmesleyVicar Apostolic of the Western District.

Propaganda Fidewhich was responsible for appointments of bishops in missionary territory initially rejected Butler's name because of his connection with the Jesuits but PopePius VIthought it was in the interest of the faith to appoint Butler and he overruled Propaganda Fide. Fr Butler reluctantly left his parish and went to the family home at Cahir. There he met the Archbishop and a representative of the clergy of Limerick. When theBull of appointmentarrived, however, Butler had second thoughts and he changed his mind. He wrote to the Archbishop and rejected the position. The following month he returned to Hereford where he lived out the remainder of his life.

References

^Begley, John Archdeacon (1938).The Diocese of Limerick from 1691 to the Present Time.Dublin: Browne And Nolan Limited. p. 240.ISBN 0952256835.

External links

[1] Begley, John Archdeacon (1938).The Diocese of Limerick from 1691 to the Present Time.Dublin: Browne And Nolan Limited. p. 240.ISBN 0952256835.

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