BULLETIN - The British Province of Carmelites | · man of great humility who would talk to anyone....
Transcript of BULLETIN - The British Province of Carmelites | · man of great humility who would talk to anyone....
for his life and ministry amongst us. The scriptures offer us hope, they I remind us that all is a gift from God, that we have to take that gift and F return it worn out. My first memory of Alphie will stay with me always - a fr man of great humility who would talk to anyone. I was visiting the com
munity in Hendon, thinking of joining the Carmelite Friars. I had gone out c for a walk and returned to the house where [ met Alphie out for a cigarette VI
at the door step. He offered me a cup of tea and a cigarette, had a chat and al turned to go back into the house. Only then did he realise that I was not a
man of the road looking for a cup of tea, but a potential novice. That a man A who had recently returned from being assistant general of the Order was pi willing to share his time - and indeed his cigarettes - with me told me all I g< needed to know about the Carmelites. It's to the work of God, mediated ae in the gentle friendship of Alphie, that [ believe lowe my Carmelite voca ci tion. [ thank God for that gentle presence amongst us and pray that he will
enter into the eternal reward prepared for him. May he hear those words
of Christ: come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world ... for I was thirsty and you gave m
me a drink. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through th the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. ke
Kevin Melody he
The First Carmelite Priest in Australia: The Sad Story of Samuel Coote
I am velJ grauiful once again to Richard Copsey who has generous~v agreed to share C. the frUits if some if his current research. As Bulletin readers will already know, th Richard's principal period if research covers 'everything Carmelite' .Fom the foun
dation if the Prorince up to its dissolution. The present article is something if a
departure, therifore, with Richard exploring an interesting but sad story ifan ear~v
nineteenth centUlJfriar. ..
m
SAMUEL COOTE was born in Kilkenny city, Ireland, around 1780, the na
son of Richard Coote. He was brought up as a Presbyterian and worked for w'
some time as a tailor. After becoming a Catholic, he joined the Carmelites is
in Moate where he completed his novitiate and made his profession. Then ha
he was sent to study in Maynooth as an extern student and was ordained ha
there by Dr Daniel Murray, coadjutor archbishop of Dublin, on 16 May co
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s offer us hope, they : to take that gift and tay with me always - a was visiting the comFriars. I had gone out
Jhie out for a cigarette
~arette, had a chat and -ealise that I was not a cial novice. That a man eral of the Order was , with me told me all I ork of God, mediated
ve my Carmelite voca
lS and pray that he will y he hear those words the kingdom prepared is thirsty and you gave hful departed, through
Kevin Melody
Australia: Coote
lenerous~r aBreed La share
:aden Irill already know,
:armeJite' from the Joun
article is somethinB 1 a
/ bur sad SLory 1 an early
and, around 1780, the yterian and worked for ~ joined the Carmelites Ie his profession. Then :lent and was ordained of Dublin, on J6 May
J8 J8. After his ordination, Coote was appointed to the community in French Street, Dublin where Fr Thomas Coleman was the prior. A list of friars in each community composed by the later provincial Dr John Spratt and included in his aces places Coote in the French Street community in Dublin and gives his age as 40 years. Fr O'Dwyer estimates that this list was composed c 1820 which would suggest that Coote was born c1780 although Spratt's estimates of the ages of each friar are not always accurate.
At the provincial chapter held in 1822, Fr Thomas Coleman was appointed provincial in the place of Fr Thomas Finny with a mandate from the prior general to introduce reforms in the province. Finny, though, refused to accept Coleman's appointment and defied the prior general's decrees espe
cially those relating to community property. He was suspended by the new provincial but continued to say mass and hear confessions. Finally, the prior general, Fr Aloysius Faro, was forced to write to the archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Troy, for his help in this situation. In his defence, Finny made accusations about Coleman's behaviour whilst prior in Dublin and the ensuing dispute led to some violent behaviour, with doors being broken down, locks changed and some friars being ejected from the Dublin house. Coote was involved in one of these episodes:
"Others suffer also, poor Kenny who attended here for 8 years has been forcibly dispossessed by Kinsella, Coote and O'Neal who
broke open his door and took his bed, and tossed his little articles out, put his bedstead into a place in the premises which delicacy forbids me to mention."
Coote was suspended for a period and Coleman appealed on his behalf to the archbishop Dr Troy.
Around this time, Coote learned about the work being done by Fr Philip Conolly among the Catholics in Van Diemen's Land (i.e. Tasmania), As Fr
Conolly later recounted, Coote told him that he had found out about the mission there through "a lady in Dublin, an acquaintance of mine, whose name he forgot, (who) informed him that I was tired of this mission and would soon come home," In fact, the situation was somewhat different, It
is true that Fr Philip Conolly was the only Catholic priest in Tasmania, having arrived in Hobart in March 182 J and that soon after his arrival, he had written to the Vicar Apostolic in London, Dr Poynter asking if he could procure a few priests to assist in Tasmania and Australia. He stated
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in his letter that it would be helpful if these priests were Irish and could recor speak Gaelic as many of the Catholics there were from Ireland. However, asked there was no mention of Conolly wishing to return home.
Coote appears to have been attracted by the idea of taking over the mission
in Tasmania and he seems to have convinced his superiors to grant him
permission to go there. On 28 July 1823, Coote wrote to Dr Poynter from Dublin:
"Allow me the liberty to ask your Lordship have you any commis
sion to send missionaries to lew Holland and have you any funds Dr P, for that purpose, as it must be attended with much expense? And if with I so will your Lordship take the trouble to procure for me liberty
from government to go there in case I send you Doctor Murray's Soon signature of approbation?" mania
Radel Coote appears to have received a favourable response from Dr Poynter
nia w and, after obtaining a letter of recommendation from the archbishop of
dent,Dublin Dr Murray, he travelled to London. He had arrived there some
them. time before 18 August for, on that day, Dr Poynter recommended him to
Hobal the Colonial Secretary Lord Bathurst:
relatic "The Rev. Mr. Coote has a very satisfactory recommendation from
Dr Murray of Dublin and from my own personal observations I The f
have no hesitation in recommending him to your Lordship's fa-Mauri
vour. " have §
PoyntOn 28 August, Coote received a letter of recommendation from the Colohim tcnial Office to the Governor of Tasmania which read: from"The Rev. Mr Coote, a Catholic Clergyman, will have the honour missicof presenting this letter to you. CooteThis Gentleman's object in proceeding to Van Diemen's Land is to Cathaundertake the Spiritual care of such of His Majesty's Roman Catho
lic Subjects as reside in that Colony. In adcHe has been strongly recommended by Dr Murray of Dublin to Dr had hePoynter, the Vicar Apostolic of the London District, and by the him t(latter to Earl Bathurst, and I am directed by His Lordship to recPoyntommend him accordingly to your protection." first n
This letter was signed by Wilmot Horton, the Under Secretary. A that that C time, Australia and Tasmania were under the Episcopal jurisdiction of the man,
Vicar Apostolic in Mauritius, Dr Slater. Dr Poynter wrote a letter to him that C
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rish and could
nd. However,
'er the mission
; to grant him :0 Dr Poynter
~ any commis
you any funds xpense? And if
for me liberty lctor Murray's
m Dr Poynter
archbishop of
ed there some
nended him to
lendation from
observations [
Lordship's fa-
from the Colo
ave the honour
len's Land is to
Roman Catho
)f Dublin to Dr
ict, and by the
,ordship to rec
cretary. A that
·isdiction of the
a letter to him
recommending Coote but as Mauritius was so far from Australia, Coote
asked for a copy of this letter to take with him:
"I think it necessary before I leave Town to have your letter to Dr
Slater lest his letter should not reach Van Diemen's Land before
my arrival. Or that Mr Conolly should have instructions from him
to give faculties to any clergyman recommended by your Lordship."
Dr Poynter gave Coote a letter of recommendation for himself to take
with him which repeated what he had written to Dr Slater.
Soon after, Coote returned to Dublin and prepared for his voyage to Tas
mania. He was fortunate to make contact with a wealthy Irish Protestant Roderick O'Connor, who was planning to travel with his family to Tasma
nia where they proposed to settle. O'Connor had charted a ship, the Ar
dent, and he and his family evidently agreed to allow Coote to travel with them. The party set sail from Dublin in November and finally docked in
Hobart Town on 7 May 1824 where Coote met with Fr Conolly. The
relationship between Coote and Conolly did not get off to a good start.
The first difficulty was that no letter had arrived from bishop Slater in
Mauritius granting priestly faculties to Coote and although Conolly could have granted temporary faculties himself on the basis of the letter from Dr
Poynter which Coote brought, there were various factors which caused
him to hesitate. The major problem was that Coote assumed that his letter
from the Colonial Office was a formal appointment to take charge of the
mission in Tasmania. As can be seen from the text of the letter above,
Coote was only being permitted "to undertake the Spiritual care" of the
Catholics in the colony. There was no mention of a formal appointment.
In addition, Conolly was unhappy about Coote's conduct as a priest and he
had heard disturbing reports of his behaviour during the voyage. These led
him to direct a long letter to Dr Slater in Mauritius and a similar one to Dr Poynter in London. These letters were dispatched on the GUildford, the
first mail boat leaVing for England. In the letter to Poynter, Conolly claims that Coote is "not calculated to be useful here" and that he was an illiterate
man whose behaviour had been quite scandalous. In the letter, he writes
that Coote was:
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1
" ... not fit to maintain the dignity of his profession among such partial fa. people as inhabit these Colonies. A very short acquaintance with districts him convinced me of his utter unfitness for this mission ... along where h, with being very illiterate, he is a man of no manners; it is thor chism. H oughly shocking to hear him blundering through the Holy Sacrifice duties an of the Mass. His conduct on the voyage out has been such as to Coote re show he has very little prudence." Coote w
"really sh Apparently Conolly had heard stories about Coote's behaviour during the Mass." S, voyage out. When the Ardent had docked in Rio de Janeiro, Coote had going to meddled with the servants of some of the passengers, openly claiming that continue( their indentures were not binding. As a result one of the female servants
ran off with a sailor and was left behind when the ship sailed. An English On 30 A gentleman, Captain Glover, was disgusted at Coote's behaviour and told situation him openly on the deck "that he would positively thrash him if he did not many of desist" from interfering with his female servants. An Irish Protestant gen some neg tleman, pOSSibly the Roderick O'Connor who had chartered the vessel, no chapel warned Fr Conolly after the party had arrived in Hobart, that if he wanted missionar his profeSSion to be disgraced, he had only to keep Coote. Conolly was Townsma urged "by all means to ship him off as soon as possible". of Ireland
self statec
Counties
Poynter, "1The difficulties between Coote and Conolly were not all the fault of
Coote. In the letter just quoted, Conolly reveals his prejudice against m
priests in religious order. In his opinion, it is only those who cannot obtain er
ordination as a diocesan priest who join religiOUS orders. Hence he judges af
si:that the religiOUS orders are "ill-supplied with young men of talents and falearning compared to the Secular [clergy] ... " Coote himself wrote a letter
to Dr Poynter which went by tlle same ship as Conolly's letter. In it, he tv
In his Ph. said nothing about Conolly but wrote that Lieutenant Governor Sorell was very surprised "... why they did not provide for me like the otiler clergy larly visitt
men from the Police fund." Fr Conolly himself received a salary of £ 100 Coote's Itper year from the Government. to appeal! Poynter toInitially, Conolly thought of sending Coote to serve in tile interior of New Slater wh:South Wales in Australia but he judged him unsuited for that mission. So, you can." while b'ying to arrange a passage for him to Mauritius, Conolly gave Coote
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among such
mtance with
on ... along
s; it is thor
101 YSacrifice
n such as to
Ir during the
., Coote had
claiming that
nale servants
. An English
our and told
if he did not
otestant gen
d the vessel,
if he wanted
Conolly was
the fault of
udice against
:annot obtain
lce he judges
Jf talents and
'lrote a letter
tter. In it, he
or Sorell was
other c1ergy
alary of £ 100
:erior of ew
: mission. So,
ly gave Coote
partial faculties to say mass and to catechise and sent him to minister in the
districts of Sorell and Richmond, some 16 miles from Hobart Town,
where he celebrated Mass on Sundays and taught the children their cate
chism. However, Conolly was very critical of Coote's performance of his
duties and, in his letter to Slater on 12 August 1824, he claimed that when
Coote reached Mauritius, Slater would see for himself that not only was
Coote was "very illiterate" but "a man of no manners" and that it was
"really shocking to hear him blundering through the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass." Soon after, when Coote announced that he had no intention of
going to Mauritius, Conolly withdrew his faculties completely but Coote
continued to say Mass regardless.
On 30 August 1824, Coote was becoming increasing unhappy with his
situation and he wrote again to Dr Poynter. In the letter, Coote repeated
many of the points he made in the previous communication but he added
some negative comments on Conolly's attitude and achievement: "He has
no chapel except an unfinished part of his bUilding"; "He objected to any
missionary without provision from Government"; and "... instead of being a
Townsman of mine as I had erroneously heard appears by his accent north
of Ireland." (In fact, Conolly came from County Monaghan and as he him
self stated to Captain John Montagu: ... there is at least a distance of two
Counties between the place of my Nativity and his"). In his letter to
Poynter, Coote described his own circumstances:
"To mention want of means or the suspicion attached to a clergy
man living at a farmer's house without facultys is a minor consid
eration; but to consider these vast Colonys without instruction
afflicts and disturbs me without rest ... Hobart Town had no Mass
since new year's day. Launceston at the other end of this Island by
far more Catholic, populous and extensive never had a clergyman
two visits from Mr Conolly excepted."
In his Ph.D. thesis on Ullathorne, Fr Collins points out that Conolly regu
larly visited Launceston, normally four times a year.
Coote's letter is long and rambling and there are parts of where he resorts
to appeals for any solution to his circumstances. In one place, he requests
Poynter to "get me jurisdiction from Rome unless you have heard from Dr
Slater which you will have the goodness to communicate to me as soon as
you can." Then he writes that, if it is not too much trouble, "have me ap
25
pointed jointly with Mr Terry (Fr. Thierry) to Sidney and its dependencies which would give me opportunity to do more good." Finally he ends with
a passage of unashamed flattery:
"May God grant you and my Lord Bramston (Colonial Secretary
Lord Bathurst) longevity to change these Colonys into Islands of
saints, and as the sun appears in its greatest beauty going down, so
the sun of charity which now enlightens you will illuminate you toward the end of your career, & on your death bed will shed its
resplendent rays with tenfold lustre and beauty, having spent the latter part of your lives in the conversion of these Colonys".
Then he adds that, as their "affectionate child", he only expected to see
their faces in heaven.
Relations between Conolly and Coote had, by now broken down com
pletely. The underlying reason being that Coote persisted in believing that
he had been sent to Tasmania to replace Conolly but this claim was accen
tuated by the antipathy between the two priests. On 7 August, Conolly
was asked by the Captain Montagu, the Governor's Secretary, to give his
views on Coote's status and sUitability. Conolly replied on 11 August that
it was necessary for every priest to have faculties from bishop of a diocese
before he could officiate there. Coote did not have any faculties from
Bishop Slater so Conolly had granted him permission to celebrate Mass pro tempore in the districts of Sorell and Richmond. However, haVing received
some complaints from respectable gentlemen, Conolly had come to the opinion that Coote's services would not be beneficial and that he should
not be allowed to minister any more in the Australian Colonies. So the
Lieutenant Governor wrote to the Colonial Office: "Mr. Conolly considers
the low habits and proceedings of Mr. Coote so much beneath the dignity of his office that he refuses all communion with him."
Still, Coote was determined to see himself appointed in place of Fr Conolly and he continued sending letters to Captain Montagu, secretary to
the new Lieutenant Governor Sir George Arthur. Coote claimed that his
letter from the Colonial Office formally appointed him to take spiritual
charge of the Catholics in Tasmania and asked for this appointment to be
recognised and for him to be granted a salary. After the Governor had
received Connolly's letter of the 11 th October 1824, Captain Montagu wrote to Coote on the same day informing him of Conolly'S objections.
26
EVidently Co,
appointment
stating that t± and adding th
of any appoin nia.
On 3'd Febru,
nor which bet uSir,
I shou
by wh Diem,
persu,
submi
Conne
cation serted
BishoF Coote went c
Bathurst coul,
impliCit in the
the foreign mJ
Coote aIso arE and Richmone and "supersede
Coote also cor
brought from
in Tasmania h "Service of Cc
for use during
the celebrant; sticks still surv
bear an inscrir
Town by Gen ford, Ireland,
dressing of thi:
I
nd its dependencies
:inally he ends with
(Colonial Secretary
mys into Islands of
uty going down, so
will illuminate you
th bed will shed its
y, having spent the
;e Colonys".
11y expected to see
broken down com
ted in believing that
h.is claim was accen
7 August, Conolly
ecretary, to give his
d on 11 August that
bishop of a diocese
any faculties from
o celebrate Mass pro
ver, having received
Iy had come to the
I and that he should
an Colonies. So the
r. Conolly considers
I beneath the dignity
j in place of Fr Co
ontagu, secretary to
lote claimed that his
1im to take spiritual
s appointment to be
r the Governor had
4-, Captain Montagu
=onolly's objections.
EVidently Coote replied requesting the Governor to publicly announce his
appointment as Captain Montague wrote to him again on 1" November
stating that the Governor was unWilling to announce such an appointment
and adding that Coote's letter from the Colonial Office made no mention
of any appointment but merely that Coote intended to proceed to Tasma
nia.
On 3,d February 1825, Coote wrote a long letter to the Lieutenant Gover
nor which began: "Sir,
[ should consider myself deficient in respect to the high Authority
by which [ am appOinted resident Roman Catholic Chaplain in Van
Diemen's Land, and to the distinguished Personages of my own
persuasion who procured the appointment, were [ passively to
submit to the manifest injustice rendered to me by the Rev. Mr.
Connolly who, in a note to Your Honor in answer to a communi
cation of my official appointment by Earl Bathurst, evaSively as
serted that '[ should bring faculties from a Roman Catholic
Bishop' ...."
Coote went on the argue that he must had had "Faculties" before Lord
Bathurst could appoint him to the mission in Tasmania and these were
impliCit in the recommendation of the Bishop of London who overseas all
the foreign missions exercised by Roman Catholics lin British territories].
Coote also argued that his service in Pittswater and Coal River [i.e. Sorell
and Richmond I which he claimed justified Lord Bathurst's appointment
and "supersedes the unofficial Certificate of the Roman Catholic Bishop".
Coote also complained that a "Service of Communion Plate" which he had
brought from Ireland with him as a present for the Roman Catholic Chapel
in Tasmania had been taken by Fr Conolly without his permission. This
"Service of Communion Plate" would seem to have comprised of vessels
for use during Mass, e.g. a chalice, paten, lavabo set, etc., vestments for
the celebrant and the altar, and a set of six gilt candlesticks. The candle
sticks still survive and are on an altar in St Mary's Cathedral, Hobart. They
bear an inscription: "Humbly presented to the Catholic chapel of Hobart
Town by General James Edward Devereux of Carrignienan in Co. Wex
ford, Ireland, 1823". In his letter, Coote goes on to point out that the ad
dressing of this gift to him demonstrates that his appointment is recognised
27
by the Catholic Laity in England and Ireland.
Finally, Coote claims that his behaviour in the Colony had been exemplary
and that this would be supported by a Memorial which the local Roman
Catholics meant to submit. EVidently, as Conolly claimed in one of his
letters, Coote had been travelling all over the Colony collecting signatures
for a petition to remove Conolly from his chaplaincy and for Coote himself
to be appointed in his place.
There must have been a personal meeting between Coote and the Gover
nor at some time for, when the Governor replied to the previous letter on
711 , February, he stated that he regretted the "continued misunderstanding
between Mr Conolly and yourself, and which I had hoped might have been
at rest from my personal explanation to you, with which you appeared quite satisfied." The Governor went on in his letter to point out that he
could not appoint Coote without superseding Fr Conolly about whom he had received no complaints and stating firmly that, in Lord Bathurst's in
structions, "There is not one syllable respecting an appointment for you ... "
On 11 March 1825, Captain Montague acknowledged the receipt of a me
morial from 169 free Catholic settlers expressing their appreciation of
Coote's work among them and their children: "This reverend gentleman
has officiated in several districts and the conciliatory and piOUS manner in which he has invariably conducted himself since his arrival in this colony,
his unremitting endeavours in instruction in this confined sphere of action,
and his disinterested behaviour have secured for him the highest esteem."
The settlers also complained that Fr Conolly had failed to complete the
bUilding of a chapel in Hobart despite funds being provided for that pur
pose. In his letter, Captain Montague assured the signatories of the memorial that the case of Fr Coote had been' referred by the Lieutenant Gover
nor to the Colonial Secretary Lord Bathurst, and that the signatories would
be informed as soon as any communication was received from Lord
Bathurst.
It appears that during the summer of 1825, Conolly wrote to Dr Slater in
Mauritius outlining his deteriorating relationship with Coote and informing
him that he had withdrawn the limited faculties to say mass which he had
granted to Coote. It seems likely that Coote himself had also written
around the sam,
the same time,
Slater about Cc
Slater's replies t
On 9th Septem
Poynter in Lon' cal remarks abc
lems with Fr Cc
"I gave I authorit him to
pense ar
ing an c here, af tinguish<
drinking and con,
He bega was not
might b,
attempt late was
obtainec
Magistra
receivin!
(convict
Meanwhile, Coc
port from elsew
in Hobart Towr
mendation, etc.
copies in a ramb
New South Wal Conolly and "th,
my arrival in Val
"1 am, R
28
I been exemplary
the local Roman
ed in one of his
lecting signatures
for Coote himself
e and the Gover
lrevious letter on
misunderstanding
Imight have been
lch you appeared
point out that he
r about whom he
)rd Bathurst's in
tment for you ..."
~ receipt of a me
r appreciation of
rerend gentleman
; pious manner in
ral in this colony,
sphere of action,
highest esteem. "
to complete the
ded for that pur
'ies of the memo
.ieutenant Gover
signatories would
~ived from Lord
te to Dr Slater in
:Jte and informing
lass which he had
had also written
around the same time, complaining to Dr Slater about Conolly's action. At
the same time, the Lieutenant Governor Sir George Arthur had written to
Slater about Coote and the approach which the he had taken. However,
Slater's replies to these letters took some time to arrive.
On 9th September 1825, Conolly had also written a long letter to Dr
Poynter in London describing his problems in Tasmania. After some criti
cal remarks about his parishioners in Hobart, Conolly spelt out his prob
lems with Fr Coote:
"1 gave him, in the meantime, permission to celebrate Mass but no
authority to baptise or administer any other sacrament. I directed
him to a house in the country, where he could live without ex
pense and where I thought he might do something towards reform
ing an old stubborn sinner who inhabited it and had grown rich
here, after haVing served his term of transportation. He soon dis
tinguished himself by associating with the lower class of convicts,
drinking with them at public and private houses, singing for them
and conducting himself so much like themselves as to please them.
He began to range over the island celebrating Mass wherever he
was not discountenanced by the Magistrates. He has, however, as
might be expected, fallen into great disrepute - latterly he did not
attempt often to celebrate in public. His principal occupation of
late was collecting wheat. The way some of this wheat has been
obtained occasioned examination to be taken before the Police
Magistrate at Launceston, where he is almost openly accused of
receiving wheat, knOWing it to be stolen by aSSigned servants
(convicts) from their masters."
Meanwhile, Coote seems to have realised that he needed to look for sup
port from elsewhere. On 15 October 1825, he instructed a Notary Public
in Hobart Town to certify a set of copies of the official letters of recom
mendation, etc. which he had in his possession. Then Coote enclosed these
copies in a rambling letter dated 29 October which he sent to Fr Therry in
New South Wales. In the letter, Coote told Therry of his problems with
Conolly and "the unaccountable and improper usage I have received since
my arrival in Van Diemen's Land", and then continued:
"I am, Rev. Sir, most peculiarly situated - obstacles of every de
29
scription thrown in my way, my finances reduced, exertions unjustly used to injure me, - Roman Catholics my determined friends ... every Roman Catholic is my advocate, In short I have twice travelled to Port Dalrymple - on foot a distance of one hundred and seventy miles, at the invitation of the inhabitants particularly the sick, and there obstacles from illiberal magistrates have,
daily presented themselves to the discharge of my duty ... and other plans formed to injure me in the general and government estimation - but thanks be to God that their efforts have been fruitless - and have recoiled on the originals."
Fr Therry reacted sympathetically to Coote's letter and wrote to Slater as
follows: "The Rev. Mr Conolly having lately transmitted me a copy of your letter to Rev. Mr Coote, I have been induced to advise the latter to avail himself of the first opportunity to wait on your Lordship in order to remove if possible the impression(s) which have been created on your mind by the exaggerated statements, for so I consider them of Mr Conolly. Mr. Coote's services would in my opinion under a mild and impartial direction be of the greatest value in lew South Wales."
It was early in December 1825, that Bishop Slater's reply to the Lieutenant Governor, dated 2 August, finally arrived and, in it, Slater expressed his agreement with the Governor's actions and for the way in which he had supported Fr Conolly. Slater stated unequivocally that Coote "had unau
thorizedly exercised in the Colony the functions of a Roman Catholic Priest." In a separate letter to Coote, Slater wrote:
"I hope you have received the letter I addressed to you two months ago by way of the Calcutta and that you have ceased to trouble the peace of the little Church in Van Diemen' s Land. You must, Revd Sir, be aware that subordination is necessary in all societies. Mr
Conolly is my Vicar charged with the superintendence of the Mission in New Holland and Van Diemen's Land, and you can exercise
no ministerial functions there but with his approbation. As however you have judged right to dispute the authority of that respectable gentleman - without reference to other reports which have reached me from different quarters, I confine myself for the pre
30
sent to
conside
my juri: already whatev,
the Cap On receiving S was no future f, he obtained a b,
Conolly himsel Conolly that "h! some fellows". ' nor, Sir Arthur
istrates not to ; the settlements
Conolly was COl
South Wales as about Coote an,
all these happen
The dispute OVI
the fault must'
coming but app When Coote an island, was coni but he was a di( done correctly;
belonging to re social backgroUl
ing people appe the status of th~
matter of class c
taking matters iT
personality. Co shown by his lat
Sadly, Conolly'
ced, exertions un
:s my determined
Ite, In short I have
istance of one hun
inhabitants particu
I magistrates have,
,f my duty ... and
al and government
efforts have been
I wrote to Slater as
I me a copy of your
, advise the latter to
n your Lordship in
) which have been
nents, for so I con
; would in my opin
he greatest value in
ly to the Lieutenant
Slater expressed his
ay in which he had
t Coote "had unau
a Roman Catholic
to you two months
eased to trouble the
,d. You must, Revd
in all societies. Mr
~ndence of the Mis
I11d yeu can exercise
probation. As how
,rity of that respect
reports which have
myself for the pre
sent to repeating what I had formerly written - that you are to
consider yourself as not being received in the District entrusted to
my jurisdiction - and that from the receipt hereof - if you have not
already ceased - you do cease to exercise any Sacerdotal functions
whatever in the Colonies of New Holland, Van Diemen's Land or
the Cape of Good Hope."
On receiving Slater's letter early in December, Coote realised that there
was no future for him in Tasmania and, four days after receiving the letter,
he obtained a berth on a ship bound for Sidney.
Conolly himself received a similar letter from Slater in which he assured
Conolly that "his mission shall not be disturbed again by any other trouble
some fellows". Then, when Conolly passed on Slater's letter to the Gover
nor, Sir Arthur "very politely told me he would issue an order to the Mag
istrates not to allow [Coote] to discharge any ministerial duties in any of
the settlements." By this time, Coote had already left the colony and, as
Conolly was concerned that Coote would "become as troublesome at New
South Wales as he has been here.", Conolly wrote to Governor Darling
about Coote and sent him a copy of Slater's letter. Also Conolly recounted
all these happenings to Bishop Poynter.
The dispute over Coote's position in Tasmania is a sad episode. Some of
the fault must lie with Bishop Slater in Mauritius who knew Coote was
coming but appears to have made no attempt to provide faculties for him.
When Coote arrived in Hobart, Fr Conolly, the only Catholic priest on the
island, was confronted by a dilemma. He was desperately in need of help
but he was a diocesan priest of the old school, careful that everything was
done correctly and, it must be admitted, rather prejudiced against priests
belonging to religiOUS orders. Coote seems to have come from a lower
social background than Conolly and his familiarity with the ordinary work
ing people appeared inappropriate to Conolly who stressed the dignity and
the status of the priesthood. Coote's behaviour, though, was not simply a
matter of class and some of his actions, his challenging of authority and his
taking matters into his own hands would have given warning of a disturbed
personality. Coote was clearly unsuited for missionary work and, as is
shown by his later career, for the priestly role in general.
Sadly, Conolly's own behaviour came under criticism some years later
31
i
and, on 25 May 1836, he himself had his faculties withdrawn and he was
suspended from office by Bishop Polding, the first bishop in Australia. The
charges against Conolly were of financial mismanagement, alcoholism and
cruelty to two of his relatives. It was an unhappy end to 16 years of service
in Tasmania.
Coote remained in Sydney for only a short time and, following the advice
of Fr Therry, he left quickly for Mauritius where he arrived early in Febru
ary 1826. Coote was eVidently keen to obtain ecclesiastical approval from
Bishop Slater and be granted full priestly faculties so that he could then
return to New South Wales where Fr Therry was eager to have his ser
vices. However, the Governor of Mauritius, Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole,
was conscious of the need for priests in Mauritius, a much more Catholic
country, and in particular for a parish priest in Moka, five miles south of
Port Louis. Hence, on 15 February, Bishop Slater wrote to the Governor
of Mauritius:
" ... the arrival of Rev. Mr. Coote will enable me to meet your
Excellency's wishes. - Mr. Coote being subject to my jurisdiction,
I can for a short time, though with some inconvenience to the mis
sion in New Holland, retain him in this Colony."
A month later, on 8 March, Slater wrote again to the Governor:
"Mr Coote being new in the ministry has been exercising himself in
functions, to which it is necessary to become habituated, previous
to their performance in public."
One difficulty for Coote in Mauritius would have been the need to learn
French but all church ceremonies were in Latin at that time. Slater's letter
seems to imply that he was not satisfied with the way Coote celebrated
mass and the other sacraments, which is surprising considering that, by this
time, Coote had been a priest for eight years! In May, Coote was installed
as the parish priest in Moka and he was offiCially added to the Ecclesiastical
Establishment and to the payroll."
Unfortunately, within a couple of years, Coote's behaviour had deterio
rated and, on 2 August 1828, the new Governor, Sir Charles Colville,
wrote to the Colonial Office:
"[Coote's] conduct has been discreditable to his profession, and I
have informed the Vicar Apostolic that he should be removed from
his present situation with the least possible delay; for I conceive
32
that it
than s<
divine
The Governor
about Coote: "... th,
proper Ecclesi
The exact det,
Mauritius clair
folly went to !
for deporting t 1830.
On his arrival
don. However
1831, he was
(also known as
asylum had op'
purpose built a
(patient no. I ~
the parish of S
written unden
register states
sodes during tJ Sessions of the
Samuel Coote,
on 18 Sept 18: but this figure
was probably 2
at the beginnin
chapel at the
there. The fun
follOWing the c
withdrawn and he was lishop in Australia. The
,ement, alcoholism and d to 16 years of service
d, following the advice . arrived early in Febru
esiastical approval from ; so that he could then
; eager to have his serGalbraith Lowry Cole, a much more Catholic
Jka, five miles south of wTote to the Governor
~able me to meet your bject to my jurisdiction, convenience to the mis
ony. le Governor: ~en exercising himself in
ne habituated, previous
been the need to learn that time. Slater's letter
~ way Coote celebrated considering that, by this lay, Coote was installed lded to the Ecclesiastical
behaviour had deterio,r, Sir Charles Colville,
to Ills profession, and I
;hould be removed from Ie delay; for I conceive
that it would be better that the church [in Moka] should be shut up than so unworthy a clergyman should continue to perform the divine service therein."
The Governor wrote to the Colonial Office again on 12 October 1828 about Coote:
", .. the conduct of the Abbe Coote has latterly become so improper that I have been compelled to direct his removal from the Ecclesiastical Establishment."
The exact details of Coote's behaviour are scarce but a recent history of Mauritius claims: "Very soon he started to fight with the people and his
folly went to such extent that the police had to carry him off to the port for deporting him." Coote was finally deported from Mauritius on 24 June 1830.
On his arrival in England, Coote settled into lodgings in Marylebone, London. However, his behaviour quickly deteriorated and, on 12 November 1831, he was admitted to the 1" Middlesex County Asylum at Hanwell (also known as the Hanwell Insane Asylum), near Norwood, London. This asylum had opened just a few months before, on 16 May, and was the first purpose built asylum in England and \/Vales. In the admissions book, Coote (patient no. 122) was described as a Catholic priest, single and reSiding in
the parish of St Mary Ie Bowe. His age was given as 38 years (but a 50 is written underneath - which is the age written on his death certificate). The register states that he had been suffering from intermittent maniacal episodes during the previous six months. Soon afterwards, at the Middlesex Sessions of the Peace, an account was made of the "property belonging to Samuel Coote, lunatic, of St Marylebone". Coote died from consumption on 18 Sept 1837 and his age was given as 50 years on his death certificate but this figure of the death certificate is probably only a estimate. Coote was probably around 57 years of age judging from Dr Spratt's list quoted at the beginning of this article. Coote's funeral took place probably in the chapel at the Asylum and he would have been buried in the cemetery there. The funeral book for the chapel was kept in the museum there but, following the closure of the museum, it has since disappeared.
Richard Copsey
33
Acknowledgements: My thanks are due to Fr Paul Chandler (Australian Province), who first brought the story of Samuel Coote to my attention and to the late Fr Peter O'Dwyer (Irish Province), for many of the details of Coote's early life.
For this article, though, I am heavily indebted to the researches of Fr Paul Collins in his article, "Mystery Priest or Maverick?", Foocprints: Journal 1 che Melbourne Hiscorical Commission, 5:12 (1986) pp. 2J-26 (which was kindly sent to me by Ms Rachel 1 aughton, Archivist of the Melbourne Historical Commission) and to Fr W. T. Southerwood for the account of Coote's relationship with Fr Conolly in his book, Lonely Shepherd in Van
Diemen's Isle (Facher Philip Conollj', Ausualia's First Vicar-General), (Tasmania,
1988) pp. 47-53.
A number of the letters quoted above can be found in Brian Condon's "Letters and Documents in 19th Century Australian History" which have
been published on the internet site of the University of South Australia: <http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/condon/ CatholicLetters/ >
Above: I
Below: l
In his final message at World Youth Day (2013), Pope Francis called upon
the young to follow three steps: 1) To go and make fellow disciplesenkindling others through that enthusiasm and creativity which comes from the Spirit; 2) to be not alTaid, for the believer is never truly alone but always in God's presence; and 3) to serve, by identifying with the
thoughts, words, and deeds of Jesus.
The message, in many respects, sums up the Pope's preaching ministry over the course of his first year in office- Simple, direct, and always
aware of the obstacles to the life of faith.
34