BULLETIN

SPRING 2014

BRITISH PROVINCE OF CARMELITES OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION

48 No.1

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

20

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

21

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

22

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:

23

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

24

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