Theophilus MacCartan

{{Short description|Irish Roman Catholic bishop}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Theophilus MacCartan''' (1700–1778) was Roman Catholic [[Bishop of Down and Connor]] from 10 September 1760 until his death on 16 December 1778.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmccartan.html|title=Bishop Theophilus MacCartan [Catholic-Hierarchy]|first=David M.|last=Cheney|website=catholic-hierarchy.org}}</ref>

MacCartan was a scion of a long established family [[McCartan]] in the wider Barony of Kinelarty, one of the seven baronies in [[County Down]]. It is the most central and contains the towns of Ballynahinch, Saintfield, Downpatrick, Clough, Dundrum, Newcastle and Castlewellan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smccartankinelartyco.ipage.com/discovering-kinelarty.html|title=Discovering Kinelarty|website=The McCartans of Kinelarty}}</ref>

His early life and education took place against the [[Penal Laws against Irish Catholics|Penal Laws's]] backdrop, so firm details are scarce. But a generally respected source, writing at the end of the nineteenth century, asserts that the future bishop was born in Aughnagon near [[Mayobridge]] around 1700.<ref>O' Laverty Rev James, History of the Diocese of Down and Connor, ( James Duffy and sons London 18870</ref>

He was ordained priest at Ballykinlar by Bishop John Armstrong (1727–1739) and, as was often the case in the eighteenth century, was sent to study theology after ordination: in his case at the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]].<ref>[http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/7686/2/Final%20-%20Volume%202.pdf E-prints], maynoothuniversity.ie. Accessed 23 February 2024.</ref> It is believed that sometime around 1737 he was appointed parish priest of [[Loughinisland]] and erected the first church there.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qFUtAAAAMAAJ&q=%22theophilus+mccartan%22 | title=Patrick Dorrian: Bishop of Down and Connor 1865-85| isbn=9780716524069| last1=MacAulay| first1=Ambrose| year=1987}}</ref>

==Episcopal ministry== There is a record of then-bishop (and his kinsman) Dominic McCartan from Clonvarghan House each subscribing £5 so that the popular devotional book [[Imitation of Christ]] by [[Thomas a Kempis]] could be translated into Irish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://smccartankinelartyco.ipage.com/chronology-of-the-mccartans.html|title=Chronology of the McCartans|website=The McCartans of Kinelarty|access-date=23 February 2024}}</ref> An early twentieth century account of the Bishops of Down and Connor suggests that Bishop MacCartan "always preached in Irish" and that during his episcopate, the first relaxation in the penal code was made.<ref>''Irish News and Belfast Morning News'', 29 August 1908, p. 8</ref>

In 1773, he donated a chalice for use by any priest of the name McCartan, or the most senior priest of that name, in either the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore]] or his native [[Down and Connor]]. The chalice has been in continuous use since and there is a well-established historical record of the priests who have used this chalice.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZT18961120.2.10|title=Irish News.|date=20 November 1896|journal=New Zealand Tablet|volume=XXIV|issue=30|page=9|via=Papers Past}}</ref> His last will and testament has been preserved and much of the what is known about him and his episcopal ministry is drawn from that document drawn up days before his died.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.com.au/community/viewusercontent.aspx?uid=0173c465-0002-0000-0000-000000000000&type=story|title=Public Family History|website=ancestry.com.au}}</ref> He is buried in Loughinisland, the parish which had been so central to his priestly and episcopal ministry.

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Ireland|portal4= History}} {{Roman Catholic Bishops of Down and Connor}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacCartan, Theophilus}} [[Category:18th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland]] [[Category:18th-century Irish bishops]] [[Category:1700 births]] [[Category:1778 deaths]] [[Category:Christian clergy from County Down]]