James Waterworth

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James Waterworth (b. St Helen's, Lancashire, 1806) was a Catholic missionary priest.

James Waterworth was educated at Stonyhurst, he went subsequently to Montrouge to enter the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, in which he did not long continue. Sent by Bishop John Milner to study for the priesthood at the English College, Rome, he there devoted himself to theology, and especially patrology, that the often worked sixteen hours a day. At the end of his course he was recalled to Oscott, where he was ordained, and where he taught theology from 1830 to 1833.

He then went to assist Rev. J. Yver at Newark, where he spent over forty years as a missionary priest, still continuing his studies of the Fathers. Within a year or two he was placed in sole charge of the mission. In 1834 he published a pamphlet defending Joseph Berington and John Kirk's work, The Faith of Catholics, against the attack of an Anglican clergyman called Pope; and twelve years later he published a greatly enlarged edition in three volumes.

He also published a translation of the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent (1848) and of François Véron's "Rule of Faith" (1833). His "Digest of the Penal Laws affecting Roman Catholics" is another useful work.

His last book, "England ad Rome" (1854), was on the relations of the popes to England. He was made canon of Nottingham in 1852, doctor of divinity in 1860, and provost of that diocese in 1861.

He died in Old Hall, Newark-on-Trent on 28 March 1876.

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.