Mordecai Cary - Career

Career

From 1717 to 1732, when he left for Ireland, Mordecai was rector of St Katherine Coleman in the city of London. Also commonly spelt St Catherine Coleman, the Church was in poor structural condition while Mordecai was there. Rebuilding began in 1739 and it was eventually demolished in 1925/6.

Mordecai was, from 1718-1724 headmaster of Morpeth School, Durham, where he is credited with restoring the school's dwindling prestige after a staff feud prior to his appointment, and increasing the attendance from 26 to 100: he was also perpetual curate of Jarrow, co. Durham 1722-24.

He received his Doctor of Divinity at Lambeth; his patent bears the date March 22, 1731. He was appointed chaplain to Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset. According to the Dublin Gazette, the Duke of Dorset arrived in Dublin on Sept 11, 1731 and was sworn in as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, King George II's chief representative in Ireland. On April 1, 1732, in St Anne's Church, Dublin, Dr Mordecai Cary was consecrated Bishop of Clonfert, co Galway, which position he held to 1838. He was, in fact, consecrated on March 26 "by the Archbishop of Tuam, assisted by the Bishops of Killala and Elphin; and was enthroned at Clonfert on June 5th, and at Kilmacduagh on June 16th".

Clonfert was the abbey and cathedral founded by St Brendan "the Navigator" in about 557, and became a major seat of learning in Ireland with as many as 3000 students at one time. It was still a prominent college in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

On Sept 27, 1735, the Dublin Gazette read: "On Wednesday last arrived here the Duke and Duchess of Dorset with the Rt Hon. Walter Cary, His Grace's chief secretary." On this visit by the Duke, "1735-6 Mordecai Cary DD Bishop of Clonfert, was translated to the Sees by patent dated December 20th and was enthroned by proxy at Achonry on March 19th and at Killala next day". See Bishop of Killala and Achonry, co. Mayo.

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Killala is also significant in Irish church history in that St Patrick himself, in the 5th century, declared Killala, previously known as "the wood (forest) of Foclut" to be the origin of his call to evangelise the Irish. Killala derives from the Irish “Cill Aille” meaning Church of Ailill.

Mordecai remained at Killala until his death in 1751. The inscription on his tomb in the floor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Killala reads:

To the memory of the

Rt. Revd. Father in God

Mordecai Cary D.D.

Late Ld Bishop of Killala and Achon

who departed this life

Octr y A. Dom 1751

in the 65 year

of his age.

Catherine Cary his beloved wife

caused this stone to be laid.

Near him lye four of his grandchildren.

Mordecai's appointment at Killala became a family affair. His son, Henry Cary (1717–1769), became Archdeacon of Killala from 1742, aged 24 or 25. The Dean at this time was Theophilus Brocas (c.1710-1770) whose son, John, succeeded him as Dean, and whose daughter, Henrietta, married the Archdeacon's son, William.

Henry Francis Cary, translator of Dante's "Divine Comedy", was the son of William Cary and Henrietta Brocas, and the great-grandson of Mordecai Cary DD Bishop of Killala and Achonry.

In his will, Mordecai mentions only one surviving son, Henry Cary, to whom went all his estate, with the exception of that reserved for his widow's use, namely the house and furniture in Henry St, Dublin. Mordecai also left the sum of 20 English pounds, to be paid out of his English Concerns, to his brother, William.