Saint-John, Ambrose
Saint John, Ambrose
Oratorian priest. Born in 1815; died in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England on 24 May 1875. He was educated at Westminster School, and graduated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he formed a lifelong friendship with Venerable Cardinal Newman. He was received into the Church in September 1845, and ordained at Rome. He joined the Oratorians, and devoted himself entirely to missionary work, to the Oratory and its famous school. An excellent classical scholar and a remarkable European and Oriental linguist, his death was caused by overwork in translating Fessler’s book on infallibility. Newman paid him an affectionate tribute in his Apologia.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Saint-John, Ambrose
Oratorian; b. 1815; d. at Edgbaston, Birmingham, 24 May, 1875; son of Henry St. John, descended from the Barons St. John of Bletsoe. He was educated at Westminster School, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated M. A. and where he formed his lifelong, intimate friendship with Newman. In 1841 he became curate to Henry Wilberforce, first at Walmer, subsequently at East Farleigh. He then joined Newman at Littlemore which he left, to be received into the Church about a month before Newman’s conversion in October, 1845. After a short time spent with Newman at Maryvale he accompanied him to Rome where they were ordained priests. Having become Oratorians they began mission work in Birmingham (1847), removing to the suburb of Edgbaston in 1852. There he devoted himself entirely to zealous missionary labours, taking a leading part in the work of the Oratory and its famous school. He was an excellent classical scholar and a remarkable linguist both in Oriental and European tongues. His death was caused by overwork in translating Fessler’s book on infallibility when Newman’s discussion with Gladstone was pending. He was a man of marked individuality and Newman’s tribute to him in the “Apologia” will never be forgotten.
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Except the biographical sketch prefixed to the new edition of the Raccolta, which work he originally compiled, there is no connected sketch of his life, but references to him will be found in GASQUET, Lord Acton and his Circle (London, 1906). The information given above has been kindly supplied by the Rev. F. Bacchus, Cong. Orat. See also GORMAN, Converts to Rome (London, 1910).
EDWIN BURTON Transcribed by WGKofron With thanks to Fr. John Hilkert and St. Mary’s Church, Akron, Ohio
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIIICopyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York