Laurence Sheil


Laurence Bonaventure Sheil, OFM
Bishop of Adelaide
DioceseAdelaide
Installed16 September 1866
Term ended1 March 1872
PredecessorBishop Patrick Geoghegan OFM
SuccessorArchbishop Christopher Reynolds
Orders
Ordination1839
Consecration15 August 1866
Personal details
Born(1815-12-24)24 December 1815
Died1 March 1872(1872-03-01) (aged 56)
Willunga, South Australia, British Empire

Laurence Bonaventure Sheil OFM (24 December 1815 – 1 March 1872) was an Irish Franciscan friar, who served as the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Adelaide. Born in Ireland, he was educated at St Peter's College, Wexford, and at the Franciscan College of St Isidore, Rome, Sheil was sent to the British Colony of New South Wales in Australia after being ordained a priest. There, he served as an educator and administrator, before poor health saw him move to Ballarat as archdeacon.

In 1866, Sheil became the third Bishop of Adelaide. His reign was characterised by poor administration, with his extensive absence from the diocese contributing to severe factionalism within the clergy. Sheil's mismanagement culminated in his excommunication of Mary MacKillop,[1] who later became Australia's first saint.[2] He died in March 1872, rescinding his excommunication of MacKillop on his deathbed.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sheil, Laurence Bonaventure (1815–1872) was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Nun becomes first Australian saint". Al Jazeera. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2011.