William Loggie

(Northern District) Born at Buckie, 4th June 1821, the son of William Loggie and Isabel Geddes; “ordained” a priest (see below), 13th April 1846, and left for Scotland, 18th April 1846; died at Tynet, 29th May 1885.

William Loggie was one of the unfortunate victims of two attempts, both of doubtful validity, which the Bishop of Valladolid, Dr Jose Antonio de Rivadeneira, made to ordain them. They were conditionally re-ordained when they returned to Scotland.

Date Age Description
4 Jun. 1821
Born Buckie
1835-1838
14
Blairs
19 Dec. 1838
17
Arrived in the College
13 Apr. 1846
24
“Ordained” a priest by the Bishop of Valladolid, Dr Jose Antonio de Rivadeneira.
18 Apr. 1846
24
Left for Scotland
1846-1847
25
Preshome
1847-1853
26
Peterhead
1853-1859
32
Mission of Ballogie and Deecastle
1859-1860
38
Auchinhalrig
1860-1885
39
Tynet
29 May 1885
53
Died Tynet

Report of the ordination of William Loggie in the Scottish Catholic Directory of 1847.

The Rev. William Loggie, born in May 1821, received his education at Blairs and Valladolid, where he was ordained Priest, on the 13th May 1846. by the Bishop of that Diocese. He is now one of the Missionaries at Preshome.

Obituary of William Loggie from the Scottish Catholic Directory of 1886.

Pray for the soul of the Rev. William Loggie, who died at Tynett on the 29th May, 1885, aged 64, in the 40th year of his priesthood.

Mr. Loggie was born at Buckie, Banffshire, on the 4th June, 1821. He entered Blairs College on the 3rd August, 1835, whence he was sent to the Scots College, Valladolid, in November, 1838. Having completed there the usual course of studies, he was ordained priest on the 13th May, 1846, and then returned to Scotland. For some time he served under Bishop Kyle at Preshome; but early in the following year he was entrusted with the task of establishing a mission at Peterhead, which had hitherto been only a station attended from time to time by the priest of Strichen. The new mission was opened on Easter Sunday, 1847; but it possessed neither a place of worship nor a residence for the clergyman, and for some years Mass had to be said in a rented hall. In the autumn of 1850, the erection of a handsome little Gothic church and commodious presbytery was commenced, and the church was opened on the 22nd May of the following year. In November, 1853, Mr. Loggie was transferred to the old Deeside mission of Ballogie and Dee Castle. Here, after some time, he once more found himself destitute of both chapel and house. The estate of Ballogie had passed out of Catholic hands, and the new proprietor was desirous of having the mission buildings and land attached, which were held on a long lease, surrendered to himself for some equivalent in money. The Vicar-Apostolic having consented to this, the place was given up at Whitsunday, 1857. Considerable difficulty was experienced in procuring a new site, but at last a piece of ground was got on favourable terms on the estate of Mr. Farquharson, of Finzean, and a small chapel and house were built in the course of 1858. In the meantime, Mr. Loggie resided in Aberdeen, and thence attended to the wants of his distant flock. The new chapel was opened on the 14th November, 1858. In the spring of the next year, he was once more stationed in the Enzie, and there spent the remaining 26 years of his life. Achinhalrig, a name so long associated with Catholicism in that district of country, ceased to be the residence of the priest in the year following his appointment, and a new house was built near the chapel at Tynett. At the same time, he gave the chapel itself a thorough repair. Henceforward his years passed uneventfully enough in the faithful discharge of his duties. He enjoyed the love and esteem of his clerical brethren, and was a universal favourite with people of all denominations for his cheerful, generous, and most self-sacrificing disposition. Though he was gifted with abilities of a high order, and had been a very distinguished student, he was singularly modest and unassuming. He possessed many and varied accomplishments, and in particular was an excellent musician.

About the middle of May last, Mr. Loggie was labouring under a severe cold; but relying on the strength of his constitution he made light of it. On occasion of the first meeting in conference of the Deanery of St. Peter, on the 19th May, he walked to Buckie to attend it; but he felt so ill and weak that in the afternoon he had to be taken home in a conveyance. He was found to be suffering from congestion of the lungs, under which he rapidly sank. Fortified with the Sacraments, he passed away on the morning of Friday in Pentecost week. His funeral took place on the following Tuesday, and was attended by a large body of priests, ministers of all denominations, and a great concourse of people. After Requiem Mass had been celebrated and a discourse delivered by the Rev. C. Tochetti, the absolution at the bier was pronounced by the Bishop of the diocese, and the funeral cortege set out for the ancient churchyard of St. Ninian.