John Baptist Butt (20 April 1826 – 1 November 1899) was an English prelate who served as the fourth Roman Catholic Bishop of Southwark[1] from 1885 to 1897.
| Styles of John Baptist Butt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Right Reverend |
| Spoken style | My Lord |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Life
Born in Richmond, Surrey, Butt was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Nicholas Wiseman, Vicar Apostolic of the London District on 15 July 1849. He then served as a military chaplain.[2]
Butt was appointed an auxiliary bishop of Southwark and Titular Bishop of Milo on 19 December 1884.[3] He was consecrated by Arthur Riddell, Bishop of Northampton on 29 January 1885, with bishops William Vaughan and John Vertue serving as co-consecrators.[3] Following the death of Bishop Robert Coffin on 6 April 1885, Butt was appointed the diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Southwark on 26 June 1885.[4]
He founded St John's Seminary, Wonersh, near Guildford, Surrey in 1889, and employed as his first rector the young priest Francis Bourne, later to become Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.[5]
Butt resigned as Bishop of Southwark on 29 March 1897, and appointed Titular Bishop of Sebastopolis in Thracia on 9 April 1897.[3] He died in Arundel[1] on 1 November 1899, aged 73,[3] and was buried at St John’s Seminary in Wonersh.[6] He had been a bishop for almost 15 years.[3] There is a memorial to him Arundel Cathedral[1] and in relief on the walls of the cathedral are the Stations of the Cross to his memory.[6]