Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Capel, Thomas John
CAPEL, THOMAS JOHN (1836–1911), Roman catholic prelate, born at Ardmore, county Waterford, on 28 Oct. 1836, was eldest son and second child in a family of two sons and four daughters of John Capel by his wife Mary Fitzgerald, daughter of an Irish farmer. Both parents were rigid catholics and cultivated exclusively a catholic circle of friends. The father after some years in the royal navy joined the coastguard service, and was long stationed at Hastings. There the son Thomas was educated by a priest on duty in the town, who noticed his promise. At the priest's suggestion the boy passed into the charge of Father John Melville Glenie, who conducted a school for catholics at Hammersmith. There Capel took part in 1854 in the foundation of St. Mary's Normal College, Hammersmith, of which in 1856 he was made vice-principal. In 1860 he was ordained by Cardinal Wiseman, but owing to delicate health he went in the same year to reside at Pau, in the south of France. There he established a mission for English-speaking catholics, of which he became chaplain, and he formed friendly relations with many English visitors. He lectured with effect on Bishop Colenso's works, and acquired a high reputation as a preacher, while he proved very successful in making converts of his protestant fellow-countrymen and fellow-countrywomen. In 1868 he returned to England, and soon achieved his greatest success in proselytism by receiving into the catholic church on 8 Dec. 1868, at the chapel of the Sisters of Notre Dame, Southwark, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, third marquis of Bute [q. v.]. In 1868 Capel was named private chamberlain to Pope Pius IX, with the title of monsignor, and in 1873 became domestic prelate. In Disraeli's 'Lothair' (1870), of which the hero is a portrait of Lord Bute, Capel figures as 'Monsignor Catesby,' and once, by mistake, under his own name. Disraeli emphasises Capel's winning manners and his knowledge alike of the ways of the world and the works of the casuists. Capel acted for some years as the marquis of Bute's chaplain, and with him visited the Holy Land. Meanwhile Capel, who was attached to the pro-cathedral, Kensington, was a prominent figure in London society, and a popular preacher. He also paid several visits to Rome, where, by Pope Pius's express wish, he lectured to English and American visitors.
In February 1873 Capel founded the catholic public school at Kensington. In 1874 he was elected by the unanimous vote of the catholic bishops, rector of another newly formed institution, the College of Higher Studies, also at Kensington. Intended to be the nucleus of a Roman catholic university, the college became heavily involved in debt; and in 1878 the bishops requested Capel to resign (cf. Purcell, Life of Cardinal Manning, ii. 503). He claimed and received compensation for money spent by him on the college. Shortly afterwards his school also became bankrupt for 28,000l. On the ground of general mismanagement of his scholastic offices, he was suspended in 1882 by Cardinal Manning from his office of priest in the diocese of Westminster, but on appeal to Rome, the charges preferred against him were found to be not proven. Even so Cardinal Manning was opposed to Capel again working in London, and after lecturing at Florence by the wish of Leo XIII on the doctrines of the Roman catholic church, he migrated in 1883 to the United States, furnished by the Pope with commendatory letters to the bishops of that country. He resumed work there, preaching and lecturing in the more important cities. He finally settled in California, at first as tutor at Arno in the McAulay Valensin family, and ultimately becoming the prelate in charge of the Roman catholic church for the district of northern California. Long the guest of Thomas Grace, bishop of Sacramento, he died suddenly of heart failure at the bishop's residence on 23 Oct. 1911. A cartoon of Capel appeared in 'Vanity Fair' in 1872.
A keen controversialist, Capel wrote many religious pamphlets, including: 1. 'A Reply to Gladstone's "Vaticanism,"' 1874 (3rd ed. 1875), which attracted notice. 2. 'Ought the Queen of England to hold Diplomatic Relations with the Pope?' 1882. 3. 'Catholic: an Essential Attribute of the True Church,' New York, 1884. 4. 'The Pope the Vicar of Christ,' San Francisco, 1885.
[The Times, 25 Oct. 1911; Tablet, 28 Oct. 1911; Galaxy, vol. x. (with portrait); Men of Mark, 1876 (with portrait; Pratt, People of the Period, 1897; Men and Women of the Time, 1899; New Internat. Encyclop. 1910; E. S. Purcell, Life of Cardinal Manning, 1895; private information.]