Venerable James Dowdall
of Exeter
This website is dedicated to the memory of Venerable James Dowdall who was martyred August 13, 1599 at Exeter Castle, Exeter, England. Venerable James Dowdall was from the merchant mariner Dowdall family of Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. He was returning from a buying trip to France when due to bad weather he was forced onto the Devon Coast. When he was questioned by the Earl of Bath William Bourchiers, and other local authorities, he refused to take the Supremacy Oath placing Elizabeth above the pope in spiritual matters. He was placed in Exeter Prison and held for about a year before he was executed for treason. Catholics who refused to take the Supremacy Oath were accused of treason and risked the danger of execution. He perplexed William Bourchiers, Earl of Bath because of his continual refusal to conform to the Church of England.
James Dowdall has continually slipped between the cracks in the Irish and English Catholic Church. His cause was deferred because it was thought James Dowdall of Athboy and Venerable James Dowdall were the same person. James Dowdall of Athboy, County Meath, Ireland, died in 1603 and was a cousin of Venerable James Dowdall. Unfortunately no in-depth study of James Dowdall, a lay person. was done until recently so his cause was deferred and thus he was not beatified. Many of the missing threads of information needed to further his cause have now been uncovered.
James was elevated to Venerable in the English Catholic Church, which is an important stepping stone to being canonized. Through this website I hope that people can learn about James Dowdall’s great love for God, his deep faith, integrity of character, forgiveness and remarkable courage. With enough support the case for Venerable James Dowdall’s cause can be reopened.
Why is it important to tell James’ story and begin the path to his beatification and canonization in the Roman Catholic Church? How can a martyr’s death in 1599 be relevant in our world today? James Dowdall, a husband, father and businessman lived in dangerous times for people who believed and practiced their Catholic faith. When he left his home port of Drogheda he had not planned to defy Queen Elizabeth, but he must have been aware of the dangers of sailing the seas near England. During James’ year of imprisonment he could have chosen to take the supremacy oath and in doing so avoid the torture and misery he endured. He must have been a very humble and sincere person, not interested in being canonized; he would be more interested in having people live a humble and devoted life. His life was one of faithfulness and devotion. He lived most of his life hidden from the view of the public although he obviously came into the public eye and the eye of the crown, in such a way that they found it necessary to arrest, torture and execute him. He was somebody who lived his life in complete fidelity, doing the daily things, the ordinary things in an extraordinary way. What made his life extraordinary was that he was always conscience of God’s presence. He was a very special person because of that. He came in conflict with the crown because they were aware of God’s presence in him. The Earl of Bath could not identify what it was about James that made him and the other officials uncomfortable. They probably assumed that once the object of their discomfort was eliminated they would be at peace, so they found a need to eliminate him. They must have sensed James’ profound connection with God. It is significant that Venerable James Dowdall was the only Catholic executed for his faith in Devon County.
The torture, the indignities and the final excruciating death James suffered, link his life and death to millions of people in today’s world that face their own personal crosses. For those who suffer torture in various parts of the world, for those who suffer physical and mental abuse and for those who desire a world where we can live in peace all can feel God’s presence in Venerable James Dowdall. Through God’s presence Venerable James Dowdall can bring comfort to the weary and fill their hearts with the light of God’s blessings.