Former Auxiliary for the Archdiocese of Westminster and Bishop of the Titular See of Miletopolis, Monsignor Manuel John Bidwell was born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the son of Charles Toll Bidwell and Amelia, daughter of Don Jose Manuel Hurtado, first Minister of Colombia in London. Taking the degree of B.Sc. in Paris, he then studied Applied Science in this country, at King's College. His studies for the priesthood were made at the French Seminary and the Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics, in Rome, where he was ordained on May 8, 1898. A short period of service followed in Gibraltar, and later, after some time spent at St. Mary's, Hampstead, he went to St. Mary's, Chelsea, in 1902, as assistant priest, remaining there for about two years. The year 1904 saw the beginning of his connection with official diocesan affairs; he was made diocesan secretary and archivist; and in 1907 he became chancellor.
The next phase of his activity was in the Eternal City, whither he was called in 1908, to serve for some months in the Papal Secretariate of State, being made a Privy Chamberlain soon afterwards. Auditor of the late Cardinal Vannutelli's special mission to London on the occasion of the International Eucharistic Congress in the same year, in 1909 he resumed duty at Westminster as diocesan chancellor, and later as procurator-fiscal. Two years later found him a Domestic Prelate, while in 1917 he was raised to the episcopate as bishop auxiliary, receiving his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Francis Alphonsus Bourne on December 8 that year with the titular see of Miletopolis.
Receiving the following year, the C.B.E. honour, the next seventeen years saw from his end an active role and devoted assistance to the said Cardinal Bourne. He passed suddenly away at St. Mary's, Cadogan Street, Chelsea, of which parish he had been in charge since 1913, aged 58.
The next phase of his activity was in the Eternal City, whither he was called in 1908, to serve for some months in the Papal Secretariate of State, being made a Privy Chamberlain soon afterwards. Auditor of the late Cardinal Vannutelli's special mission to London on the occasion of the International Eucharistic Congress in the same year, in 1909 he resumed duty at Westminster as diocesan chancellor, and later as procurator-fiscal. Two years later found him a Domestic Prelate, while in 1917 he was raised to the episcopate as bishop auxiliary, receiving his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Francis Alphonsus Bourne on December 8 that year with the titular see of Miletopolis.
Receiving the following year, the C.B.E. honour, the next seventeen years saw from his end an active role and devoted assistance to the said Cardinal Bourne. He passed suddenly away at St. Mary's, Cadogan Street, Chelsea, of which parish he had been in charge since 1913, aged 58.
Former Auxiliary for the Archdiocese of Westminster and Bishop of the Titular See of Miletopolis, Monsignor Manuel John Bidwell was born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the son of Charles Toll Bidwell and Amelia, daughter of Don Jose Manuel Hurtado, first Minister of Colombia in London. Taking the degree of B.Sc. in Paris, he then studied Applied Science in this country, at King's College. His studies for the priesthood were made at the French Seminary and the Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics, in Rome, where he was ordained on May 8, 1898. A short period of service followed in Gibraltar, and later, after some time spent at St. Mary's, Hampstead, he went to St. Mary's, Chelsea, in 1902, as assistant priest, remaining there for about two years. The year 1904 saw the beginning of his connection with official diocesan affairs; he was made diocesan secretary and archivist; and in 1907 he became chancellor.
The next phase of his activity was in the Eternal City, whither he was called in 1908, to serve for some months in the Papal Secretariate of State, being made a Privy Chamberlain soon afterwards. Auditor of the late Cardinal Vannutelli's special mission to London on the occasion of the International Eucharistic Congress in the same year, in 1909 he resumed duty at Westminster as diocesan chancellor, and later as procurator-fiscal. Two years later found him a Domestic Prelate, while in 1917 he was raised to the episcopate as bishop auxiliary, receiving his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Francis Alphonsus Bourne on December 8 that year with the titular see of Miletopolis.
Receiving the following year, the C.B.E. honour, the next seventeen years saw from his end an active role and devoted assistance to the said Cardinal Bourne. He passed suddenly away at St. Mary's, Cadogan Street, Chelsea, of which parish he had been in charge since 1913, aged 58.
The next phase of his activity was in the Eternal City, whither he was called in 1908, to serve for some months in the Papal Secretariate of State, being made a Privy Chamberlain soon afterwards. Auditor of the late Cardinal Vannutelli's special mission to London on the occasion of the International Eucharistic Congress in the same year, in 1909 he resumed duty at Westminster as diocesan chancellor, and later as procurator-fiscal. Two years later found him a Domestic Prelate, while in 1917 he was raised to the episcopate as bishop auxiliary, receiving his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Francis Alphonsus Bourne on December 8 that year with the titular see of Miletopolis.
Receiving the following year, the C.B.E. honour, the next seventeen years saw from his end an active role and devoted assistance to the said Cardinal Bourne. He passed suddenly away at St. Mary's, Cadogan Street, Chelsea, of which parish he had been in charge since 1913, aged 58.
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