William Ballantine (clergyman)

William Ballantine
Born	1618 Douglas, South Lanarkshire
Died	2 September 1661
Education	Scots College, Rome
Religion	Roman Catholic
Ordained	3 December 1645
Offices held	Prefect of Scotland

William Ballantine (or Ballentyne, or Bellenden) (1618–1661) was a Roman Catholic clergyman who became the first Prefect of Scotland.

Born in Douglas, South Lanarkshire in 1618, he took the oath at the Scots College in Rome on 1 November 1641, and for the next five years he studied philosophy and theology. In consequence of his delicate health, he was ordained a priest earlier than usual on 3 December 1645. He left the Scots College on 15 March 1646 for the mission in Scotland. He was declared the first Prefect of the Mission in Scotland by the Propaganda Congregation on 13 October 1653. He died on 2 September 1661, aged 43.^[1][2]

References

1. Brady, W. Maziere (1876). The Episcopal Succession in England, Scotland and Ireland, A.D. 1400 to 1875. Volume 3. Rome: Tipografia Della Pace. p. 455.
2. "Father William Ballantine". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Retrieved 30 September 2010.