Name Paul MacPherson | ||
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Paul McPherson (4 March 1756 – 24 November 1846), the first secular Scottish priest to be rector of the Scots College, Rome.
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Life
He was born in Scalan, Aberdeenshire on 4 March 1756. At the age of thirteen, he travelled to the Scots College in Rome to study for the priesthood. Owing to illness he was sent to Royal Scots College, Valladolid in Spain where he was ordained on Easter Monday 1779.
In 1793, he was nominated as agent of the Scottish mission to Rome and in August he left Scotland to take up his duties.
In 1801, a Papal Decree recognised the right of the British colleges to appoint national superiors McPherson became the first rector of the Scots College Rome from the ranks of the Scottish secular clergy.
McPherson wished to return to Scotland but it was not until 1827 after his replacement, Angus Macdonald the new Rector, arrived that he was able to leave Rome. In 1834, McPherson returned to Rome at the age of 78 his successor as rector Macdonald had died suddenly, and the college had been closed.
He carried on as rector until Dr Grant relieved him in 1841. In total he had been in charge of the college for 38 years. He remained in Rome and died in his 92nd year on 24 November 1846.
Having nursed the college through the difficulties of the Napoleonic period he has been called the saviour of the college. He was buried in the college chapel, the Sant'Andrea degli Scozzesi (Church of St Andrews of the Scots), on the via Quattro Fontane.