Alexis Bachelot
Encyclopedia
Alexis John Augustine Bachelot (February 22, 1796 – December 5, 1837) was a Roman Catholic priest best known for his tenure as the first Prefect Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands
. In that role, he led the first Catholic mission to the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
Bachelot was raised in France, where he attended the Irish College in Paris
. He was ordained as a priest in 1820. After the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
, to which he belonged, was given the responsibility of evangelizing Hawaii, he left France in 1825 to lead a mission there. The Hawaiian islands had already been reached by American Protestant missionaries who converted many Hawaiian leaders, most of whom were hostile to the presence of missionaries from a competing denomination. Bachelot, however, was able to quietly minister to a small group of Hawaiian Catholics for four years. During that time, he learned the Hawaiian language
and introduced two new plant species to the island. In 1831, he was deported at the order of the Queen regent Kaʻahumanu.
After being forced to leave, Bachelot traveled to California. He landed in San Pedro, Los Angeles and then traveled to the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
. There he served as an assistant minister in addition to pastoring and teaching. By 1837, he received word that Kaʻahumanu had died and that Kamehameha III
was willing to allow Catholic priests on the island again.
He returned to Hawaii in 1837, intending to continue his missionary work there. After arriving in Honolulu, he learned that Kamehameha III had changed his mind and would not allow Catholic priests on the island. He was removed from the island and confined to a ship for several months. He was freed from the ship after the French and British navies imposed a naval blockade in Honolulu harbor. He was later able to secure passage on a ship to Micronesia
. He died en route to the islands and was buried near Pohnpei
. The treatment he received prompted the Government of France
to dispatch another frigate to the island. The resulting intervention was known as The French Incident
and resulted in Catholics gaining freedom of religion in Hawaii.
, Orne
, France, he left home for Paris in 1806. There he enrolled in the preparatory seminary of Piepus. He pursued the priesthood, and seven years later he professed at the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and took the name Alexis. He then studied at the Irish College in Paris. He was ordained as a priest in 1820 and subsequently served as the rector of the Irish College. He later became the superior of the preparatory seminary at Tours
.
, a French adviser of Kamehameha II
, traveled to Europe and attempted to organize a Catholic mission to Hawaii. The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary was particularly receptive to the idea. In 1825, Pope Leo XII
assigned them with the task of evangelizing Hawaii. He appointed Bachelot as the Prefect Apostolic of the mission. Bachelot was assisted in his new position by Patrick Short
, Abraham Armand
, and several lay brother
s. They sailed from Bordeaux
on La Comète in November 1826. The expedition was funded by the Government of France
and was organized by the Monneron family
. The missionaries were accompanied by a group that planned to explore commercial trading opportunities.
The group arrived in Honolulu on July 7, 1827. At that time, Rives' influence had greatly waned due to the death of Kamehameha II. Kaʻahumanu viewed him with animosity. The group was received favorably by Boki, a chief from Oahu
who had converted to Catholicism. Though Boki met the party and gave them permission to stay, Kaʻahumanu instructed the captain of La Comète to take them with him when he departed. The captain, however, neglected to do so and the party was able to remain. Kaʻahumanu took a hard stance against Catholicism on the advice of Hiram Bingham I
. Many chiefs were skeptical of the group because they suspected that they were covert agents of the Government of France. John Coffin Jones
and Richard Charlton
, the respective American and British Consuls, welcomed the group. They believed that the presence of French citizens could be positive for trade reasons.
Because they had anticipated Rives' patronage, the group faced a difficult financial situation. For several months they lived in three small rented structures, saying their first mass on the island in a grass hut. Several months later, they purchased a small amount of land and built a chapel. In 1843, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace was built on the site. After settling on the island, the group avoided drawing attention and studied Hawaiian. At the time they arrived, none of the party was fluent in English or Hawaiian.
Bachelot introduced two plant species to Hawaii. He planted the first Prosopis humilis
tree in Hawaii, a species which later covered thousands of acres there. He had attained the seeds, which were originally gathered by Catholic missionaries in California, from the Royal Conservatory in Paris. He also introduced the Bougainvillea
plant to Hawaii.
During the first two years of their mission, the group converted 65 Hawaiians. They often held surreptitious nighttime meetings with converts who feared persecution. They also ministered to a few Catholics who had been converted with Boki. Some Hawaiians were drawn to Catholicism because the Priests' vestments and rituals reminded them of the religious customs practiced before the arrival of Christian missionaries. Bachelot translated a book of prayers into Hawaiian and authored a catechism in Hawaiian. He also authored an introduction to Hawaiian grammar in French.
, both of whom had attempted to foment a revolt against the royals. Chiefs sought to prohibit Hawaiians from converting to Catholicism and to persecute those who did. Though the chiefs were hesitant to take action against the Catholic missionaries, most of the Protestant clergymen in Hawaii wished to respect the religious freedom of the natives but to deport the missionaries. (The Protestant clergy viewed them with suspicion in part because they believed they were secretly Jesuits.) The government eventually implemented both ideas, although the persecution was initially less severe in Oahu due to Boki's influence. Boki, however, left Hawaii on a trade mission in 1829 and died soon afterwards. Kaʻahumanu persecuted Catholics from 1829 until her death in 1832, forbidding Hawaiians from attending masses and instructing Bachelot not to proselytize. In December 1831, Bachelot and Short were deported and forced to leave on a ship, the Waverly, bound for North America. Though she steadfastly opposed his work, Bachelot viewed Kaʻahumanu as a good person who had been deceived by Protestant missionaries.
The expulsion of Bachelot and Short was met with controversy in the United States, where many saw it as contrary to the treaty signed by Thomas ap Catesby Jones
and Kamehameha III in 1826. John Downes
of the United States Navy
protested the expulsions in discussions with chiefs during his visit to the kingdom in 1832.
In 1833, the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith reorganized the jurisdiction of Oceania
. Hawaii became part of the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Oceania, which was split into northern and southern divisions. Bachelot remained as the Prefect Apostolic for the northern division. Bishop Etienne Jerome Rouchouze
served as the Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Oceania and oversaw Bachelot's assignment in Hawii.
In 1835 and 1836, two representatives of the Catholic church traveled to Hawaii in an attempt to ascertain whether Bachelot could return. Columban Murphy, a lay brother with British citizenship, visited Kamehameha III in 1835 and discussed the possibility of Bachelot's return. Finding Kamehameha III amenable to the idea, Murphy traveled to California to relay the news. He was unable, however, to locate Bachelot, who was on a journey at the time. After Bachelot Murphy's message, Short and he decided to return to Hawaii. The Ayuntamiento
in Los Angeles attempted to convince Bachelot to remain there, but he insisted on leaving. The Ayuntamiento also asked the Catholic leadership in Santa Barbara
to prevent him from doing leaving, but they did not.
and Dupetit Thouars, who tried to convince the authorities to allow the priests to return to the island. After negotiations proved futile, they blockaded the harbor and allowed Bachelot and Short to come ashore. In addition, 300 sailors from La Vènus escorted them from the harbor to the French mission. Kamehameha III then agreed to allow the priests to stay in Honolulu until they could find a ship to transport them elsewhere, under the condition that they refrained from proselytizing.
That year, Bachelot, who suffered from a form of rheumatism
, became very sick. By November 1837 he recovered and left Hawaii. He purchased a ship and sailed toward Micronesia, intending to work on a mission there. Bachelot's health significantly worsened after leaving Hawaii and he died less than a month later on the voyage. He was buried on an islet off the coast of Pohnpei. In 1838, a small chapel was built near his grave.
Because of the persecution of Bachelot and his fellow priests, the Government of France sent the frigate Artémise to Hawaii in 1839. Its Captain, Cyrille Pierre Théodore Laplace, had been instructed to force the government to stop persecuting Catholics. In response, Kamehameha III granted Catholics
the freedom of religion.
Prefecture Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands
The Prefecture Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands or the Sandwich Isles Mission , was an ecclesiastical territory of the Roman Catholic Church created by Pope Leo XII on November 27, 1825 encompassing the Sandwich Islands and entrusted to the care of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus...
. In that role, he led the first Catholic mission to the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
.
Bachelot was raised in France, where he attended the Irish College in Paris
Irish College in Paris
The Irish College in Paris was for three centuries a major Roman Catholic educational establishment, for Irish students. It was founded in the late sixteenth century, and closed down by the French government in the early twentieth century....
. He was ordained as a priest in 1820. After the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers, priests, and nuns...
, to which he belonged, was given the responsibility of evangelizing Hawaii, he left France in 1825 to lead a mission there. The Hawaiian islands had already been reached by American Protestant missionaries who converted many Hawaiian leaders, most of whom were hostile to the presence of missionaries from a competing denomination. Bachelot, however, was able to quietly minister to a small group of Hawaiian Catholics for four years. During that time, he learned the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
and introduced two new plant species to the island. In 1831, he was deported at the order of the Queen regent Kaʻahumanu.
After being forced to leave, Bachelot traveled to California. He landed in San Pedro, Los Angeles and then traveled to the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
. There he served as an assistant minister in addition to pastoring and teaching. By 1837, he received word that Kaʻahumanu had died and that Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
was willing to allow Catholic priests on the island again.
He returned to Hawaii in 1837, intending to continue his missionary work there. After arriving in Honolulu, he learned that Kamehameha III had changed his mind and would not allow Catholic priests on the island. He was removed from the island and confined to a ship for several months. He was freed from the ship after the French and British navies imposed a naval blockade in Honolulu harbor. He was later able to secure passage on a ship to Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
. He died en route to the islands and was buried near Pohnpei
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
. The treatment he received prompted the Government of France
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
to dispatch another frigate to the island. The resulting intervention was known as The French Incident
French Incident (Hawaii)
The French Incident or the Laplace Affair was a military intervention by the Kingdom of the French to end the persecution of Catholics by the Kingdom of Hawaii, which had been promoted by Protestant ministers in Hawaii...
and resulted in Catholics gaining freedom of religion in Hawaii.
Early life
Born Jean Augustin Bachelot in Saint-Cyr-la-RosièreSaint-Cyr-la-Rosière
Saint-Cyr-la-Rosière is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-References:*...
, Orne
Orne
Orne is a department in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne.- History :Orne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Normandy and Perche.- Geography :Orne is in the region of...
, France, he left home for Paris in 1806. There he enrolled in the preparatory seminary of Piepus. He pursued the priesthood, and seven years later he professed at the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and took the name Alexis. He then studied at the Irish College in Paris. He was ordained as a priest in 1820 and subsequently served as the rector of the Irish College. He later became the superior of the preparatory seminary at Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
.
Hawaiian mission
In the early 1820s, Jean Baptiste RivesJean Baptiste Rives
Jean Baptiste Rives was a French adventurer who served in the court of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His first name was sometimes spelled John and last name Reeves by English speakers. Some sources give other middle names.-Life:...
, a French adviser of Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu Iolani...
, traveled to Europe and attempted to organize a Catholic mission to Hawaii. The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary was particularly receptive to the idea. In 1825, Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII , born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola Sermattei della Genga, was Pope from 1823 to 1829.-Life:...
assigned them with the task of evangelizing Hawaii. He appointed Bachelot as the Prefect Apostolic of the mission. Bachelot was assisted in his new position by Patrick Short
Patrick Short
Patrick Short was a Roman Catholic priest who is best known for his role in the first Catholic mission in the Kingdom of Hawaii.He was a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a Catholic religious order. Short was of Anglo-Irish descent.Short left for Hawaii from...
, Abraham Armand
Abraham Armand
Abraham Armand was a priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church. He was one of the first Catholic missionaries to arrive in the Kingdom of Hawaii, arriving in 1827 in the company of Alexis Bachelot, Patrick Short and six lay...
, and several lay brother
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
s. They sailed from Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
on La Comète in November 1826. The expedition was funded by the Government of France
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
and was organized by the Monneron family
Monneron family
The Monneron family was a French family of businessmen and politicians, best known for the Monneron brothers.It originated in the small village of Ampurany near Tournon-sur-Rhône, but set up shop in Chanos since 1550. Antoine Monneron and his wife Barbe Arnault had 20 children, 8 dying in infancy...
. The missionaries were accompanied by a group that planned to explore commercial trading opportunities.
The group arrived in Honolulu on July 7, 1827. At that time, Rives' influence had greatly waned due to the death of Kamehameha II. Kaʻahumanu viewed him with animosity. The group was received favorably by Boki, a chief from Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
who had converted to Catholicism. Though Boki met the party and gave them permission to stay, Kaʻahumanu instructed the captain of La Comète to take them with him when he departed. The captain, however, neglected to do so and the party was able to remain. Kaʻahumanu took a hard stance against Catholicism on the advice of Hiram Bingham I
Hiram Bingham I
Hiram Bingham, formally Hiram Bingham I , was leader of the first group of Protestant missionaries to introduce Christianity to the Hawaiian islands.-Life:...
. Many chiefs were skeptical of the group because they suspected that they were covert agents of the Government of France. John Coffin Jones
John Coffin Jones
John Coffin Jones Jr. was the first United States Consular Agent to the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:John Coffin Jones Jr. was born in 1796 in Massachusetts.His father was John Coffin Jones, Sr...
and Richard Charlton
Richard Charlton (Hawaii)
Richard Charlton was the first diplomatic Consul from Great Britain to the Kingdom of Hawaii 1825–1843. He was surrounded by controversies that caused a military occupation known as the Paulet Affair, and real estate claims that motivated the formalization of Hawaiian land titles.-Life:Richard...
, the respective American and British Consuls, welcomed the group. They believed that the presence of French citizens could be positive for trade reasons.
Because they had anticipated Rives' patronage, the group faced a difficult financial situation. For several months they lived in three small rented structures, saying their first mass on the island in a grass hut. Several months later, they purchased a small amount of land and built a chapel. In 1843, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace was built on the site. After settling on the island, the group avoided drawing attention and studied Hawaiian. At the time they arrived, none of the party was fluent in English or Hawaiian.
Bachelot introduced two plant species to Hawaii. He planted the first Prosopis humilis
Prosopis humilis
Prosopis humilis, the algarrobilla or algaroba , is a mesquite, a flowering plant and a tree species in the genus Prosopis found in Argentina.-External links:*...
tree in Hawaii, a species which later covered thousands of acres there. He had attained the seeds, which were originally gathered by Catholic missionaries in California, from the Royal Conservatory in Paris. He also introduced the Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina . Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus...
plant to Hawaii.
During the first two years of their mission, the group converted 65 Hawaiians. They often held surreptitious nighttime meetings with converts who feared persecution. They also ministered to a few Catholics who had been converted with Boki. Some Hawaiians were drawn to Catholicism because the Priests' vestments and rituals reminded them of the religious customs practiced before the arrival of Christian missionaries. Bachelot translated a book of prayers into Hawaiian and authored a catechism in Hawaiian. He also authored an introduction to Hawaiian grammar in French.
Persecution
By 1827, Protestant Christianity, particularly the teachings of Bingham, had become the de facto state religion of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Consequently, a number of chiefs viewed Catholics as disloyal. The loyalty of Catholics was also called into question due to their association with Boki and his wife Kuini LilihaKuini Liliha
Kuini Liliha was a High Chiefess in the ancient Hawaiian tradition and served the Kingdom of Hawaii as royal governor of Oahu island. She administered the island from 1829 to 1831 following the death of her first husband.-Early life:...
, both of whom had attempted to foment a revolt against the royals. Chiefs sought to prohibit Hawaiians from converting to Catholicism and to persecute those who did. Though the chiefs were hesitant to take action against the Catholic missionaries, most of the Protestant clergymen in Hawaii wished to respect the religious freedom of the natives but to deport the missionaries. (The Protestant clergy viewed them with suspicion in part because they believed they were secretly Jesuits.) The government eventually implemented both ideas, although the persecution was initially less severe in Oahu due to Boki's influence. Boki, however, left Hawaii on a trade mission in 1829 and died soon afterwards. Kaʻahumanu persecuted Catholics from 1829 until her death in 1832, forbidding Hawaiians from attending masses and instructing Bachelot not to proselytize. In December 1831, Bachelot and Short were deported and forced to leave on a ship, the Waverly, bound for North America. Though she steadfastly opposed his work, Bachelot viewed Kaʻahumanu as a good person who had been deceived by Protestant missionaries.
The expulsion of Bachelot and Short was met with controversy in the United States, where many saw it as contrary to the treaty signed by Thomas ap Catesby Jones
Thomas ap Catesby Jones
Thomas ap Catesby Jones was a U.S. Navy officer during the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.-Early life:Jones was born in 1790 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Thomas ap Catesby Jones means Thomas, son of Catesby Jones in the Welsh language. His brother was Roger Jones, who would become...
and Kamehameha III in 1826. John Downes
John Downes (naval officer)
Commodore John Downes was an officer in the United States Navy, whose service covered the first half of the 19th century.-Early life and career:...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
protested the expulsions in discussions with chiefs during his visit to the kingdom in 1832.
California
The Waverly landed at a vacant area near San Pedro, Los Angeles in January 1832. By that time, the ship was running very low on food and water. Bachelot and Short traveled to the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, where they were welcomed by the Franciscans who staffed the mission. Bachelot later became the pastor of a church in Los Angeles and served as an assistant minister for the mission. He led the mission on an interim basis in 1834 after the departure of its priest. He also taught in Los Angeles schools when they had difficulty finding teachers. He ministered in California until 1837 and became popular with local citizens.Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
. Hawaii became part of the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Oceania, which was split into northern and southern divisions. Bachelot remained as the Prefect Apostolic for the northern division. Bishop Etienne Jerome Rouchouze
Etienne Jerome Rouchouze
Etienne Jerome Rouchouze, SS.CC. of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary served as Vicar Apostolic and Titular Bishop of Nilopolis from 1833 to 1843 of the Vicariate Apostolic of Oriental Oceania, from which were derived the Archdiocese of Pape‘ete, the Roman Catholic Diocese of...
served as the Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Oceania and oversaw Bachelot's assignment in Hawii.
In 1835 and 1836, two representatives of the Catholic church traveled to Hawaii in an attempt to ascertain whether Bachelot could return. Columban Murphy, a lay brother with British citizenship, visited Kamehameha III in 1835 and discussed the possibility of Bachelot's return. Finding Kamehameha III amenable to the idea, Murphy traveled to California to relay the news. He was unable, however, to locate Bachelot, who was on a journey at the time. After Bachelot Murphy's message, Short and he decided to return to Hawaii. The Ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . is the general term for the council of a municipality, or sometimes the municipality itself, in Spain and Latin America. Historically Ayuntamiento was often preceded by the word excelentísimo , when referring to...
in Los Angeles attempted to convince Bachelot to remain there, but he insisted on leaving. The Ayuntamiento also asked the Catholic leadership in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
Santa Bárbara or Santa Barbara, , was an early Christian saint and martyr.Santa Bárbara or Santa Barbara may also refer to:-Colombia:*Santa Bárbara, Antioquia*Santa Bárbara, Nariño...
to prevent him from doing leaving, but they did not.
Later life
After Bachelot and Short arrived in Honolulu in the spring of 1837, they spent 13 days on the island. They were then confined to ship on which they had arrived, the Clementine. Though he had previously signed an agreement with Abel-Nicolas Bergasse Dupetit Thouars to allow French citizens to live on the island, Kamehameha III sought to deport the priests and ban the teaching of Catholicism. The captain of the Clementine, Jules Dudoit, refused to leave Hawaii with them. Dudoit, a British citizen of French descent, met with Charlton and they publicly protested the priests' confinement. Their efforts to secure the freedom of the priests to live on the island were unsuccessful until the HMS Sulpher and the French frigate La Vènus arrived in Honolulu. The ships were commanded by Edward BelcherEdward Belcher
Admiral Sir Edward Belcher, KCB , was a British naval officer and explorer. He was the great-grandson of Governor Jonathan Belcher. His wife, Diana Jolliffe, was the stepdaughter of Captain Peter Heywood.-Early life:...
and Dupetit Thouars, who tried to convince the authorities to allow the priests to return to the island. After negotiations proved futile, they blockaded the harbor and allowed Bachelot and Short to come ashore. In addition, 300 sailors from La Vènus escorted them from the harbor to the French mission. Kamehameha III then agreed to allow the priests to stay in Honolulu until they could find a ship to transport them elsewhere, under the condition that they refrained from proselytizing.
That year, Bachelot, who suffered from a form of rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
, became very sick. By November 1837 he recovered and left Hawaii. He purchased a ship and sailed toward Micronesia, intending to work on a mission there. Bachelot's health significantly worsened after leaving Hawaii and he died less than a month later on the voyage. He was buried on an islet off the coast of Pohnpei. In 1838, a small chapel was built near his grave.
Because of the persecution of Bachelot and his fellow priests, the Government of France sent the frigate Artémise to Hawaii in 1839. Its Captain, Cyrille Pierre Théodore Laplace, had been instructed to force the government to stop persecuting Catholics. In response, Kamehameha III granted Catholics
Edict of Toleration (Hawaii)
An Edict of Toleration was issued by King Kamehameha III of Hawaii on June 17, 1839, which allowed for the establishment of the Hawaii Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church was suppressed in the Kingdom of Hawaii during the reigns of Kamehameha and Kamehameha II.During their administrations,...
the freedom of religion.