José Mendonca succeeded D. Francisco de Lemos as rector of the University of Coimbra from 1780 to 1785.

[1] During his tenure he attempted introduce a number of reforms.

By 1792 he was still trying to get permission from the Real Mesa Censória (Royal Censorial Court) to publish two pastoral letters.

A law passed on April 5, 1768 reaffirmed the right of "temporal sovereignty" over the prohibition of "pernicious books and papers" in the interest of political defense.

As the Mesa had jurisdiction over all printed materials, this included pastoral letters.