English Martyrs.

St. Henry Garnet.

It is time again to remember some of the English Martyrs. Sunday was the feast of St. John Fisher and St Thomas Moore and today is the 400 anniversary of the martyrdom of St Thomas Garnet, nephew of St. Henry Garnet.

There is a really excellent sermon at http://romanmiscellany.blogspot.com/ and another at http://valleadurni.blogspot.com/2008/06/god-and-country-homily-from-few-years.html , and yet more here http://friendswithchrist.blogspot.com/2008/06/great-day.html.

St John Fisher

While we have of course many churches dedicated to the English Martyrs, incl St. Thomas Moore and St. John Fisher, I sometimes wonder if we don't feel a little uncomfortable these days making too much fuss of those who died for the Faith at the time of the reformation in England. I have heard people try to play things down, " Of course, they only went as far as putting people to death during quite a short period, and after that Catholics were tolerated to a certain extent", as someone said to me lately, or, " you have to understand things from an historical perspective".

St Thomas Moore

I think many liberal Catholics find the concept of martyrdom for the Catholic Faith unthinkable, martyrdom for the Christian Religion, just perhaps, but for the Catholic Faith?

Also of course..."Don't mention the War".

At Mass yesterday there was of course no mention of the English Martyrs, and on our Mass sheet, the now infamous, our Faith on Sunday, there was no mention the commemoration either.