June 22
Saints of the Day
 

Saint Thomas More Martyr, 1478-1535
“A man for all seasons” who opposed the divorce of his friend Henry VIII and his braking with Rome, which caused him martyrdom  

    Lawyer. Twice married, father of one son and three daughters, and a devoted family man. Writer of Utopia
    Friend of King Henry VIII. Lord Chancellor of England, a position of power second only to the king.
    Described as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, eminent lawyer, gentleman, father of four children and chancellor of England. An intensely spiritual man, he would not support the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor would he acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church in England, breaking with Rome and denying the pope as head.
    Resigned the Chancellorship, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
    Martyred for his refusal to bend his religious beliefs to the king's political needs.

Born 1478 at London, England

Died beheaded in 1535; head kept in the Roper Vault, Saint Dunstan's church, Canterbury, England; body at Saint Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London, England

Canonized 1935 by Pope Pius XI

Writings

Treatise On The Blessed Sacrament
Utopia

Images Gallery of images of Saint Thomas [3 images]

Additional Information

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintt04.htm
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1422

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Readings

What does it avail to know that there is a God, which you not only believe by Faith, but also know by reason: what does it avail that you know Him if you think little of Him?

- Saint Thomas More

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What men call fame is, after all, but a very windy thing. A man things that many are praising him, and talking of him alone, and yet they spend but a very small part of the day thinking of him, being occupied with things of their own.

- Saint Thomas More Although I know well, Margaret, that because of my past wickedness I deserve to be abandoned by God, I cannot but trust in his merciful goodness. His grace has strengthened me until now and made me content to lose goods, land, and life as well, rather than to swear against my conscience. God's grace has given the king a gracious frame of mind toward me, so that as yet he has taken from me nothing but my liberty. In doing this His Majesty has done me such great good with respect to spiritual profit that I trust that among all the great benefits he has heaped so abundantly upon me I count my imprisonment the very greatest. I cannot, therefore, mistrust the grace of God.

By the merits of his bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit for me all that I can suffer myself, his bounteous goodness shall release me from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my reward in heaven besides.

I will not mistrust him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how Saint Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Christ and pray to him for help. And then I trust he shall place his holy hand on me and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning.

And finally, Margaret, I know this well: that without my fault he will not let me be lost. I shall, therefore, with good hope commit myself wholly to him. And if he permits me to perish for my faults, then I shall serve as praise for his justice. But in good faith, Meg, I trust that his tender pity shall keep my poor soul safe and make me commend his mercy.

And, therefore, my own good daughter, do not let you mind be troubled over anything that shall happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be the best.

- from a letter written by Saint Thomas More from prison to his daughter Margaret

Saint John Fisher, Bishop Martyr, 1469-1535, John Fisher of Rochester
Bishop of Rochester. Another Thomas More who refused to the marriage of Henry VIII and his claim to be the head of the Church, and was martyred