Saint Thomas More

Our Parish’s Patron Saint

Chronology A Brief Biography of Thomas More (1478-1535)

1478 February 7, born in Thomas More was one of the country home and endeavored to Milk Street, London, to most highly respected men of his ignore the raging controversy. John More who was a time. A successful barrister, a Nevertheless, it was widely lawyer and would become a judge on the judge known for his scrupulous remarked that he declined to king’s bench. integrity, a scholar, famous for his attend the coronation of Queen 1491 Placed as a page in the wit and learning, he rose by sheer Anne. household of John merit to the highest status of any In 1534 an Act of Succession was Morton, Lord commoner in England. After a proclaimed. All the king’s subjects Chancellor to King series of important public offices, Henry VIII and the were required to take an oath he was in 1529 appointed by King Archbishop of recognizing the offspring of Henry Henry VIII to the post of Lord Canterbury. and Anne as true successors to Chancellor of England. To this his 1492 Enters Oxford for two the throne. More had no problem friend Erasmus, the Continental years of study. with this. As far as he was humanist, remarked, “Happy the 1494 Went to Inns of Court Sir Thomas More concerned the king was free to commonwealth where kings by Hans Holbein, 1527 to study law at his declare any successor he liked. father’s insistence. appoint such officials.” However, the oath also required husband’s scholarly friends, his 1496 February, admitted to Despite his achievements, More an avowal that the king’s marriage Lincoln’s Inn, Oxford. sense of humor, and his costly had little ambition for worldly with Catherine had been no true scruples. 1497 Meets Erasmus. success. More was a man of deep marriage and a repudiation of “any 1499 Becomes a barrister and demanding faith. In his youth King Henry had reckoned wisely foreign authority, prince or after completion of his he had considered a monastic on his chancellor’s brilliance and potentate.” Such an oath law studies. vocation before deciding instead honesty. In all matters of his office represented a decisive break with 1504 Becomes a Member of that he was called to serve God in More served with loyalty and the authority of the pope. This Parliament. the world. While outwardly he distinction. But circumstances oath More refused to take. 1505 Decides against enjoyed a life of comfort, in the were to evolve to the point that Consequently, on April 17 he was priesthood and privacy of his spiritual life he wore Henry required a more absolute marries Jane Colt, (Continued on page 2) saying he would rather a hair shirt, attended daily Mass, loyalty than More could offer. For be a good husband and practiced a strict discipline of some years the court of Henry than a bad priest. prayer. had been moving toward a fateful 1509 Elected bencher at collision with the authority of the More maintained a large Lincoln’s Inn. Catholic Church. The issue was household and took special delight 1510 Appointed Under- the king’s desire to annul his in his children. His role in Sheriff of London. marriage to Catherine of Aragon overseeing the education of his 1511 Jane dies leaving him so that he might marry Anne daughters, especially Margaret, his with four children. Boleyn. Catherine refused to eldest and favorite, was Marries Alice acquiesce in this scheme, and the considered remarkable for the Middleton, a widow, pope upheld the inviolability of time. After the death of his one month later. their marriage. When Henry made beloved first wife, he quickly 1515 Sent on diplomatic clear his intention to have his way, married an older widow, Alice. mission to Antwerp regardless of the church’s ruling, where he begins She proved a loyal wife and a good More resigned his office rather writing Utopia. stepmother, though she was than publicly oppose the position Henry VIII (Continued on page 2) prone to exasperation with her of the king. He retired to his by Hans Holbein, 1540 Chronology (continued) A Brief Biography of St. Thomas More (1478-1535)

1518 Made Master of (Continued from page 1) which proclaimed the king “only judges of my condemnation, we Requests and a supreme head of the Church of may yet hereafter in Heaven member of the Privy arrested and imprisoned in the England.” Thomas continued to merrily all meet together to Council of Henry VIII. Tower of London. maintain his silence. Finally in June everlasting salvation.” 1523 Elected Speaker of the he was brought to trial. On the House of Commons. He remained there for fifteen He spoke in similar terms as he basis of perjured evidence, he was 1529 October, made Lord months. All the while the court bade farewell to his loyal convicted of having spoken Chancellor of England. pressured him either to take the daughter Margaret: “I will pray for against the Acts and sentenced to 1532 May 16, resigns oath or to state his reasons for us all with my whole heart, that death. Now, with his fate settled, chancellorship finding withholding his assent. More we may meet one day in heaven, Thomas at last broke his silence. he cannot support would do neither, believing that where we shall forever be gay He denied that Parliament had Henry’s attempts to as long as he kept his opinions to and have no more pains.” divorce Catherine of the authority to set up a temporal himself he could not be convicted Aragon and marry lord as head of the church. No On July 6 he was taken to the site of treason. He was presented Anne Boleyn. more could the English of execution. Addressing those with a parade of clergy and 1533 July, Pope Clement VII Parliament overrule the law of gathered about he made brief condemns Henry’s bishops who all (save Bishop John the universal church, he declared, remarks before laying his head on divorce. Fisher) had signed the oath. More than the City of London could the executioner’s block: “I die in December, forbidden maintained that others must abide make a law against an act of and for the faith of the holy to publish. by their own conscience, as he Parliament. Finally, he addressed Catholic Church. Pray for me in 1534 March, Parliament must be true to his own. the lords who condemned him, this world, and I shall pray for passes Act of Meanwhile, the miseries of prison noting that while St. Paul had you in that world. Pray for the Succession. life, including cold, hunger, and persecuted St. Stephen, “and yet king that it please God to send April 17, sent to the vermin, were compounded by be they now both twin holy saints him good counselors. I die as the Tower of London for pressure from his family. When in Heaven…so I king’s true servant, but God’s refusing to take the his wife tried to coax him to alter oath of the Act of verily trust, and first.” his course, he responded, “My Succession. shall therefore good woman, you are no good at Thomas More was canonized While in the Tower right heartily doing business. Do you really by Pope Pius XI in 1935. His writes Dialogue of pray, that Comfort Against want me to exchange eternity for feast and that of his fellow though your Tribulation and De twenty years?” martyr John Fisher are lordships have Tristitia Christi. celebrated on June 22. On February 1, 1535, Parliament now here on 1535 July 1, tried and passed the Acts of Supremacy, earth been — Robert Ellsberg, All Saints convicted of treason. Pope Pius XI July 6, beheaded on Tower Hill. 1886 December 29, beatified Prayer for Fervor in Thinking of God by Pope Leo XIII. O Lord, give us a mind that is humble, quiet, peaceable, patient and charitable, and a taste of your Holy Spirit 1935 May 19, canonized by in all our thoughts, words, and deeds. O Lord, give us a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of Pope Pius XI. you. Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation and all dullness in prayer. Give us fervor and delight in thinking of you, your grace, and your tender compassion toward us. Give us, good Lord, the grace to work for the things we pray for. — Thomas More

Words of St. Thomas More Utopia

“Little as I meddle in the conscience of others, I am certain that In his book Utopia, Thomas More coined the term “utopia” which is my conscience belongs to me alone. It is the last thing that a man a pun meaning both “good place” and “no place.” More’s Utopia is can do for his salvation: to be at one with himself.” discovered on a voyage to the newly discovered Americas. It is one of the first books to invoke the analogy between the great voyages of “Reputation, honor, fame, what is all that but a breath of air from discovery and the discoveries of the mind. He is also thought to have another person’s mouth, no sooner spoken but gone? Thus whoever introduced “fact,” “taunt,” “shuffle,” “paradox,” “pretext,” “meeting,” finds his delight in them is feeding on wind.” “monosyllable,” and “anticipate” into the written English language.