6 OCTOBER 2019 I had to be imposed on had to the people.The Actof be imposed Uniformity of 1558 It cause. popular a been not had and in Britain new religion a still we havetorememberthatProtestantismCatholic measures, was Toanti- by these were affected how manypeople appreciate permission tomaintainaplaceoftorture inhishouse. chief torturer,her Topcliffe,Richard notoriously sadistic the with She even favoured was sanctioned. torture ofCatholicprisoners and grotesque penalties severe Her lawscarried and searchers. network ofspies a vast The queenhad injustice andoppression. during ElizabethI’sreign,which was atimeof Britain werepassed country.religion inthis in passed laws ever anti-Catholic The most Catholic the to extirpate violent means and harsh by pursuit ruthless out aboveanyinourhistoryforthe stands The Elizabethanperiod St Nicholas Owen - window at St. Mary’s Church, Harvington Hall nstitute of St. NicholasOwen C hrist the K them in safety for the saving of souls, which it appeared which it of souls, saving for the in safety them to keeplabouring inthat painful and dangerousbusiness all hisworks, directly he intended to whichend and them; preserve of soulswhereinhedid gain with themallinthe partner was he noted be to is it good, Then forspiritual Catholic housesofEngland? and inthechiefest in allshires having laboured years, of seventeen space in the endeavours many Priestsby his save then maywethinkthisman did making.of his place secret one timeina at danger How that Myself havebeenoneoftheseventhatescaped the sametime. Priestssix five or sometimes and house, same at together that havecometothe searches in several but manytimes, not once in theirhouses;ofwhichsomehaveescaped, Priestsif the over many times forfeited and takenbeen had which also of had been lost of these seculars, the estates andsecular,hundreds of persons, bothecclesiastical and of many lives the of saving occasion immediate the was For,those thatlabouredintheEnglishvineyard. he first, of all good more done have to said be can think noman I verily that places, in somany help thereindesired his and manner,in thebest both todeviseandframetheplaces so skilful in whichkindhewas fury ofsearches; from the hide Priestsand Churchstuff[itemsusedfor theMass]in to places secret in making was employment chief his But later martyred],andassisthiminmanyoccasions. upon Fathercontinually attend years eighteen [also Garnett or for seventeen This mandid were ofmorecredit. others, those ofsort,thatfew the betterinEngland,eitherPriests or especially by allCatholics, famous andsomuchesteemed so was he which name By John. of Little name the known by itself,most and was oneNicholasOwen,commonlycalled brought untothelastextremity,extremities whichisdeath and with But themanwhowasmostextremelyused The JesuitJohnGerardwroteofhimasfollows:* and hismartyrdomsavedmanylives. but hediedwithoutcompromisinganyone.Bothhiswork was andhowmuchheknew, puthimtoextremetorture, knowing whohe the authorities, captured, When hewas brother,holes. ever deviserof priests wasthegreatest Nicholas Owen(c.1562-1/2March1606),aJesuitlay surprise raids,theneedgrewforsecrethidingplaces. during down hunted were priests As treasons. pretended than convictinginnocentmenfor This waseasier a priest. be convictedof high treasoninEnglandmerelyfor being could priest a that meant in 1584 passed act An work. of their to jointheEnglishMissionpart had alsodecided The Jesuits into Englandfrom continental seminaries. coming by theflow of priests but werefrustrated priests, of supply off the to cut wanted ministers her and Elizabeth Priests wereespeciallytargeted torture and,infartoomanycases,martyrdom. imprisonment, ruin, suffer or principles religious their violate of Elizabeth’snew religion.Countless to were forced subjects of the theservices those whorefusedtoattend penalised ing S overeign P riest well he respected more than his own body, for he was not ignorant that his Yea, he did much strive to make them [the priest holes] of several office was much subject to the danger of spies, and that when he should fashions in several places, that one being taken might give no light happen to be taken he was sure to be extremely handled to wrest out of him to the discovery of another. Wherein he had no doubt great aid from the secrets of other men’s houses. … Almighty God, … for he ever began his work with communicating [receiving Communion] … and, as much as his labour would give him leave, did continually pray whilst he was working.…

But, above all, that which did most commend him both in the sight of God and man, was his innocent life and earnest practice of solid virtues.… Of his death, John Gerard notes that he died under torture. To cover it up the authorities pretended he committed suicide, but when Owen’s kinswoman came to visit, the keeper admitted to her “The man is dead, he died in our hands.” Gerard concludes: …the man had lived a saintly life, and his death was answerable, and he a glorious martyr of extraordinary merit … I desire my soul may have part with his, and myself may be assisted with his holy prayers.

*The Condition of Catholics Under James I, Father Gerard’s Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot, John Morris ed., 1872, Ch XI.

Announcements

Annual Latin Mass Society Pilgrimage to Wrexham in Honour of Saint Richard Gwyn, Martyr and Co-patron of the LMS. 1130am at St Mary’s Cathedral, Regent Street, Wrexham LL1 1RB - Sung Mass and veneration of relic. Canon Post to give first blessings of a newly ordained priest.

St.Winefride’s Presbytery, Mynd Close, Shrewsbury SY2 5RA Rev.Canon Scott Smith, Prior of the House of Saint Chad email: [email protected] telephone: 07366 321039 Rev. Anselm Gribbin, Assisting Priest email: [email protected] telephone: 07952 963641

St Nicholas Owen being tortured in the Tower of London in 1606., engraving by Melchior Kusell, 1675. Topcliffe’s 1675. Topcliffe’s of London in 1606., engraving by Melchior Kusell, St Nicholas Owen being tortured in the Tower favourite method was to hang a man by his hands. website: https://icksp.org.uk/shrewsbury/

Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Weekly Schedule *

Ordo Cathedral St Winefride’s Mass Intention Sun 6 Oct External Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, 11.15 Mass Allessandra Moe comm. XVII Sunday after Pentecost October 6th at 3.15pm Sunday Mass at St. Wulstan’s Little Malvern.

Mon 7 Oct Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, II class, Com. of 7.30am Mass Teresa Rayment St. Mark Pope and Confessor. Tue 8 Oct St. Bridget Widow, III class, Com. of Ss. Sergius, Bac- 7.30am Mass 7pm Mass Private Intention chus, Marcellus and Apuleius Martyrs. Olivier Aurousseau Wed 9 Oct St. John Leonard Confessor, III class, Com. of St. Denis Bish- 7.30am Mass Aileen Cahalan RIP op, Rusticus Priest, and Eleutherius Martyrs. Thu 10 Oct St. Francis Borgia Confessor, III class. 7.30am Mass Private Intention 11am Holy Hour Fri 11 Oct The Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, II class. 7.30am Mass 6.30pm Confessions Private Intention 7pm Mass Susanne Elisabeth Frankel RIP Sat 12 Oct Saturday in Honor of Our Lady 10.45 Confessions Private Intention 11.15 Mass Sun 13 Oct XVIII Sunday after Pentecost 11.15 Mass Private Intention October 13th at 3.15pm Sunday Mass at St. Wulstan’s Little Malvern.

* Changes to usual schedule: No changes this week.