Today in the Diocese of Westminster, it is the feast day of the martyr St. John Southworth. I did not know this until I attended Mass this morning. His body is in Westminster Cathedral. Of all the martyrs, his story is one of pathos and a sense that not all of England wanted the harsh penalties against priests. Judging by the readings of the trial and commentaries, Father Southworth was considered a holy man by the Protestants, who knew of his long hours of working with those struck down by the plague in London. That type of ministry is heroic, indeed. This saint was one of the last martyrs killed under the laws of Elizabeth I. Another interesting aspect of this saint's life is that, because he was honored, the Duke of Arundel was permitted to keep his remains, which were then taken to the English College at Douai, where they disappeared, purposefully hidden, during the French Revolution. In 1927, the body was found in a garden of a house, and sent to London, where one can now see the martyrs remains in the Cathedral. Even in death, this saint experienced persecution.
The martyrs provide us with guides as to how to live out our lives-faithful to the Gospels and to the Pope. This saint's life surpassed so many of his contemporaries. May he inspire and help us today.
The saint's family was connected to that of the Southworths of Samlesbury Hall in Lancashire. I have not visited there, but the house has an interesting website.
