Preview: Bowden on the Protomartyrs of English Reformation

It's most appropriate that Father Henry Sebastian Bowden presents mementoes of the five Protomartyrs of the English Reformation on five days out of six from May 1 to May 6: the three Carthusian Priors (Saint John Houghton, Saint Robert Lawrence, and Saint Augustine Webster), Blessed John Haile, the parish vicar from Isleworth, and Saint Richard Reynolds, from the Brigittine House of Syon. It's appropriate because they were all hanged, drawn, and quartered on May 4, 1535, and in 2000, the revised Liturgical Calendar for England and Wales moved the feast of all the Catholic Martyrs of England and Wales from the Reformation and Recusant eras from October 25 to May 4; in 2010 the Memorial of the Martyrs was elevated to a Feast on the Calendar.

Therefore on May 1, Anna Mitchell or Matt Swaim and I will discuss Bowden's insights into these great holy martyrs during our series on Bowden's Mementoes of the English Martyrs and Confessors for Every Day in the Year on the Son Rise Morning Show at about 6:45 a.m. Central/7:45 a.m. Eastern on Monday, May 1st. 

If you want to see all that Bowden writes about these martyrs, you'll need a copy of the book, because we can only do so much in the time we have! Please listen live here or find the podcast later that day here.

Reading these mementoes, you have to pay attention to the title, the content of the reflection, and the scripture verse to enter into what Father Bowden wants you to remember about the martyrs or confessors--and then, like any good spiritual reading, to think about how to apply to yourself and your life of faith and practice of the Catholic religion.

On page 147, Bowden describes Saint Richard Reynold's reactions to the authorities who pressed him on why he would not "go along" with the rest of the religious, priests, and bishops who were accepting Henry VIII's oaths of succession and supremacy. The title of this memento is "The Witness of Tradition" and the verse is Proverbs 22:28: "Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy fathers have set." (Douai Rheims) His remarks are very like Saint Thomas More's would be throughout his questioning after he was arrested in 1534, for Reynolds replied:

"the rest of Christendom is in my favor . . . All good men of the kingdom hold with me . . . all the general councils, all the historians, the holy Doctors of the Church for the last fifteen hundred years, especially St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Augustine (of Canterbury?), and St. Gregory (the Great, who sent St. Augustine of Canterbury to Kent?).

At his trial, More called upon the same tradition and authorities against the idea that a monarch could, by setting himself up as the religious and ecclesial authority in his country, divide the Catholic Church from the unity expressed and symbolized by the Vicar of Christ, the Pope.

On May 6, (p. 152), Bowden memorializes St. Richard Reynolds again as "A Model of the Faith", quoting Reginald Cardinal Pole as praising Reynolds for the "sanctity of his life", his "more than common knowledge of the liberal arts" and saying the only thing lacking had been to "give testimony to the truth with his own blood . . . ". The verse for Reynold's that day is 1 Peter 5:3: "Being made a pattern of the flock from the heart."

On May 2, (p. 148), Bowden describes how Saint John Houghton led the Carthusians at the Charterhouse in London through a three-day period of discernment, praying for the Holy Spirit's inspiration. First, they all made a General Confession, then Houghton instructed them on "the virtues of charity, patience, and a firm adherence to God in the day of trial" and "asked forgiveness of each and all", which was reciprocated. Finally, he offered a "solemn Votive Mass of the Holy Ghost".

At the Elevation of the Body and the Blood of Christ, they all heard "the sound of a gentle wind" and all "were filled with a spirit of joy". The title for this memento is "Mass of the Holy Ghost" and the verse is Romans 8:16: "For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God."

On page 151, for May 5th, Bowden highlights all three of the Carthusian martyrs of May 4, 1535, Saint John Houghton, Saint Robert Lawrence, and Saint Augustine Webster, by recounting their hopes "for mitigation of the Oath of Supremacy"; their trial on April 29 and the reluctance of the jury to find them guilty until "terrified by Cromwell's threats" and of course, Saint Thomas More seeing them led off to their brutal executions as "cheerful as if they were bridegrooms going to their marriage." Bowden adds the statement "And their bright and smiling countenances were unchanged unto the end" as they were hanged until barely conscious, eviscerated, beheaded, and quartered. With the title "The Voice of the Bridegroom" the verse from John 3:29 is most appropriate: "The friend of the Bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the Bridegroom's voice."

On May 4, with title "Holy Wrath", Bowden tells the story of Blessed John Haile of Ipswich, the only one of these protomartyrs not canonized (?) with the verse from 1 Kings 19:14 (the text in the book on page 150 mistakenly refers to 3 Kings 19:14):

With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have destroyed thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

Bowden describes how in 1533 Haile "was grievously scandalized" at Henry VIII's actions and "reprobated the King's cruelty in oppressing and despoiling the Church" and Father Fern of Teddington and others reported these comments and gave testimony against him. Note that Father Fern gave "state's evidence" against his fellow priest as he was also accused of committing treason. Blessed John Haile was the first secular (non-order) priest to suffer execution for the Faith during the English Reformation.

Blessed John Haile, pray for us!

Saint Richard Reynolds, pray for us!

Saint John Houghton, pray for us!

Saint Robert Lawrence, pray for us!

Saint Augustine Webster, pray for us!