Saints

The Roman Catholic Church in England is proceeding industriously in the work of elevating 252 British martyrs to the rank of Saint.

In 1874 Cardinal Manning and the Roman Bishops of England petitioned the Pope to "introduce the cause" of 315 persons who had been executed for heresy in the reigns of Henry VIII, Elizabeth, James I (1509-1625). The Pope granted the honor of beatification (Sainthood) to 54 of them and as signed their general feast to May 4.

The remaining 261 were given the lower rank of "Venerable Servants of God." Later, 9 more were proved to be Saints and were beatified accordingly.

Last year the Pope granted a Court of Inquiry into the cause of the remaining 252.

The Court sits at Westminster Cathedral. It convenes twice each week to examine and pass on the evidence.

The 252 causes will require about two years' work. Final decision rests with the Pope after the ecclesiastical law yers have completed their arguments for and against beatification.

The 252 persons, long dead, whose degree of holiness is the subject of such intense investigation, are representative of every county in Great Britain.

Some were persons of high degree, some of low ; for example, the candidates for Sainthood from London are :

Name and place of execution:

William Carter, printer; Tyburn, 1584

John Lowe, priest; Tyburn, 1586

Thomas Felton, priest; Brentford, 1588

Richard Leigh, priest; Tyburn, 1588

Polydore Plasden, priest; Tyburn, 1591

Edward Waterson, priest; Newcastle, 1593

Earl of Arundel; Tower of London, 1595

Thomas Garnet, S.J.; Tyburn, 1604

Hugh Green, priest; Dorchester, 1642

John Gavan, S.J.; Tyburn, 1679

Viscount Stafford, Tower Hill, 1680

Executions of heretics cannot properly be understood unless it is remembered that high treason, in those days, was heresy. That high treason was heresy was a ruling of the Roman Catholic Church which was taken over by the Anglican Church when it separated from Rome. This same doctrine is still technically the law of the Roman Church, and received explosion as late as 1864, when Pope Pius IX (Pio Nono) issued his tremendous Syllabus of Errors*

"It is an error to assert that every man is free to embrace the religion he shall believe true, guided by the light of reason."

"It is an error to assert that the Church ought to be separated from the State and the State from the Church."

"It is an error to assert that in the present day it is no longer expedient that the Catholic religion shall be held as the only religion of the State, to the exclusion of all other modes of worship."

"It is an error to assert that it is allowable to refuse obedience to legitimate princes."

*This was the Syllabus in which the Pope said: "Si quis dixit: Romanus Pontifex potest ac debet cum progressu, cum liberalismo et cum recenti civilitate sese reconciliare et compere--anatema sit." ["Whoever says that the Roman Pontiff can or ought to come to terms with progress, liberalism or modern civilization--let him be accursed."]