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June 22
St. Thomas More
(1478-1535)
His belief that no lay ruler has
jurisdiction over the Church of Christ cost Thomas More his life.
Beheaded on Tower Hill, London, July 6, 1535, he steadfastly refused to approve Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and
establishment of the Church of England.
Described as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, eminent
lawyer, gentleman, father of four children and
chancellor of England. An intensely spiritual man, he would not support the
king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor
would he acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church in England, breaking
with Rome and denying the pope as head.
More was committed to the Tower of
London to await trial for treason: not swearing to the Act of Succession and the Oath
of Supremacy. Upon conviction, More declared he
had all the councils of Christendom and not just the council of one realm to
support him in the decision of his conscience.
Comment:
Four hundred years later, in 1935, Thomas More was
canonized a saint of God. Few saints are more relevant to the 20th century. The
supreme diplomat and counselor, he did not compromise
his own moral values in order to please the king, knowing that true allegiance
to authority is not blind acceptance of everything that authority wants. King
Henry himself realized this and tried desperately to win his chancellor to his
side because he knew More was a man whose approval
counted, a man whose personal integrity no one questioned. But when Thomas
resigned as chancellor, unable to approve the two matters that meant most to
Henry, the king had to get rid of Thomas More.
Patron Saint of:
Attorneys
Civil servants
Court clerks
Lawyers
Politicians, public servants
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