BL. MARK BARKWORTH, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 27 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

Saints celebrated on the 27th of February

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BLESSED MARK BARKWORTH, PRIEST AND MARTYR 

⬅️ Forty Martyrs of England and Wales

(alias Lambert) Blessed Mark Barkworth, priest and martyr, was born about 1572 in Lincolnshire; he was executed at Tyburn February 27, 1601. 

He was educated at Oxford, and converted to the Faith at Douai in 1594, by Father George, a Flemish Jesuit. In 1596 Barkworth went to Rome and thence to Valladolid. 

A VISION OF ST BENEDICT

On his way to Spain he is said to have had a vision of St Benedict, who told him he would die a martyr, in the Benedictine habit. 

Admitted to the English College, December 16, 1596, he was ordained priest in 1599, and set out for the English Mission together with Fr Thomas Garnet. On his way he stayed at the Benedictine Abbey of Hyrache in Navarre, where his ardent wish to join the order was granted by his being made an Oblate with the privilege of making profession at the hour of death. 

HE WAS ARRESTED ON  REACHING ENGLAND

After having escaped great peril at the hands of the heretics of La Rochelle, he was arrested on reaching England and thrown into Newgate, where he lay six months, and was then transferred to Bridewell. Here he wrote an appeal to Cecil, signed “George Barkworth”. At his examinations he behaved with extraordinary fearlessness and frank gaiety. Having been condemned he was thrown into “Limbo”, the horrible underground dungeon at Newgate, where he remained “very cheerful” till his death.

HE SUFFERED AT TYBURN

Barkworth suffered at Tyburn with Ven. Roger Filcock, S.J., and Ven. Anne Lyne. It was the first Tuesday in Lent, a bitterly cold day. He sang, on the way to Tyburn, the Paschal Anthem: “Hæc dies quam, fecit Dominus exultemus et lætemur in ea”. On his arrival he kissed the robe of Mrs Lyne, who was already dead, saying: “Ah, sister, thou hast got the start of us, but we will follow thee as quickly as we may”; and told the people: “I am come here to die, being a Catholic, a priest, and a religious man, belonging to the Order of Saint Benedict; it was by this same order that England was converted”. 

"I COME HERE TO DIE, BEING A CATHOLIC, A PRIEST, AND A RELIGIOUS MAN, BELONGING TO THE ORDER OF ST BENEDICT"

He was tall and burly of figure, and cheerful in disposition. He suffered in the Benedictine habit, under which he wore a hair-shirt. It was noticed that his knees were, like St James’, hardened by constant kneeling, and an apprentice in the crowd picking up his legs, after the quartering, called out to them: “Which of you Gospellers can show such a knee?” [Fr Barkworth was beatified by Pope Pius XI December 15, 1929.]

Source: Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913 ("Blessed" added afterwards)

➡️ Eighty-five Martyrs of England and Wales

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr Mark confessed the faith, may experience his goodness as he intercedes for us with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.