Skip to main content

BL. JAMES BIRD, MARTYR - 25 MARCH

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH

Saints celebrated on the 25th of March

WELCOME!

BLESSED JAMES BIRD, MARTYR

James Bird, gentleman, was born at Winchester, of a gentleman's family. His parents brought him up in the protestant religion; which, upon a conviction of conscience, he afterwards forsook, and became a catholic; and, going abroad, was, for some time a student in Douay college, during its residence at Rheims. At his return home, his zeal for his religion, caused him to be apprehended. The accusations laid to his charge, were, that he had been reconciled to the Roman church, and, that he maintained the pope to be, under Christ, the head of the church. 

When he was brought to the bar, he acknowledged the indictment; and thereupon received sentence of death, as in cases of high treason: yet, so that both life and liberty were offered him if he would but once go to the protestant [government] church; but he chose rather to die, than to act against his conscience. And when his father solicited him to save his life by complying, he modestly answered, that as he had always been obedient to him, so would he willingly obey him in this also, if he could do it, without offending God. After a long imprisonment, he was hanged, drawn and quartered at Winchester, March 25, 1593.

He suffered with wonderful constancy and cheerfulness, being but nineteen years old. His head was set up on a pole, upon one of the gates of that city; which his father, one day passing by, and viewing the face of his son, thought that the head, bowing down, made him a reverence: upon which, he cried out: "Ah! my son Jemmy, who not only, living, wast ever obedient and dutiful, but now also, when dead, payest reverence to thy father! how far from thy heart was all affection or will for treason, or any other wickedness!"

Source: Bishop Richard Challoner, Memoirs of Missionary Priests, Volume 1

⬅️ The Holy Martyrs of England and Wales

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr James 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.




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WELCOME

  Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17   18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31   February - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17 18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR 16th century houses, painted by Auguste Mayer He was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one of our universities; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was received into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577; and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he remained in the English college till 1580, when he returned into England, and was not long after apprehended: for I find by a printed diary of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585, that on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam , and other priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons; and that these two, on the 10th...
Post a Comment
Read more

BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute.  He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...
Post a Comment
Read more